12/30/13
Brandeis International Business School
Building Sustainable Businesses –
Introduction to Corporate Sustainability
BUS 269f (1)
Spring 2014 – First Module
Time - Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30
Location – Lemberg 54 – Lemberg Academic Center
Instructor – Mitch Tyson
Email -
Office Hours – Wednesday 5-6, Additional hours TBD
Overview
Corporate sustainability, an approach to business that aligns environmental, social, and economic considerations, is a powerful business trend that is impacting the bottom line, the top line, employee engagement, and business strategy for most major global companies. Businesses are increasingly driving sustainability throughout their operations and finding new opportunities for growth by addressing major social and environmental challenges. Chief sustainability officer roles are now being established at the VP level and it is clear that sustainability is becoming a core business strategy. This course will explore the state of this trend, and its significance in the development of more successful businesses and a more sustainable economy.
We will examine the influence of corporate sustainability on internal operations, supply chain management, employee engagement, product development, market communications, strategic planning, corporate compliance, and investor relations. We will discuss the role of the “chief sustainability officer” including how it evolves and what makes it effective in different companies. We will also consider ways in which corporate sustainability is both a set of business practices and a set of corporate values and culture.
This course serves as an introduction to corporate sustainability and is a useful overview of the field leading to further studies in related courses in the Green MBA Program Sustainability Specialization.
General Course Structure
The class will meet once per week for a three hour block. Each session will be divided into two parts. The sessions will involve lecture and class discussion on an aspect of corporate sustainability and will include case studies in different industries. Several of the sessions may include guest lecturers who are experts in some aspect of corporate sustainability or serve as a chief sustainability officer.
Learning Goals and Outcomes
This course is intended to convey an understanding of how corporations are adopting corporate sustainability in their operations and how it is influencing their business strategy and mission. You should develop a point of view on whether corporate sustainability supports business success or comes at the expense of other business objectives. Similarly you should develop a point of view on how significant corporate sustainability is in meeting societal goals for a more sustainable economy. And finally you should develop an appreciation for how your personal values can blend and align with corporate values to foster business success.
Communication and Course Materials
All class communication will be by email and LATTE. Course material will be provided electronically or via on-line links. No textbook is required.
Attendance and Participation
Class attendance is required. There will be reports, cases, or articles assigned and students are expected to come prepared to discuss them in detail.
Evaluation and Grading
Grading will be based on three components:
· 25% on general class participation
· 15% on one in-class critical presentation and discussion of a case study on a specific company’s sustainability program
· 60% on written work in the form of 6 one page memos submitted each week on a topic assigned at the previous class.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be honest in all of their academic work. You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University’s policies on academic integrity. Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the University.
Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Course Outline
Session One (1/15) – Introduction to the Course
· Part 1 – Why are we here and what perspectives do we bring to the topic?
· Part 2 – Framing the Topic of Corporate Sustainability
o What is a 21st century corporation? How do modern companies engage with society and create value?
o What does sustainability mean? What is corporate sustainability? What is the triple bottom line?
o What are the elements of corporate sustainability programs and why do companies adopt them? What stages do companies go through as they engage corporate sustainability?
Session Two (1/22) - Internal Operations and Supply Chain Management
o How do companies measure energy use, resource consumption, and waste generation?
o Where should boundaries be drawn? What does a company include upstream and downstream from its operations?
o How do corporations manage supply chains for sustainability?
Session Three (1/29) - Product Development and Business Strategy
o How does sustainability change the way a company views its customers?
o How is sustainability applied to market requirements and product design and objectives? How do sustainability requirements drive innovation?
o What is lifecycle analysis and management?
o How do different business models meet the sustainability requirements of customers?
Session Four (2/5) – Reporting, Communications, and Marketing
o What reporting standards are in place and how effective are they?
o What role do communications play in shaping corporate sustainability?
o How do investors and customers value corporate sustainability?
Session Five (2/12) – Organization, Values, and Employee Engagement
o How is the corporate sustainability function organized in different companies?
o What is the role of the chief sustainability officer? What is the role of the CEO?
o How important is employee engagement in sustainability? How does a company maximize this aspect of corporate sustainability?
o How do business leaders make sustainability a corporate value?
Break (2/19)
Session Six (2/26) – Investing in Sustainability
o How do typical investors value sustainability in corporate strategy and activities? How do companies manage investor relations with respect to sustainability?
o How do socially responsible investment funds incorporate sustainability in their investment strategy?
o How to invest in early stage companies that provide sustainability solutions?
Session Seven (3/5) – Concluding Discussion and Synthesis
o We will review the assumptions from the first class and discuss whether corporate sustainability is good for corporate financial performance and investors and is it good for society?
o We will discuss stakeholder perspectives on corporate sustainability.
o We will examine the impact of value alignment between employees, businesses, investors, and society.