OADD 2270 - Corporate Sustainability: Theory and Case Studies

The topic of the course “Corporate Sustainability: Theory & Case Studies” is how to make companies more sustainable and ultimately asks the question if this is possible in our current economic system. Students first learn about key concepts in corporate sustainability and then develop skills to implement them in the real world. In an immersive company case study in the retail sector, students collaborate in sustainability teams to analyze sustainability challenges of the case company and develop solutions for the company to address them. This is supplemented by seminar-style lectures with discussions on issues such as regulation or degrowth. The climax of the course is a mock board session in which each student acts as a board member of the case company and presents his/her sustainability proposal. Together students then come to a decision which proposals to implement, given budget constraints, sustainability impacts and trade-offs.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Recognize and realize opportunities for corporate sustainability in a real-world business environment
2. Assess the limits and the potential of companies to sustainable development
3. Critically evaluate and formulate statements, decisions, and arguments in the context of corporate sustainability
4. Gain awareness of how environmental policies shape decision making on the corporate level
5. Effectively pitch complex sustainability-related ideas

Professional Skills:
- Leadership & management
- Change management
- Negotiation
- Problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Entrepreneurial spirit

Vivian GRUDDE,Volker HOFFMANN

Séminaire

English

Course Workload:
- In Class Presence: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester - Reading and Preparation for Class: 26 hours a semester - Research and Preparation for Group Work: 100 hours a semester

Autumn 2024-2025

Assessment will be according to five deliverables, D1 – D5:
- D1: written description and oral presentation of one sustainability challenge, group work, 20% - D2: written sustainability ideas, group work, 20% - D3a: oral presentation of one board proposal, group work, 20 % - D3b: written proposal for board session, group work, 20 % - D4: board strategy – own assessment of other board proposals and suggestion for strategy, group work, 20 %

Pedagogical and feedback format:
Detailed feedback will be given in written form after an assessment has taken place.