Corporate Sustainability - ENV00043M

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  • Department: Environment and Geography
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

Can corporations be sustainable? If so, how? In this module we explore the specific characteristics of corporations in the modern economy and how this affects their approach to sustainability.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

Corporations are a dominant force in the global economy. The extent to which they contribute to (or hinder) global collective goals of sustainable development, climate action and biodiversity recovery is heavily debated. This module provides an introduction to multiple perspectives on this debate, introducing students to core concepts and tools that can be used to understand and enhance the sustainability of corporations and financial institutions. Students are encouraged to apply these concepts and tools to real world case studies.

Module learning outcomes

At the end of the module a student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of different perspectives on the relationship between corporations and sustainability

  2. Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts and tools that can be used to analyse corporate sustainability

  3. Critically assess the corporate sustainability strategies of real world corporations

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Written feedback provided on summative assessment following department guidelines. Ongoing verbal feedback will be provided throughout the module.

Indicative reading

Chertkovskaya, E. and Paulsson, A., 2021. Countering corporate violence: Degrowth, ecosocialism and organising beyond the destructive forces of capitalism. Organization, 28(3), pp.405-425.

Clementino, E., & Perkins, R. (2021). How do companies respond to environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings? Evidence from Italy. Journal of Business Ethics, 171(2), 379-397.

Elkington, J.,Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business, Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 1998.
Khmara, Y. and Kronenberg, J., 2018. Degrowth in business: An oxymoron or a viable business model for sustainability?. Journal of Cleaner Production, 177, pp.721-731.

Laskar, N. and Maji, S.G., 2016. Corporate sustainability reporting practices in India: myth or reality?. Social Responsibility Journal.Vol.12(4), p.625-641
Liu, F.H., Demeritt, D. and Tang, S., 2019. Accounting for sustainability in Asia: Stock market regulation and reporting in Hong Kong and Singapore. Economic Geography, 95(4), pp.362-384.