Course content

This course is an introduction to understanding, managing, and improving the sustainability performance of organisations, based on the principles of environmental management and continual improvement. A core part of the course is environmental management in the context of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG goals #8 (decent work and economic growth), #9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), #12 (responsible consumption and production), #13 (climate action), and #17 (partnerships to achieve the goals).

Topics in the course include:

• Understanding the context: Regulatory and policy frameworks, state of the earth and planetary boundaries, global sustainability initiatives, stakeholders, systems thinking for sustainability
• Managing and improving the performance: Environmental management systems (EMS), value chains, life cycle assessment (LCA), green public procurement (GPP)
• Developing strategies: Environmental governance, social governance, corporate governance, accountability, corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainable and circular business models
• Future trends: Trends in environmental management and corporate governance, balancing business objectives with sustainability, critical reflection

Learning outcome

Knowledge. The candidate has knowledge on:

• sustainability, sustainable development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the EU taxonomy
• concepts for environmental, social, and corporate governance, such as planetary boundaries, industrial ecology, circular economy, and green growth
• regulatory frameworks, policy frameworks, and other sources of guidance for managing sustainability performance in organisations
• the history of environmental management in industries
• principles for environmental management in public policy and industries
• the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle for continual improvement and standards for developing and auditing environmental management systems (EMS)
• ISO standards related to sustainability
• methods and tools for understanding, managing, and improving the sustainability performance of organisations, such as the DPSIR framework, stakeholder analysis, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), life cycle assessment (LCA), and green public procurement (GPP)
• codes of conduct, risk assessment, transparency, corporate sustainability reporting, and accountability
• how to use the national and international frameworks to establish sustainability strategies in business and other organizations
• system structures and the interactions of different stakeholders from a business perspective.
• trends in environmental management and corporate governance
• the challenges and opportunities of balancing business objectives with sustainability

Skills. A central part of the course is the project work, where students work in groups with a case company to learn skills related to environmental management and corporate governance. The candidate can:

• Identify environmental aspects and determine the significant environmental aspects of products, services, and organisations
• Analyse and evaluate organisations' management of environmental and social aspects
• Create performance indicators on a corporate level
• Discuss how to develop and implement sustainability strategies in organisations
• Work in teams on corporate sustainability issues
• Reflect critically on current sustainability practices in corporate case studies

General competence. The candidate can identify the significant environmental aspects of an organisation, analyse the organisation's sustainability performance, and develop suggestions for improving operational performance and management performance.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and group-based student activities using lecturer presentations and project work / field work connected to a company.

Recommended previous knowledge

No other than background requirec to be considered a valid applicant for a 2-year master.

Course materials

Given at semester start.