BMM6492 - Corporate Sustainability

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Discuss the business case for sustainability.
Analyse the environmental, social and economic strategies in corporate sustainability.
Appraise the problems in measuring corporate environmental, social and economic impacts and performance.
Select and evaluate appropriate tools of corporate sustainability in benchmarking and advancing the business case for sustainability.
Interpret and evaluate appropriate choices of corporate sustainability practice for a chosen business or organisation.

Content:

This module introduces students to the business case for sustainability, focusing on the key principles of sustainability, the strategic frameworks for implementing corporate sustainability and environmental compliance. Students will measure environmental, social and economic impacts and performance, including market and non-market impacts and key performance indicators. This module will also analyse in detail corporate sustainability tools, environmental auditing including EMAS, ISO1400 certification and carbon foot printing, social and environmental risk assessment, product life-cycle analysis, eco-labelling and sustainable branding, as well as external sustainability reporting and verification.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The module will be delivered via a series of weekly 3-hour teaching blocks, comprising whole-group interactive lecture and seminar covering fundamental theories and applications. Lectures and seminars will be supported by in-depth applied workshops.

A key focus will be on problem solving using exercises and activities linked to sustainable business issues and case studies. The module will make use of current newsworthy case studies and developing business and sustainability trends, and so the nature of the topics and exercises will vary. Students will be provided with, and/or directed to, relevant reading and additional questions/ exercises to support their progress through the module material.

Lectures/Seminars
Contact hours: 30
Intended Group size: Cohort

Workshops/Tutorials
Contact hours: 10
Intended group size: Cohort or variable sized groups

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Further details relating to assessment
Individual briefing note: this assignment will evaluate research skills and critical thinking in response to a seen case study based on a sustainable business scenario. Students will work in teams to pick a company at the beginning of the module and research how each issue affects and is managed by the selected company. Each team will share their results on a weekly basis. Students will use the company they have followed throughout the semester for the assessment, where students will be expected to present their findings and analysis as an independent report in the format of a ‘Briefing Note’.

Assessment:

001 Group pitch presentation; 15 mins; mid semester 2 40%
002 Case Study; 2,500 words; end of semester 2 60%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Katie Lupton
Level - 6
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 6S2

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