Corporate Responsibility: Business Transformation for a Sustainable, Circular and Regenerative Future (5cr)

Objective

After completing the course, students will be able to critically analyze global sustainability challenges (e.g., climate; nature; circularity/waste; decent work; voice, governance and participation) and business opportunities related to sustainability transformation. They understand different mindsets, their objectives and impacts in corporate responsibility. Students embrace companies’ need to transform, re-evaluate and innovate their role, strategies, business models, products and services, value chains, and core business operations to operate in a way beneficial to the planet and society. As concrete tools, students apply frameworks related to circular and regenerative economy to accelerate the transition.

Content

- sustainability challenges and opportunities
- corporate responsibility
- business impacts
- business transformation
- circular economy
- regenerative economy

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Satisfactory 1-2
Student
• identifies corporate sustainability concepts and sustainability challenges but with limited accuracy and superficial explanations.
• understands different mindsets, their objectives and impacts for business transformation but their analysis is descriptive.
• describes business opportunities and proposes generic sustainability solutions to business transformation.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Good 3-4
Student
• analyses corporate sustainability concepts and sustainability challenges.
• evaluates the differences between different mindsets, their objectives and impacts as well as their implications for business transformation.
• compares business opportunities and applies the main frameworks related to circular and regenerative economy to accelerate the transition.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
Student
• analyses corporate sustainability concepts and sustainability challenges comprehensively with evidence-based arguments.
• critically evaluates the differences between different mindsets, their objectives and impacts as well as their implications for business transformation by providing original insights.
• designs innovative and feasible sustainability solutions to business transformation by identifying systemic interconnections between business and societal/environmental impacts.

Accomplishment methods

The course blends theory and practice, with case studies, interactive workshops, and applied projects.