The need
for a different approach to nurturing and sustaining life
on this planet is growing, while simultaneously fear-based
thinking and decision-making wanting no change (maintaining
the status quo) rocks the vitality of many communities and
organizations around the globe – from rampant unemployment
to wars and systems failure and collapse. This underlying
sense of fear leads to defensive posturing, denial, and disdain,
analogous with nightmares. The alternative is hope for changes
in the future that are equivalent with dreams (“I have
a dream”). Enter the idea of sustainability! Sustainability
in business is both an imperative and an opportunity.
It is, in short, a strategic issue – arguably,
the strategic issue facing business in the 21st century. "Sustainable
Business" is a paradigm shift from today’s conventional
thinking. It proposes a strategy where business practices
are intended to restore environmental quality and build
social equity, while increasing long-term profitability.
This course (either
the weekly or monthly version) provides an overview
of the current “state
of the art” of sustainable business theory and practice
within the context that sustainable business strategies restore
and protect
environmental integrity and enhance social equity while improving
economic vitality. It considers five broad topics: In General
Why Think about Sustainability; Emerging Conceptual Frameworks;
The
Business Case for Sustainability; Implementation of a Sustainability
Plan; and Sustainability Reporting Systems, including both company
reporting and emerging global standards. One of the highlights
of this course will be a quarter-long project that will put you
and a team of your classmates into a real organization of your
choosing wrestling with the challenge of implementing sustainability.
At the completion of this course you will be prepared to bring
an integrated understanding of sustainability to the economic
challenges facing any business or community and evaluate their
circumstances
to support the design of strategic plans for change that will
promote profitability, social well-being and environmental conservation.
To review the Syllabus to either the weekly Introduction
to Sustainability in Business or monthly Introduction to
Sustainability in Business syllabus, go to the following
links:
SBUS 530 (weekly) Introduction to Sustainability in Business
SBUS 530 (monthly) Introduction to Sustainability in Business
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