Sustainability Leadership & Planetary Boundaries


Aims

  • The participant is able to explain the core concepts of corporate sustainability and differentiate between perspectives and approaches.
  • The participant is able to understand ‘true corporate sustainability’ from a holistic and embedded perspective.
  • At the end of this module the participant is able to evaluate and develop strategies for sustainability.
  • The participant is able to identify how integrated reporting and economic valuation of social and natural capital are driving business leadership on sustainability.
  • At the end of this module the participant is able to explain the core concepts of contemporary issues in sustainable business such as social entrepreneurship and circular economy.
  • The participant is able to apply presentation skills to a boardroom setting.

Information

The reality check for business leadership is that nine billion people simply cannot live well in this world if companies do not start leading new partnerships to co-create a safe operating space for humanity. In this course we consider how business leaders are taking this challenge seriously.


The goal of this module is to broaden participants’ understanding of sustainability, allowing for a holistic recognition of the interconnectivity of issues and their impacts on the future of business. Participants will learn the basics concepts of corporate sustainability and the meaning of ‘true corporate sustainability’ from a holistic and embedded perspective. The module engages with how and why companies form sustainability strategies and considers how an embedded perspective can be achieved through tools such as the planetary boundaries framework.


The 2016/17 edition of the module will specifically engage with numerous corporate and external thought leaders in sustainability. Participants will be immersed in the contemporary advancements in sustainability leadership such as the cradle-to-cradle philosophy, social entrepreneurship, integrated reporting and ecological restoration.
Each year the course engages participants with a ‘Live Business Case’ (2013/14 Eosta; 2014/15 Ricoh; 2015/16 Samsung). This requires participants to create sustainability strategies and present their ideas to managers of the company.  Details of this and other course assignments may be found on the blackboard learning environment. 


Students should attend and actively participate in the classes and field visits. Students are expected to engage in class discussions, ask questions of speakers, and demonstrate involvement with group exercises. Class attendance is mandatory for all classes, unless in the case of illness etc.

Assessment

  • Mixed form(100%)
  • Individual work portfolio (50%), Group Live Business case presentation (25%), Group Live Business case report (25%)

Materials

  • Anderson, R. (2009). Confessions of a radical industrialist – How Interface proved that you can build a successful business without destroying the planet. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
  • Elkington, J. (1997). Cannibals with forks - The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Capstone, Mankato, MN.
  • Elkington, J. (2012). The Zeronauts: Breaking the Sustainability Barrier. Oxon: Routledge.
  • Esty, D. and Winston, A. (2009). Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage. New Jersey: John Wiley & Son’s.
  • Hawken, P. (1993). The Ecology of Commerce: A Declaration of Sustainability. New York: Harper Business.
  • McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. (2002). Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. North Point Press.
  • Sukhdev, P. (2012). Corporation 2020. Washington: Island Press.
  • Werbach, A. (2009). Strategy for sustainability: A Business Manifesto. Boston: Harvard Business Press