Introduction to Corporate Sustainability, Social Innovation and Ethics (edX)

In the context of sustainable development, businesses that are often referred to as part of the problem can be part of the solution. As a consequence, policymakers, industry leaders, society and academics are trying to understand how sustainability affects traditional ways of doing business, and also, how traditional businesses are affected by sustainability. How to develop a sustainable competitive advantage is a key challenge in the agendas of today’s global executives.

This MBA Primer introduces the topic of sustainability from three perspectives: corporate sustainability (core of the module); business ethics and social innovation.

The virtual class will be involved in an engaging debate discussing the different economic, environmental and social perspectives on the topics discussed. At the end of this module, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of sustainability issues, the relevance for policymakers, the role of corporations and the implications for decision-making.

What you'll learn

Participants on this module can expect to:

- Develop an understanding of the strategic challenges faced by modern organisations in today’s global business environment

- Develop a basic understanding of sustainability thinking and triple-bottom-line approaches

- Develop an appreciation of the business case for sustainability in different industries

- Develop an appreciation of the ethical implications of business decisions

- Develop an appreciation of the potential for social innovation through business activities.

In this module, we will work through several case studies and hear from a range of speakers from industry and academia.