731035 Business and sustainability

Type
Project course
Semester hours
3
Lecturer (assistant)
Balzarova, Michaela
Organisation
Offered in
Wintersemester 2023/24
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

This course links sustainability with business practice. It highlights the importance of incorporating ESG considerations and outcomes, while emphasizing the risks of neglecting them. Drawing on insights from socio-economic, political, environmental, and business practices, this interdisciplinary course delves into sustainability topics that affect current business processes. It explores questions such as: How can companies reduce their environmental footprint and become more sustainable in their operations? How can companies incorporate sustainability considerations into their strategic planning and decision-making processes? How can companies measure and report on their sustainability performance, and how can they use this information to drive continuous improvement? Through engaging case studies, students will witnessed how sustainable companies create value and foster loyalty.

Fields of study: sustainability management, strategic management, product differentiation, case studies, business and sustainability, voluntary management systems
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Previous knowledge expected

no restrictions
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Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:
1. Understand the fundamental drivers underlying the pressures on companies to become more responsible and more sustainable, and the “rules of the game” or system conditions for sustainability;
2. Recognise how businesses can prosper while meeting these system conditions and the risks of not responding adequately, and be familiar with a strategic framework for navigating to sustainability;
3. Be able to assess the sustainability of a current or proposed business, identify opportunities for change and improvement, and engage others on the journey;
4. Be familiar with a range of sustainability tools and approaches, and their strengths and weaknesses;
5. Be familiar with the range of tools governments are using to promote sustainable business practices;
6. Have developed enhanced skills in research, enquiry, and written and oral communication.
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You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.