Corporate Responsibility (5cr)

Evaluation scale

H-5

Content scheduling

Corporate governance theories
Business ethics principles and CSR
Sustainable strategies as business tools

Objective

On successful completion of the course, student will know the principles of and instruments for building responsible business. Student can identify the most important stakeholders regarding corporate responsibility. Student will understand corporate resbonsibility's role as a part of company's competitive advantage. Student can present corporate resbonsibility elements and evaluate the meanings to company, environment and society. Student can tell how corporate responsibility can be managed and reported. Student can explore how sustainability is used as a sales argument and in advertising.

Content

* corporate responsibility

Location and time

Spring 2026
Tornio, Minerva, Kauppakatu 58

Akatemia groups T31L24K and T31L24S, contact lessons on Tuesday-Thursday at 9:00 - 11:30 in classroom 221 on :
13.1., 14.1. (workshop), 15.1.
20.1., 21.1 (workshop), 22.1.
27.1., 28.1 (company visits), 29.1.

Online group TA31L24K mandatory contact lessons in Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 14:00-16:30 on:
13.1. & 15.1.
20.1. & 22.1.
27.1. & 29.1.

Materials

Books available from Lapland UAS library database:

Corporate Governance (recommended reading - chapters 1-6, 12) Nordberg, Donald, 2010 https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ez.lapinamk.fi/lib/ulapland-ebooks/reader.action?docID=743700

Business Ethics Gavai, A.K., 2009 https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ez.lapinamk.fi/lib/ulapland-ebooks/reader.action?docID=3011220

The thinking executive's guide to sustainability Kassel, Kerul, 2014 https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ez.lapinamk.fi/lib/ulapland-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1048438 

Corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurship, and innovation Amaeshi, Kenneth, author ; Nnodim, Paul ; Osuji, Onyeka Routledge 2013. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ez.lapinamk.fi/lib/ulapland-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1128288

Perspectives on corporate social responsibility (recommended reading - chapters 1-4, 7-9, 11) Crowther, David ; Rayman-Bacchus, Lez 2016 https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ez.lapinamk.fi/lib/ulapland-ebooks/reader.action?docID=4817312

Additional study materials provided in Moodle.

Teaching methods

Mandatory classroom sessions for Akatemia groups T31L24K and T31L24S and mandatory Zoom sessions for online group TA31L24K

Independent and teamwork
Reading and research for class activities and course assignments
Inquiry-based learning for producing oral (for class sessions) and written research findings

The course aims to sensitise students with an understanding of the meaning and practices of Corporate Responsibility including corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business ethics. Additionally, to acquire insights into various aspects of sustainable business and environmental ethics, in order to widen perspectives on ethical considerations in culture, business and environment related issues.

International connections

In case there are any incoming exchange students in Tornio, there could be an opportunity for attending lessons and collaborating with them.

Student workload

This 5 ECTS course requires about 135 hours of students' workload which includes the mandatory classroom/Zoom contact lessons for debating and presenting research findings. Self-organised visitations to companies.
The remaining hours are to be used for research, reading and planning for contact lessons/debates, completing all required assignments.
Students competently prepare for class debates and presentations in addition to producing research findings as individual and team reports.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Student recognizes some principles and concepts of building responsible business. Student can identify the key stakeholders regarding corporate responsibility. Student will understand corporate responsibility's role as a part of company's competitive advantage. Student can present corporate responsibility elements. Student can tell how corporate responsibility can be managed and reported. Student understands how sustainability can be used as a sales argument and in advertising.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Student recognizes the principles of and instruments for building responsible business. Student can identify the most important stakeholders regarding corporate responsibility. Student will understand corporate responsibility's role as a part of company's competitive advantage. Student can present corporate responsibility elements and evaluate the meanings to company, environment and society. Student can tell how corporate responsibility can be managed and reported. Student can explore how sustainability is used as a sales argument and in advertising.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Student recognizes the principles of and instruments for building responsible business. Student can identify the most important stakeholders regarding corporate responsibility. Student will understand corporate responsibility's role as a part of company's competitive advantage. Student can present and analyze corporate responsibility elements and evaluate the meanings to company, environment and society. Student can identify how corporate responsibility can be managed and reported and suggest improvements. Student can explore how sustainability is used as a sales argument and in advertising.