About this course: The achievement of a balanced economic, social and environmental development - as expressed in the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development - is recognized as one of the major challenges humanity is facing today. What is less clear is whether and how organizations can generate business opportunities and value for their stakeholders while tackling such challenges. In this course, thought leaders in a wide variety of management and economics fields illustrate how to assess and seize the opportunities offered by these global emergencies. They will offer new ways to understand the purpose and the logic of success of the business enterprise in this new context, providing ideas and examples on how to manage the transition process to realize the value creation potential from corporate sustainability for all involved stakeholders. Learning objectives The course will allow you to: - Understand What the macroeconomic and microeconomic consequences of both climate changes, poverty, hunger, gender or race discriminations, lack of communication between the State, Civil Societies, and businesses, etc are. - Understand Why it is important for businesses to tackle sustainability issues in order to create more and better business opportunities; - Learn How each individual, organization and system can start to analyze its behaviors and change towards more sustainable practices and models.
Created by: Università Bocconi
Taught by: Maurizio Zollo, Dean’s Chaired Professor in Strategy and Sustainability
Management and Technology Department
| Commitment | 5 weeks of study, 3 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Understanding the Sustainability Challenge: the Systemic Level
This section will introduce the course and frame the complex set of issues that the course aims to tackle. You will learn about some of the most important global sustainability challenges within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how to reflect on their implications for business.
10 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Welcome to the Course – Maurizio Zollo
- Reading: Beyond What and Why: Understanding Organizational Evolution toward Sustainable Enterprise Models
- Video: Short-Termism and its Long-term Consequences – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Short-Termism and its Long-term Consequences: Introduction to the Fishbank Simulation – Maurizio Zollo
- Discussion Prompt: Fishbank-Simulation
- Video: Understanding the Tragedy of the Commons – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: A New, Research-based, Approach to the Development of a Sustainability Mindset – Maurizio Zollo (optional: meditation podcasts in the Download section)
- Discussion Prompt: Experiences in Meditation Exercises
- Video: The Sustainable Development Goals and their Relevance for Business – Valentina Mele
- Video: Climate Change and its Economic Implications – Valentina Bosetti
- Video: Industrial Ecology – Fabio Iraldo
- Video: Poverty and Income Inequalities – Eliana La Ferrara, Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Gender Equality and Sustainability – Paola Profeta
- Reading: Additional Materials
- Discussion Prompt: Economic Implications of Climate Change
- Discussion Prompt: Gender Equality and Sustainability
Graded: Week 1
WEEK 2
Understanding the Sustainability Challenge: the Business Level
In this section you will learn the core concepts of corporate sustainability and the key dimensions that distinguish a sustainable organization. Instructors will discuss the foundations of the stakeholder-based view of the firm, and the logic for and against the primacy of shareholder value maximization as guiding purpose for firms' existence. We will then explore sustainability challenges and opportunities for organizations across some of the key dimensions of business, and conclude with a roundtable discussion on the nature of the sustainable enterprise.
11 videos, 2 readings
- Video: What is a Sustainable Enterprise? (part 1) – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: What is a Sustainable Enterprise? (part 2) – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: The Purpose of the Corporation – Nicola Misani
- Video: The Stakeholder-based View of the Firm – Nicola Misani
- Video: The Shareholder-Stakeholder Debate – Nicolai J. Foss, Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Corporate Governance – Xing Kelly Chen
- Video: Understanding the Environmental Footprints of Companies – Michael Russo
- Video: Business Ethics & Sustainability – Maurizio Zollo, Celia Moore
- Video: Responsible Leadership – Massimo Magni
- Video: International Implementation of Sustainability – Anne Jacqueminet
- Video: Roundtable on the Nature of the Sustainable Enterprise – Maurizio Zollo, Christiane Bode, Armando Cirrincione, Anne Jacqueminet, Michael Russo, Miles Bernard Gietzmann
- Reading: Additional Materials
- Reading: Slide set Week 2
- Discussion Prompt: Responsible Leadership in Practice
- Discussion Prompt: Sustainable Enterprise - Integrated Reporting
- Discussion Prompt: Stakeholder Theory
Graded: Week 2
WEEK 3
Why Corporate Sustainability? Assessing the Strategic Opportunity
This module consists of two different parts. In the first part we will explore why corporate sustainability could be paramount for corporate success. In the second part, you will learn about successful cases of organizations focusing on a business model designed around sustainability principles and mindsets.
8 videos, 4 readings
- Reading: The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance
- Reading: Investing in the Sustainable Future
- Video: What is the Business Case for Sustainability? – Anne Jacqueminet
- Discussion Prompt: The Business Case for Sustainability
- Video: Social Impact and Employee Preferences – Christiane Bode
- Discussion Prompt: Social Impact and Employee Preferences
- Video: Social Enterprise: Definitions and Examples – Rakhi Mehra
- Video: Creating a Sustainable Enterprise from Scratch: a Case Study – Rakhi Mehra
- Video: Impact Investing – Audrey Selian, Rakhi Mehra
- Video: Impact Assessment – Rakhi Mehra, Eric Ezechieli
- Video: Circular Economy: The Aquafil Case – Salvo Testa, Giulio Bonazzi
- Video: Responsibly-Innovative Startups: Re-Bello & Wrad Cases – Francesca Romana Rinaldi
- Reading: Additional Materials
- Reading: Slide set Week 3
- Discussion Prompt: Social enterprises meet benefit corporations
Graded: Week 3
WEEK 4
Seizing the Strategic Opportunity: Managing Sustainability Transitions across Business Functions
In this module, you will learn to assess the challenges related to the management of the integration of sustainability-related processes in business organizations. This transformational change challenge is assessed across some of the key business functions and will allow you to frame and address similar challenges and opportunities within your own business context.
12 videos, 2 readings
- Video: How to Manage the Transition towards Sustainable Enterprise – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Integrating Sustainability in Corporate Strategy – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Sustainable Corporate Growth Strategies – Maurizio Zollo
- Video: Governance: Institutionalizing Sustainability – Xing Kelly Chen
- Video: Accounting and Controlling – Ariela Caglio
- Video: Supply Chain: Main Problems – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
- Video: Supply Chain Focus Pills: Risks in Fashion Supply Chain – Iolanda D’Amato
- Video: Supply Chain Case: the YKK Group Case – Iolanda D'Amato
- Video: HR Strategy and Management – Silvia Bagdadli
- Video: Sales & Marketing – Armando Cirrincione
- Video: R&D Innovation: a Framework – Nicoletta Corrocher
- Video: R&D Innovation: Technological Change and Innovation – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
- Reading: Additional Materials
- Reading: Slide set Week 4
- Discussion Prompt: Necessary Change in Corporate Governance
- Discussion Prompt: The Relevance of SDG 17
- Discussion Prompt: Eco-Innovation and Regulations
Graded: Week 4
WEEK 5
Transitioning Organizations to Sustainable Enterprises: Developing the Road-Map
In this final part, you will learn how to approach the challenge of developing a roadmap to realize the stakeholder value creation potential in sustainability transitions at three different levels. It will entail the integration of change initiatives in the development of sustainability mindsets and behavior in managers and employees - individual level - with initiatives related to transformational change in the organizations we are working in - organizational level -, and the equally critical initiatives to transition towards sustainable behaviors and outcomes in the political, social and economic systems - systemic level -.
5 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Cultural Change – Frank Brueck
- Video: Developing A Roadmap for Transformation: Individual Level – Frank Brueck
- Discussion Prompt: Supporting Organizational Change with Meditation
- Video: Developing A Roadmap for Transformation: Organizational Change – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
- Video: Developing a Roadmap for Transformation: Change at the Systemic Level – Steve Waddell
- Discussion Prompt: Roadmap for Transformation: Change at the Systemic Level
- Video: Course Wrap-up – Maurizio Zollo
- Reading: Additional Materials
- Reading: Slide set Week 5
Graded: Week 5
WEEK 6
FINAL ASSESSMENT
Graded: Final Essay
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