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ØKB3133 Sustainable value creation

Course description for academic year 2026/2027

Contents and structure

This course aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop sustainable business strategies and integrate them into business operations. The course is structured into five parts, each focusing on different aspects of sustainability in a business context. The objective is to develop students' capabilities in strategic thinking and action within sustainability, enabling them to understand and apply relevant concepts and tools for sustainable business development.

Content

The Big Green Picture: Introduction to sustainability, global context, the Paris Agreement, UN Sustainable Development Goals, circular economy, and the EU taxonomy.

Assessment of Current Situation and Key Priority Areas: Externalities, corporate sustainability profiles, materiality analysis.

Green Growth Ladder: Six steps to sustainability in business, including energy and resource usage, and sustainable business models.

Sustainability Reporting: About sustainability reporting, reporting standards with emphasis on VSME for SMEs, climate accounting.

Communication: Communication on corporate responsibility and sustainability: strategic CSR, environmental and social sustainability, ethics and responsible leadership.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

The student has:

  • an understanding of sustainability and its strategic significance for businesses.
  • insight into global and local sustainability challenges and opportunities.
  • familiarity with key frameworks and standards within sustainability.

Skills:

The student has:

  • the ability to develop and implement sustainability strategies in a business setting.
  • competence in conducting materiality analysis and sustainability reporting.
  • skills in communicating sustainability in an engaging and authentic manner.

General Competence:

The student has:

  • the ability to identify and utilize sustainability as a competitive advantage.
  • an understanding of how strategic work with sustainability can enhance a business's competitiveness.
  • competence in applying sustainability principles in various business contexts.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Teaching consists of four to five assemblies with a focus on a large degree of interactivity. The teaching will consist of a combination of lectures, conversations/discussions and assignments.

Compulsory learning activities

1) Participation in the teaching sessions is mandatory.

2) Oral group presentation of the draft of the semester assignment (20-30 min).

Assessment

Semester assignment 100%. Grading scale: A - F. Language: English. Group size: 2-3 students.

Examination support material

All supporting materials allowed. For more information about Artificial intelligence (AI), please see Submission of home exams and assignments.

More about examination support material

Course reductions

  • FØS8301 - Berekraftig forretningsutvikling - Reduction: 7.5 studypoints
  • FØS8305 - Berekraft i praksis - Reduction: 2.5 studypoints