Sustainability Management

44B0788

Bachelor

English

5.0

only summer term

1 semester

The module is read by two lecturers (Kussin/Schnitker).

Sustainable business practices serve as a crucial guiding principle for many companies, agricultural enterprises, and other organizations in the agricultural and food industry when shaping their business models, especially as they face rapid market shifts towards sustainability investments, innovations, and heightened external societal expectations. Consideration of sustainability aspects can significantly impact stakeholder acceptance for the introduction of new products, procedures, investment projects, or other strategic decisions. In the following course, students will gain an overview of sustainability management goals and methods based on relevant literature and practical examples. They will explore various strategic options, stakeholder perspectives, and the underlying motives and backgrounds of specific argumentation patterns. Additionally, they will analyze the concrete opportunities and limitations of sustainable business practices through case studies.

The module also includes content on the development and evaluation of sustainability strategies in connection with international guidelines and specifications such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact. In addition, the module deals intensively with so-called sustainable entrepreneurship, i.e. sustainable entrepreneurship, which aims to meet challenges and opportunities through megatrends in the areas of ecology, social affairs and economy and new technologies or business model innovations in a solution-oriented manner.

Part Kussin:

1. Introduction to Sustainable Corporate Management 2. Corporate Ethics, Sustainability, and Organizational Culture, Corporate Governance
3. Strategic Aspects of Sustainability 4. Analytical Approaches, Evaluation of Sustainable Corporate Management Using Case Studies from the Agricultural and Food Industry 5. Introduction to Environmental Economics as a Fundamental Reference Point for Sustainability Management
6. Methods for Identification, Classification, and Assessment of Relevant Sustainability Issues 7. Tools for Stakeholder Dialogues and Collaborations
Reporting as an Integral Part of Sustainability Management
8. Empirical Examples of Goal Conflicts in Sustainability Management

Part Schnitker

10. introduction to the development of sustainability strategies. 11. strategic context in the field of sustainability (Doughnut Economy Approach, SDG, Global Compact, SbTI, circular economy approach, etc.) 12. standardisation strategies for sustainability. 13. evaluation of sustainability strategies and certification options. 14. operationalisation of sustainability strategies and identification or solution of implementation barriers. 15 Introduction to sustainable entrepreneurship. 16. standard types of sustainable business models. 17. technology innovations and their potential for sustainable corporate management.

The total workload for the module is 150 hours (see also "ECTS credit points and grading").

• Written examination or
• oral exam

The standard form of examination is the written examination (alternative form of examination may be chosen by the examiner and then announced at the beginning of the course)

written examination, 2 hours

Students who have successfully completed this module possess a broad knowledge and understanding of the key challenges and requirements for sustainable corporate management. They are familiar with the fundamentals of business ethics, the scientific principles of sustainable development, and the strategic dimension and analysis opportunities of sustainable corporate management. They can contextualize the essential tasks of stakeholder management and categorize approaches in reporting, as well as describe goal conflicts in sustainability management.

They know the procedure for developing sustainability strategies and can evaluate them. They can describe and differentiate sustainable business models and technological innovations and evaluate them in terms of their sustainability performance. 

The graduates of the Sustainability Management module demonstrate a critical understanding of the key theories, principles, and methods relevant to sustainable business management. They can describe and justify the strategic aspects of sustainability and comprehend the fundamental concepts of corporate ethics, sustainability, and corporate governance. Moreover, they are capable of applying methods for identifying, categorizing, and evaluating pertinent sustainability issues, integrating and contextualizing them.

Students can discuss and demonstrate opportunities for analyzing and evaluating sustainable business management using case studies from the agricultural and food industries. They can illustrate and explain empirical examples of conflicts of interest in sustainability management and recognize the importance of reporting as a significant component of sustainability management.

Their knowledge and understanding are in line with current literature and encompass some in-depth knowledge of the latest research findings in the specified areas. Graduates can deepen their knowledge beyond the discipline and critically engage with and discuss new developments.

The graduates of the "Sustainability Management" module reflect situationally on the epistemologically justified correctness of professional and practice-relevant statements in relation to topics such as Introduction to Sustainable Business Management, Business Ethics, Sustainability and Corporate Culture, Corporate Governance, and Strategic Aspects of Sustainability.

They analyze and critically evaluate various aspects of these topics and relate them to the complex context of the agricultural and food industry. In doing so, they utilize their skills to recognize potential connections and evaluate problematic situations. They can distinguish between different perspectives, formulate arguments for and against certain positions, and justify their positions with a solid rationale. Through this critical examination, they are able to develop contextually appropriate problem-solving strategies and make decisions based on a solid foundation of professional plausibility.

Upon completion of the module, students demonstrate the following competencies, particularly in the context of topics such as Introduction to Sustainable Business Management and Corporate Ethics:

They can collect, evaluate, and interpret relevant information on these topics, especially within their study program. Consequently, they are able to derive well-founded judgments and develop solutions that correspond to the current state of research. They then implement these solutions in application-oriented projects and actively contribute to solving complex tasks in interdisciplinary teams. Their ability to independently design further learning processes enables them to continuously expand their knowledge and advance their professional development.

Within the scope of this module, students are tasked with the following:

They derive research questions and define them within the context of sustainability management and business ethics. By analyzing relevant topics such as corporate governance and strategic aspects of sustainability, they can also develop pertinent inquiries, closely linked to aspects of agricultural and food industry practices.

Within this module, students develop a broad range of competencies:

They articulate specialized and contextually relevant problem-solving strategies in the field of sustainability management, constructing theoretically grounded arguments across various aspects such as environmental economics, stakeholder dialogues and collaborations, and reporting. Through active communication and collaboration within seminar settings, they demonstrate the ability to reflect upon and critically consider diverse perspectives and interests of other stakeholders to effectively tackle complex tasks, such as analyzing and evaluating sustainable corporate governance using case studies from the agricultural and food industry.

Students acquire a range of important competencies within this module:

They develop a professional self-image aligned with the goals and standards of professional practice in diverse fields within the agricultural and food industry. They are capable of substantiating their professional actions with a solid theoretical and methodological foundation, particularly concerning topics such as corporate ethics, sustainability, corporate culture, and corporate governance.

Furthermore, students can assess their own abilities and autonomously reflect upon contextually relevant decision-making and design freedoms, utilizing these under guidance to develop and implement solutions for complex challenges in the field of sustainability management. They recognize contextually appropriate conditions for professional action and can ethically justify their decisions, particularly concerning ethical issues within the context of the agricultural and food industry.

• Kussin, Matthias

• Schnitker, Karin
• Kussin, Matthias