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Corporate Sustainability. Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity

Approx. 16 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course explores the relationship between corporate sustainability and financial performance, and provides practical tools for measuring and reporting sustainability performance.

Key Learning Points

Gain an understanding of the various sustainability frameworks and how they can be applied to business practices
Learn how to measure and report sustainability performance to stakeholders
Understand the financial benefits of corporate sustainability and how to integrate sustainability into business strategy

Learning Outcomes

Ability to apply sustainability frameworks to business practices
Proficiency in measuring sustainability performance
Understanding of the financial benefits of corporate sustainability

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of business operations
Familiarity with sustainability concepts

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Sustainable Business Strategy
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Sustainability in Business Operations

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

John Elkington
Andrew Winston
Anita Hoffmann

Related Books

Description

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.

Outline

Understanding the Sustainability Challenge: the Systemic Level
Welcome to the Course – Maurizio Zollo
Short-Termism and its Long-term Consequences – Maurizio Zollo
Short-Termism and its Long-term Consequences: Introduction to the Fishbank Simulation – Maurizio Zollo
Understanding the Tragedy of the Commons – Maurizio Zollo
A New, Research-based, Approach to the Development of a Sustainability Mindset – Maurizio Zollo (optional: meditation podcasts in the Download section)
The Sustainable Development Goals and their Relevance for Business – Valentina Mele
Climate Change and its Economic Implications – Valentina Bosetti
Industrial Ecology – Fabio Iraldo
Poverty and Income Inequalities – Eliana La Ferrara, Maurizio Zollo
Gender Equality and Sustainability – Paola Profeta
Beyond What and Why: Understanding Organizational Evolution toward Sustainable Enterprise Models
Additional Materials
Week 1

Understanding the Sustainability Challenge: the Business Level
What is a Sustainable Enterprise? (part 1) – Maurizio Zollo
What is a Sustainable Enterprise? (part 2) – Maurizio Zollo
The Purpose of the Corporation – Nicola Misani
The Stakeholder-based View of the Firm – Nicola Misani
The Shareholder-Stakeholder Debate – Nicolai J. Foss, Maurizio Zollo
Corporate Governance – Xing Kelly Chen
Business Ethics & Sustainability – Maurizio Zollo, Celia Moore
Responsible Leadership – Massimo Magni
International Implementation of Sustainability – Anne Jacqueminet
Roundtable on the Nature of the Sustainable Enterprise – Maurizio Zollo, Christiane Bode, Armando Cirrincione, Anne Jacqueminet, Michael Russo, Miles Bernard Gietzmann
Additional Materials
Slide set Week 2
Week 2

Why Corporate Sustainability? Assessing the Strategic Opportunity
What is the Business Case for Sustainability? – Anne Jacqueminet
Social Impact and Employee Preferences – Christiane Bode
Social Enterprise: Definitions and Examples – Rakhi Mehra
Creating a Sustainable Enterprise from Scratch: a Case Study – Rakhi Mehra
Impact Investing – Audrey Selian, Rakhi Mehra
Impact Assessment – Rakhi Mehra, Eric Ezechieli
Circular Economy: The Aquafil Case – Salvo Testa, Giulio Bonazzi
Responsibly-Innovative Startups: Re-Bello & Wrad Cases – Francesca Romana Rinaldi
Cross Sector Partnerships - Lilach Trabelsi
The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance
Investing in the Sustainable Future
Additional Materials
Slide set Week 3
Week 3

Seizing the Strategic Opportunity: Managing Sustainability Transitions across Business Functions
How to Manage the Transition towards Sustainable Enterprise – Maurizio Zollo
Integrating Sustainability in Corporate Strategy – Maurizio Zollo
Sustainable Corporate Growth Strategies – Maurizio Zollo
Governance: Institutionalizing Sustainability – Xing Kelly Chen
Accounting and Controlling – Ariela Caglio
Supply Chain: Main Problems – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
Supply Chain Focus Pills: Risks in Fashion Supply Chain – Iolanda D’Amato
Supply Chain Case: the YKK Group Case – Iolanda D'Amato
HR Strategy and Management – Silvia Bagdadli
Sales & Marketing – Armando Cirrincione
R&D Innovation: a Framework – Nicoletta Corrocher
R&D Innovation: Technological Change and Innovation – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
Additional Materials
Slide set Week 4
Week 4

Transitioning Organizations to Sustainable Enterprises: Developing the Road-Map
Cultural Change – Frank Brueck
Developing a Roadmap for Transformation: Individual Level – Frank Brueck
Developing Roadmap for Transformation: Organizational Change – MJ. Ni. ilknur Tekin
Developing a Roadmap for Transformation: How to Pursue Organizational Change – Michael Russo
Developing a Roadmap for Transformation: Change at the Systemic Level – Steve Waddell
Course Wrap-up – Maurizio Zollo
Additional Materials
Slide set Week 5
Week 5

FINAL ASSESSMENT

Summary of User Reviews

The Corporate Sustainability course on Coursera has received positive reviews from users. Many users found the course informative and practical, providing valuable insights into the principles and practices of corporate sustainability.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

The course content was highly informative and practical, providing valuable insights into the principles and practices of corporate sustainability.

Pros from User Reviews

The course provides a comprehensive overview of corporate sustainability.
The course is well-structured and easy to follow.
The course includes practical exercises that help reinforce the concepts learned.
The instructors are knowledgeable and engaging.
The course is suitable for professionals from various industries.

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course content to be too basic or introductory.
The course may not be suitable for individuals with advanced knowledge of corporate sustainability.
The course requires a significant time commitment to complete.
Some users found the discussion forums to be unhelpful.
The course does not provide a certificate of completion unless users pay for it.

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Corporate Sustainability. Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity

What is less clear is whether and how organizations can generate business opportunities and value for their stakeholders while tackling such challenges....

Save Course