While Courses I and II focused on scientific foundations, grand societal challenges, and labour-related perspectives, this course provides students with insights into business practices and provides them with knowledge, skills, and tools to initiate change within companies. It fosters a global mindset by enhancing discourse and negotiation skills, communication skills and multilingual proficiency as well as the capacity for critical reflection.

Over the past decades, companies have developed and implemented a wide range of strategies, programmes, measures, and tools for sustainable and responsible business. The following key concepts will form the basis of this course: (1) Corporate Philanthropy and Sponsoring, (2) Cleaner Production and Eco-Efficiency, (3) Sustainable and Responsible Innovation, (4) Stakeholder Management, and (5) Sustainable Supply Chains and Responsible Sourcing. Each of these topics will be explored through a combination of recent academic literature, insights into practical application (using latest sustainability reports from international companies) and a critical debate of benefits and limitations of the respective approaches. In addition, selected tools and techniques, such as Impact Mapping, Critical Thinking and Digital Due Diligence Tools will be introduced to and explored by the students.

Through this combination of academic grounding, insights into business practices, and experiencing effective tools, students will be prepared to become change agents for sustainable and responsible business conduct.

Based on the ECTS credits allocated to this course, please expect 24 hours of in-class time and a minimum of 48 hours for preparation, follow-up work, and the completion of assessed coursework components (see "Assessment").

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

·        Explain key concepts of responsible and sustainable business conduct, including their underlying contexts, foundations, benefits, and limitations

·        Showcase, assess, and critically discuss business practices from corporate, societal, and global perspectives

·        Apply selected analysis techniques, derive well-founded recommendations, and develop appropriate intervention strategies

As this course is classified as "Examination-immanent" (in German, "Prüfungsimmanent," often abbreviated as "PI"), attendance is mandatory for at least 80% of the in-class time. Further details regarding the attendance policy will be explained in the first session.

The course is organized in

(1)   Comprehensive course preparation before the start of classes (about 32 hours, individual assignment), during which each student:

a.      Reads background literature to become familiar with key concepts of responsible and sustainable business conduct

b.     Examines how these concepts are addressed in the sustainability reports of selected international companies

c.      Summarises findings in a pre-structured word document (10-12 pages)

(2)   Three full-day sessions (8 hours each), characterised by a high degree of interactive, participatory, and experience-based learning.

(3)   Two short homeworks between the full-day sessions, where students reflect on and further develop the course discussions and findings (group work, about 2x 4 hours)

(4)   Summary video as a final assignment: each student will develop and record a short video summarising the most important outcomes and learnings from the course (individual assignment, about 16 hours)

The working language of the course, including all materials and assignments, is English.

Thorough preparation is an essential prerequisite for the successful completion of the course. The assigned literature must be read in advance in such a way that students are able to understand it, summarize it independently, and engage in critical discussion.

The performance will be evaluated based on the following components

1.     Comprehensive course preparation (Word-Document, individual assignment, 30%)

2.     Active and qualified participation during the three in-class sessions (individual performance, 20%)

3.     Two short homeworks between the three in-class sessions processing the discussions and findings (format to be announced, groupwork, 15% each)

4.     Summary Video: a 3-5 min video summarizing the key outcomes and learnings of the course (individual assignment, 20%)

In this course, the use of any AI-based software (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, DeepL) as well as platforms for sharing written assignments (e.g., Studydrive) constitutes an unauthorised aid under the WU examination regulations. Such misconduct will be reported and will result in academic disciplinary consequences.

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Basic understanding of sustainable development and responsible business conduct. English skills (reading, speaking and writing)

During, before and after the course blocks. Individual meetings only by appointment.