After completing this course the student will be able to:

• Understand a range of concepts, tools, and techniques available to companies to better contribute to sustainability;
• Be able to recognise and describe the different tools and initiatives being taken by companies to contribute to sustainability;
• Critically reflect about the implementation of the concepts and tools;
• Take a holistic and long-term perspective of sustainability tools and initiatives;
• Provide recommendations about the concepts and tools to a real case study.

• Introduction to corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability (including the UN Global compact, and discussion about differences of the concepts)
• Systems thinking (including a brief discussion on stakeholders) and life cycle thinking (with a brief discussion on LCA)
• Innovation strategies for corporate sustainability
• Industrial ecology
• Design for environment and cleaner chemistry
• Eco-efficiency and cleaner production
• Environmental Management Systems
• Sustainability assessment and communication
• Organisational change management for sustainability
• Sustainability supply chain (green purchasing and green marketing)
• Sustainability and socially responsible investment

The theoretical part contains an exam in week 6. It is essential to master the information provided in the theoretical part, to be able to participate fully in the practical part that commences after
week 4.
In the business case assignment students will, all by themselves in small groups, analyse the practice in a specific real life business case.
It will end with a group report and presentation.
Transfer of knowledge will prevail in the beginning of the course; later on students will mostly be engaged with this practical group assignment.

What academic skills are subject to assessment?

• Critical reflections and communicating the ideas academically.
• Applying scientific theories in practice.

It is highly advised not to take more than 1 other course besides this one in this period.