【Course description】
In the time of SDGs and ESG, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important area for corporate managers (and for public policymakers) to handle in global business operations. Climate change is an example of sustainability issues. What strategic and management vision to demonstrate towards global climate change is becoming a key strategic and managerial issue for the companies in the energy-intensive industry sectors.

This course introduces concepts and practices of sustainability management. We will read several leading articles to understand how companies can cope with different sustainability issues. By reading them, we will explore how companies strategize and operationalize sustainability. We will also pay attention to the roles of different stakeholders surrounding them including customers, shareholders and employees as well as suppliers, financial institutions, governments and local communities. We will also review key theoretical approaches in sustainability management to gain a conception foundation on this subject.

Some questions that we address in this course are following:
1.What are the leading examples of sustainability management among companies?

2.What are the drivers for the companies to formulate sustainability strategy and management? Are they external and/or internal drivers? Are there any pressures from the external environment for the companies to cope with sustainability such as regulatory, social, market and technological pressures?

3.How do investors consider the companies that have better sustainability strategy and management? Do they consider it as part of company’s intangible values? How does sustainability strategy and management relate to competitiveness of the companies in the global market?