T. Papalexopoulos Endowed Chair in Sustainability
About the Theodore Papalexopoulos Endowed Chair in Sustainability
Theodore Papalexopoulos, a founding member of Alba, was a pioneer leader in sustainability and had envisioned early on the establishment of a Business School of international standards in the country. The endowed Chair contributes both to the development and dissemination of knowledge on sustainability. At the same time, it supports Alba in emerging as a hub of knowledge creation and dissemination on sustainability and further facilitating T. Papalexopoulos vision and legacy. The chair is established with a donation from the TITAN Group and the Papalexopoulos & Canellopoulos family.
The first Chairholder is Professor Pavlos A. Vlachos.
The Theodore Papalexopoulos Sustainability Dialogues
The Theodore Papalexopoulos Sustainability Dialogues is a new series designed to bridge the gap between management knowledge and action in the realm of sustainability and business transformation. By bringing together leading academics and industry practitioners, the series fosters evidence-based discussions on the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time.
At a moment when climate risks, biodiversity loss, and social inequality threaten both our planet and our societies, public discourse is often derailed by misinformation and polarization. This series aims to cut through the noise, offering rigorous scientific insights and practical strategies that drive meaningful change.
With a special focus on the Greek business community—a key force in the country’s economic, environmental, and social progress—the Sustainability Dialogues connect decision-makers with global experts in sustainability. Through these conversations, we seek to inspire businesses to go beyond compliance, internalize their externalities, and actively contribute to a more sustainable future—because sustainability is not just an ethical imperative; it’s smart business.
ABOUT THEODOROS PAPALEXOPOULOS
Τheodoros Papalexopoulos (1926 – 2020) was a leading figure in the Greek business community and an impactful pioneer in the integration and generation of value across different sectors within the Greek Society. During his life and career, he embraced and disseminated a holistic approach to sustainability and growth, by energizing resources and personally contributing to different sectors and initiatives across the community - business, culture, education– integrating all initiatives in the service and purpose of responsible citizenship and corporate social responsibility.
In this context, in the early 1990s, Theodoros Papalexopoulos conceived and envisioned Alba as the first Business School in Greece, with the mission to educate the visionary leaders of tomorrow and to develop the future agents of transformation and change in the Greek corporate community.
During the years of his leadership at Titan, Theodoros Papalexopoulos offered invaluable service to the community, the industry and the economy, both in Greek and in European contexts. He served as President of SEV, he was honorary President of IOVE, he established institutions for Volunteerism, and Responsible Citizenship and initiatives for the prevention of accidents at schools and at work. His catalyst contribution to the rescue and dissemination of cultural heritage was awarded by the Academy of Athens and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Theodoros Papalexopoulos leaves a footprint in the Industrial and Business Community, as well as in the Greek Society. He embodied the traits and the virtues of sustainable, responsible and ethical leadership: Leading with a strong mission for making a difference, a caring attitude, a values orientation that shapes mindset and culture, an integrative style that engenders trust, a willingness to innovate and to be radical. And a long term perspective on societal impacts.
As the founding father of Alba and a role model for Leadership, Theodoros Papalexopoulos leaves a guiding legacy to our School. At Alba, we commit to perpetuate this legacy through education and learning, in order to nurture, further develop and disseminate the knowledge, values and practices, for personal and professional growth, sustainable organizations and prosperous communities. After all, this is the spirit of our “Business Unusual” legacy and our unwavering commitment to setting our sights over the horizon, reaching for visionary ideals and working restlessly to get there, against the tide and all the disruptions.
Sustainability at ACG
ACG embraces a holistic 360° sustainability approach, integrating US best practices to gradually develop and implement sustainability practices across all aspects of campus life—from academic programs and research to daily operations. The college is committed to building a resilient, deeply-rooted sustainability culture on campus and beyond.
For all its efforts in advancing sustainability, ACG achieved the prestigious STARS® Gold Rating for the second time for its fourth sustainability report and assessment, in recognition of its sustainability achievements in five categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, Planning & Administration, and Innovation & Leadership, in June 2023. ACG is the only academic institution in Greece to have received a distinction from the US Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) – an internationally acclaimed association. Additionally, ACG has been systematically recognized as one of the Greenest Colleges since 2018, according to the Princeton Review Magazine. Through its membership in the UN Global Compact, the UN Academic Impact and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), ACG has committed to always operate in support of the UN SDGs – and most importantly, Goal No 4: Quality Education.
At the heart of ACG’s mission is nurturing tomorrow’s changemakers and leaders. The College equips students with the knowledge, values, and experiences essential for thriving in a rapidly evolving global landscape and acting as responsible citizens and professionals to help create a more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable world.