Graduating from ICHEC’s Master in Business Management in August 2025, Rémi Vanwildemeersch has just won the HERA Award Sustainable & Responsible Finance 2026 for a thesis devoted to the integration of double materiality in the insurance sector. His work was praised for its originality, analytical rigor, and its practical relevance for professionals in the field.
Conducted under the supervision of Christel Dumas, the thesis explores how double materiality can become a strategic tool for insurance companies rather than a constraint, by identifying the concrete factors that facilitate its implementation.
The jury considered the topic both original and highly timely: insurance companies are on the front line of climate-related risks, making the issue of double materiality particularly relevant for this sector. The jury also appreciated the complementarity of the sources used, notably expert interviews and the analysis of the first CSRD reports, the rigor with which the findings engage with the academic literature, and the clarity with which the author explains complex concepts.
Particular attention was given to the sector-specific recommendations: concrete, balanced and firmly grounded in the literature, they are directly usable by professionals in the field. The jury also highlighted the strong analytical quality of the thesis, which approaches sustainable finance from a perspective closely connected to the practices and risks faced by the insurance sector. Finally, the author demonstrated both solid expertise and genuine enthusiasm for the topic, a combination that was unanimously praised by the jury.
This distinction highlights a piece of work that successfully bridges academic research, regulatory challenges and real-world practice. It also reflects the ability of ICHEC students to produce analyses that are closely connected to the major transformations currently shaping the economic and financial world.