What is this course about?

Sustainability is one of the key issues facing today’s society. This is underlined by the increasing attention on sustainability issues by governments, media, academics and industry.

In the context of sustainable development, businesses that are often referred to as part of the problem can be part of the solution. As a consequence, policymakers, industry leaders, society and academics are trying to understand how sustainability affects traditional ways of doing business and how traditional businesses are affected by sustainability. How to develop a sustainable competitive advantage is a key challenge in the agendas of today’s global executives.

This module introduces the topic of sustainability from three perspectives: corporate sustainability (core of the module); business ethics and social innovation.

You will work through several case studies and gain a comprehensive understanding of sustainability issues, its relevance for policymakers, the role of corporations and the implications for decision-making.

What are the learning outcomes?

  • Developing an understanding of the strategic challenges faced by modern organisations in today’s global business environment
  • Developing a basic understanding of sustainability thinking and triple- bottom-line approaches
  • Gaining an appreciation of the business case for sustainability in different industries
  • Learning about the ethical implications of business decisions
  • Developing an appreciation of the potential for social innovation through business activities.

Who is this course aimed at?

This module is not specific to any undergraduate degree, but is targeted at anyone who has an interest in Business or applying their STEM knowledge outside academia.

How will this course be delivered?

This is an asynchronous module and will be delivered online, via the EdX Edge platform. Instructions on how to access the course can be found in the links to courses tab of your Microsoft Teams space.

How much time will the course take up?

A total of approximately 17 hours to be distributed in time according to your own preference.