Introduction to Business

This practical course presents an overview of central concepts in sustainability, including ESG, with an ultimate aim to provide students with the basics to include sustainability into corporate strategy. It examines the responsibilities of corporations and executives to all its stakeholders, and provides an introduction to how social and environmental problems are incorporated into corporate strategy. The course will begin by reviewing the applicability of traditional theoretical frameworks such as the Triple Bottom Line and Stakeholder Theory in a business context. It covers the more contemporary approaches including Creating Shared Value and the Circular Economy. Success stories of companies like Nestlé and Patagonia will be discussed. Students will learn how to assess a company¿s commitment to sustainability, by critically examining the features of a sustainable business model across the value stream. They will be presented with real-world best-case examples of companies moving beyond sustainability to become a source for regeneration. Topics such as the UN SDGs, the Neet Zero Pledge, and Carbon Offsetting will be covered. Students will also learn about trends in sustainability including European legislative changes (CSRD) and what this means in terms of creating a common language, transparency, and mandatory reporting.

Class 1 - From the Bottom Line to the Triple Bottom Line Introduction to the importance of Sustainability and ESG including an overview of its evolution Exercises: No readings Class 2: Evolving Models & Creating Shared Value Cases/Exercises: Pre-class case reading Porter, M., Kramer, M. (2017). Nestle¿s Creating Shared Value Strategy. HBR 716422-PDF-ENG Class 3: The Circular Economy Cases/Exercises: Pre-class case reading Bhattacharya, S., Bhattacharya L. (2021). NIO: Battling Tesla with Battery as a Service HBR SMU018-PDF-ENG Class 4: Sustainable Business Models & the Sustainable Business Model Canvas Exercises: In-class group work on SBMC; a Sustainable Simulation Rogmans, T, (2022). Sustainability Management Simulation: Net Zero. HBR FO0007-HTM-ENG Class 5: Final Presentations

Case Analysis The course content is learned through critically examining real-world business cases that are designed to provide data on real-life managerial problems. Group Discussion Class discussion provides students with a richness of perspectives and will help develop analytical and creative thinking as well as critical soft skills. Simulation An online simulation illustrates the complexities of applying sustainability across the value chain. Company Assessment A critical examination of a real company¿s sustainability practices in a developing nation compared against a similar company in a developed nation provides students with the ability to assess practices based on context and to offer a roadmap to becoming more sustainable. Students are permitted to use AI as a support tool, but must verify the content independently. Any direct quotes from AI must be disclosed.