This course explores the drivers, strategies, and business cases of companies that are taking a fully integrated approach to deliver sustainable business success in a rapidly changing world. The sheer scale of the challenge, along with the nature of emerging business opportunities, mean that leading players are now adopting more transformative models – integrating sustainability principles into the heart of everything they do for long-term, sustainable business success. Furthermore, a new generation of start-up enterprises are being established for the specific purpose of meeting the great challenges of our time; they are building new, more sustainable business models that are disrupting markets for good (e.g. circular economy). The course incorporates real-life examples of social and environmental leadership to demonstrate the efficacy of good sustainable business decisions, and illustrates the negative ramifications of outdated, purely economic-driven managerial decision-making. Influential concepts based on interdisciplinary research in sustainability are discussed in detail, and practical insights address how to turn policy into practice in the workplace.

Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

• Increase their understanding on key strategic themes for future success through sustainability
• Rethink the value chain and build a clear vision for economic success and competitive advantage through sustainability
• Understand the environmental, social, and economic drivers and risks impacting on companies – along with the major business opportunities for integrating sustainability factors within the core business strategy.
• Understand the latest big-impact topics, including how businesses can meet the Circular Economy challenge.

Develop insights on sustainable business analysis, and strategy formulation.