Rui Caldeira

The article investigates recent developments in trade relations between the European Union (EU) and Ukraine, emphasising the impact of geopolitical tensions, including Russia’s military aggression. It focuses on analysing the dynamics of trade intensity and assessing export opportunities for Ukraine’s main EU trading partners. Using data from 2013 to 2023, the study applies the trade intensity index and export potential indicator to assess bilateral trade flows and uncover untapped opportunities. It highlights the transformative role of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) in fostering economic integration, despite challenges such as corruption and geopolitical instability. The findings confirmed that Ukraine’s trade intensity with the EU was higher than that of the EU with Ukraine during the analysed period. Additionally, in 2023, the export potential of EU countries to Ukraine was concentrated in high-value-added commodities, including machinery, motor vehicles, and pharmaceutical products. The analysis identified Poland and Bulgaria as countries with the highest trade intensity with Ukraine in 2022, while Germany showed the greatest untapped export potential in absolute terms.

In modern organisations, ethical leadership has emerged as a key driver of sustainability, shaping both employee behaviour and long-term organisational performance. This study investigates the mechanisms through which ethical leadership fosters organisational sustainability, with a focus on the mediating role of organisational commitment. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted in mainland Portugal between January 2024 and January 2025 with a sample of 285 employees from medium and large companies (48% male, 52% female). Ethical leadership was measured with the 10-item Ethical Leadership Scale (α = 0.94), organisational commitment with a 7-item validated scale (α = 0.91), and organisational sustainability with a 12-item scale capturing ethical climate and voluntary pro-environmental behaviours (α = 0.93). Data were analysed using structural equation modelling with maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrapping. Results support the hypothesised model, showing that ethical leadership positively predicts organisational commitment (β = 0.62, SE = 0.07, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.48, 0.75]) and organisational sustainability indirectly through commitment (indirect effect β = 0.31, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001, 95% CI [0.20, 0.43]). Direct effects of ethical leadership on sustainability were weaker and non-significant once the mediator was included, confirming the centrality of commitment. Model fit indices indicated strong adequacy (CFI = 0.962, TLI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.048, SRMR = 0.041). Theoretically, the findings reinforce the integration of ethical leadership theory with sustainability research, clarifying the role of commitment as a mediating mechanism. Practically, the study suggests that fostering ethical leadership behaviours—fair decision-making, role modelling, and integrity—can strengthen employee commitment, which in turn drives sustainable organisational practices. This highlights the importance of leadership development programmes centred on ethics as a strategic lever for long-term sustainability.

The concept of sustainability and green energy has become increasingly relevant in our lives, especially in the face of climate change and the growing demand for sustainable solutions in the energy sector. Driven by renewable energies, there is a continuous effort to research and develop alternative energy sources and fuels. In this context, the European Union (EU) Strategy for Hydrogen (H) has emerged, placing this source as one of the central pillars in the fight against climate change. Hydrogen is seen as a potential fuel and energy source of the future. However, in addition to political and structural challenges, this new approach also faces significant technical obstacles.With the increase in population and human needs, the need for energy continues to grow.The world population is projected to reach ten billion people by the year 2050 (Tarhan et al, 2021). To meet this growing demand and promote a transition to clean energies, many countries are incorporating renewable energy sources into their energy mix, while still relying on fossil fuels. Developed countries are gradually reducing their use of fossil fuels in energy production. Considering that 80 per cent of our daily energy needs are still met by these sources, the complete transition is complex and not immediate, but it is an achievable goal.Hydrogen has the potential to radically transform our reality and is positioned as one of the most promising solutions for the energy future. In the midst of an unprecedented environmental and energy crisis, the need for clean and sustainable alternatives to replace fossil fuels is becoming increasingly urgent (Hassan et al, 2024). Among the various options, H stands out not only for being a clean energy source, but also for its versatility and abundance (Qyyum et al, 2021).One of the main advantages of hydrogen is its positive environmental impact: when used as a fuel, its only by-product is water vapour, resulting in zero emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases (Sánchez-Bastardo et al, 2021). This makes it a key element in the fight against global warming, especially in sectors whose decarbonisation is crucial, such as transport and industry. Green hydrogen, produced from renewable sources, has proved to be an ideal solution for driving this transition to low-carbon technologies.In July 2020, the European Commission (EC) launched the Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate-Neutral Europe, with the aim of accelerating the development of clean hydrogen and ensuring its role as a pillar of a carbon-neutral energy system by 2050. This ambitious plan demonstrates Europe's commitment to the energy transition and highlights hydrogen as a centrepiece for achieving carbon neutrality targets. Energy generated from hydrogen is extremely versatile and has gained prominence as a promising solution for tackling climate change and driving the transition to a sustainable energy future (Crabtree & Dresselhaus, 2008).In a report adopted in May 2021, MEPs responded to the EC's proposal (European Commission, 2020) by emphasising that only green hydrogen -produced from renewable sources -can sustainably contribute to achieving climate neutrality in the long term. This position reflects the growing preference for totally clean energy sources without any dependence on fossil fuels (Gielen et al,, 2019). The environmental benefits of hydrogen depend directly on how it is produced. Of the 69 million tonnes of H produced globally (excluding hydrogen as a by-product), almost 99% comes from fossil fuels, with 76% derived from natural gas and 23% from coal, which results in significant carbon emissions (International Energy Agency, 2019). There is therefore an urgent need to develop more sustainable H production technologies in order to reduce the associated carbon intensity, as global demand for this energy source continues to rise.Another crucial point in H's favour is its abundance (Abdin, 2020). Representing around 70 per cent of the matter in the universe, it can be extracted from a variety of sources, including water, which guarantees long-term energy security. In addition, extracting hydrogen from water using renewable energy is a sustainable and environmentally friendly process (Amin, 2022). The ability to produce locally also reduces dependence on fossil fuel imports, which is a strategic advantage for many countries. Nations like Portugal could produce their own green hydrogen and export it to countries with less renewable energy generation capacity. This would strengthen global energy security and help create new value chains in the world economy (Santos et al, 2024).Today, faced with the scarcity of fossil fuels and worsening environmental problems, the need to find new sources of energy that are efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable has become increasingly evident. In the global context of the transition to a low-carbon energy system, H has emerged as a clean and efficient source. Initially used in vehicles with hydrogen fuel cells, its success has fuelled the development of other sectors related to this emerging technology (Liu et al, 2022).A key advantage of integrating hydrogen into energy strategies is its potential to decarbonize the sector by serving as a clean, reliable solution for energy storage and transportation. This transition can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and enhance the resilience of energy systems against climate change.Hydrogen aligns with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, as it promotes environmental sustainability, provides social benefits, and supports economic growth. Additionally, hydrogen plays a crucial role in advancing several United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) (Zainal et al., 2024).However, the widespread adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy source in the global transition...

Information about the paper titled "THE PERCEPTION OF BUSINESS STUDENTS' ETHICS" at IATED Digital Library