Course content

In the 21st century, the industrial cluster faces several challenges, including rising global population, resource scarcity, associated environmental, socio-economic impacts, and uncertainty due to pandemics such as COVID-19 and Global Warming. These challenges pose both short and long-term risks to businesses, consumers, and the broader society that depends on them. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly essential for industries to comprehend the ways to sustain amidst all the uncertainties by exploring strategies for industrial sustainability.

The course presents and discusses concepts and content related to sustainable production, industrial activities, and organizational management in light of the 2030 agenda of Sustainable Development. Particular emphasis is placed on how global initiatives, scientific concepts, and innovation can contribute so industrial systems are kept within the planet's limits (resilient production and value chains). The course will also highlight how industries improve their competence through circular economy, producer responsibility, digitalization, eco-industrial partnership, design for sustainability, etc. Additionally, the course will address issues related to organizational aspects and strategic management principles related to corporate governance and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Through project activity, the students will learn to prioritize sustainability criteria, assessment indicators by applying multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Additionally, a brief account of the industrial application of various industrial ecology methods, organizational management, industrial design, occupational health/hygiene, and safety science shall be demonstrated. The students will learn the process behind strategic planning for realizing short and long-term industrial sustainability utilizing the framework of SDGs. The course will use case-study-based learning to provide industrial applications of scientific theories to measure and operationalize sustainability.

Learning outcome

The course should contribute to the learning outcome as described below. Throughout the course, the students will learn about the main principles of:

• Risks, challenges, and uncertainties associated with the industrial sector
• Global initiatives, standards, indicators and frameworks for sustainable innovation and development relevant to industries
• Developing a holistic sustainability strategy for industries
• Ethical dilemmas and perspectives based on different principles
• Good practice for corporate governance and the development of business strategies for industrial sustainability

The course will provide skills in:

• Applying knowledge of industrial sustainability in dialogue with businesses and other social actors
• Comprehending how businesses can potentially convert risks and challenges into opportunities by developing sustainable strategies.
• Comprehending the dilemma associated with various elements of sustainability for industries and ways to prioritize sustainability criteria.
• Developing business strategies based on sustainability and holistic thinking
• Prioritizing and ranking sustainability criteria for various industrial sectors

Learning methods and activities

Lectures (from teachers and industrial experts) and group-based student activities using lecturer presentations and project work connected to an industrial sector. Alongside lectures, there will be audio-visual means such as documentary and simulation games to build an overall understanding of course concepts.

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge of environment and sustainability management.

Course materials

Course material will be provided to all the registered students on Blackboard at the start of the semester.