13th EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum
Challenges for Regenerative Operations and Supply Chains in a “Polycrisis” World
March 16 and 17, 2026 | Porto, Portugal
The contemporary global landscape is increasingly characterised by a convergence of crises, such as climate change, geopolitical instability, health emergencies, economic fragmentation, and social inequality, collectively referred to as a “polycrisis.” In such a context, the limitations of traditional, efficiency-driven models of operations and supply chains are becoming ever more apparent.
The EurOMA Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains Forum 2026 aims to explore the urgent need for regenerative approaches that aim to restore, renew, and revitalise social and ecological systems, as well as their role in improving resilience and readiness levels in scenarios of multiple, sequential, or parallel crises. Implementing regenerative principles within supply chains presents complex challenges, including institutional and political inertia, technological constraints, fragmented governance, and conflicting stakeholder interests. Thus, we intend to foster a comprehensive discussion that contributes to overcoming these challenges while promoting the development of viable pathways for regenerative transformation in the face of systemic volatility and uncertainty.
Porto, known as Cidade Invicta (invincible city) and one of Europe’s oldest tourist destinations, is the second largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto district and of the country’s northern region. Its wealth of artistic heritage, Port Wine, open-air leisure spaces and cultural life are just some of the reasons to visit this city, whose Historical Centre was designated World Cultural Heritage in 1996. Its natural setting and its meandering streets give it a unique charm
Keynote Speakers
Steve Evans
Professor Steve Evans is Director of Research in Industrial Sustainability at Cambridge University. He leads research that seeks to deliver knowledge concerning sustainable change at scale, including programmes in sustainable business model innovation, system transformation, the limits of efficiency and sustainable policy making in developing countries. He has over 30 years of academic experience which includes working collaboratively with leading industrial and academic institutions from around the globe. He has been Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee and is a serial clean-tech start-up founder. Steve’s thought leadership has recently been recognized by the invitation to become a Member of Academia Europaea, the leading academy of Europe.
Helena Freitas
Helena Freitas is a Full Professor of Biodiversity and Ecology at the Department of Life Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, where she also founded and coordinates the Center for Functional Ecology. She earned her PhD in Ecology from the University of Coimbra, followed by postdoctoral research at Stanford University. She holds the UNESCO Chair in Biodiversity and Conservation for Sustainable Development, chairs the advisory board of the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD) Portugal, and is Director of Serralves Park. Over her career, she has also served as Vice-Rector of the University of Coimbra, President of the League for Nature Protection and the Portuguese Ecological Society, and Vice-President of the European Ecological Federation.
Venue
The Forum will be held at the Porto Business School facilities, situated in a privileged location, close to various types of access points and means of transportation, from Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (10km), to the Sete Bicas Metro Station (100m) and the Campanhã Trains Station (10km). Spanning over 10,000 m2, the premises of the Porto Business School were built based on the latest international classroom and interactive technology models.
Arriving at the Conference
Arriving by Train
- Take the Metro (Lines A, B, C, or F) towards Senhora da Hora
- Exit at Sete Bicas station
- 5-10 min walk to the venue (Porto Business School)
- Take Yellow Line (D) to Trindade
- Transfer to any line towards Senhora da Hora
- Exit at Sete Bicas station
From Porto Airport (OPO)
- Take Line E (Violet) direction Estádio do Dragão
- Exit at Sete Bicas station
- 5-10 min walk to the venue (Porto Business School)
- Approx. 15-20 min drive
- Destination: Porto Business School
Conference Dinner
Monday, 16th of March 2026 @ 8 PM
The Conference Dinner will be held at the WoW Porto, a Cultural District located at old port wine warehouses in Vila Nova de Gaia, right across the Douro River from Porto’s historic centre.
Click here for directions.
Accommodation
Important Dates
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Abstract Notification of acceptance December 12, 2025
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Teaching Innovation & Co-Creation Sessions Notification of acceptance December 19, 2025
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Full paper submission deadline (optional) January 23, 2026
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Registration deadline February 6, 2026
Registration
Registration Fees
- Students: 170,00€
- EurOMA members: 220,00€
- Non-EurOMA Members: 320,00€
Full Paper Submission
We encourage those authors who had an abstract approved to submit a full paper, which will be presented in parallel sessions (submission of full papers is not mandatory). Authors can expect constructive feedback for the development of their research, with contributions to theory and practice.
Note: Submission of full papers is optional after the abstract has been accepted. The title of the full paper has to be the same as the one of the initial abstract. The overall length of the paper, including all illustrations, tables, and references, is limited to 10 pages.
Call for Teaching Innovation
We invite submissions for teaching innovation to be presented at the 13th EurOMA Sustainability Forum. The purpose of teaching innovation is to highlight the educational mission of teachers-researchers and to promote the ability to disseminate scientific knowledge and good practices of organisations to learners. We invite researchers to present innovative ideas used to teach sustainable operations and supply chains based on the following two formats: teaching practices or teaching cases.
Submissions should include:
- Title of the teaching innovation
- An abstract including context, purpose, sustainability-related topic, the main problem, theoretical lens (if applicable), and learning outcomes for the students.
- Type of teaching innovation
- Teaching practice
- Teaching case
- Target group (e.g., Bachelor, Master, Executive)
- For teaching practices:
- Teaching approach (e.g., teacher or student-centred)
- Innovative features of the practice
- If the practice has been tested (yes/no)
- How to adopt the practice
- For teaching cases:
- Type of organisation addressed in the case: name and characteristics of the organisation studied (e.g., firm, public sector, association, NGO)
- Type of data available (e.g., interview transcripts, videos, reports)
- If the case has been tested in a lecture (yes/no)
- How to use the case: Please explain in a few sentences how the teaching case should be used in class (questions asked to students, sessions (teaching hours) and outlines, use of the provided data and tools, applicable theories to explain the case).
Selected submissions will be presented by their author(s) during the conference in sessions specifically tailored to the discussion of innovative teaching approaches.
Format and Submission
- For teaching practices: Please submit no more than 10 pages.
- For teaching cases: Please submit no more than 15 pages (e.g., up to ten pages for the case and five pages for the teaching notes).
- A template is available here.
- Submission: Please send your teaching practice to contact@euroma-sustainabilityforum.org.
Call for Co-Creation Sessions
The Co-Creation Sessions encompass the launch of a topic/problem by the proponents/organizers of the session to be discussed in the group. The objective is to address innovative and relevant topics that represent real problems and think together about possible solutions or approaches to deal with them. Co-Creation Sessions may include different formats such as debates, brainstorming, world cafe, Mind Mapping, business games or practical exercises. In Co-Creation Sessions, after an introduction by the organisers, the participants could be split into small groups and discuss solutions to the proposed issue, followed by a discussion in the big group.
Proposals for Co-Creation Sessions should include:
- The session title.
- A list of session proponents/organisers.
- The relevance of the topic for the conference theme.
- The objectives and expected outcomes.
- Format of the session and methodology.
The responsible person will communicate the details to the organising committee and be available to share information concerning the management of the session. To provide multiple perspectives, we encourage team diversity (e.g., different institutions and countries) and multi-disciplinary approaches for these sessions.
Format and Submission
- Format: A maximum of five pages, including the details mentioned above.
- A template is available here.
- Submission: Please send your proposal for the Co-Creation sessions to contact@euroma-sustainabilityforum.org.
Note: Feel free to contact us via the email address above if you have an idea and are unsure if it fits the Co-Creation sessions format.
