This course provides the foundations for the specialization "sustainability reporting" and is structured along two parts: (i) the basic principles behind sustainability reporting and (ii) sustainability reporting regulations with a focus on the European Union. Regarding the first part (basic principles), students are familiarized with the conceptual definitions of 'sustainability’, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), environmental, social and governance (ESG) as well as with theoretical reasonings on voluntary sustainability reporting and the link between sustainability disclosure and financial performance. Students also learn about voluntary initiatives and frameworks in the realm of sustainability reporting, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting framework. Furthermore, students are familiarized with the concept of materiality and the differences between financial materiality, impact materiality and double materiality. Regarding the second part (sustainability reporting regulations), students learn and critically reflect on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU Taxonomy Regulation and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). For each regulation, we discuss the scope, topics, and regulatory parameters, thereby also accounting for overlaps between those regulations.

Professional skills:

• Understand the basic concepts of sustainability and the challenges it poses for businesses.
• Explain the potential reasons for and consequences of sustainability reporting, including the underlying theories and their limits.
• Recognize, understand and be able to apply the different concepts of materiality in the context of sustainability reporting.
• Understand and be able to explain and describe the regulatory developments in the EU with regard to sustainability reporting.
• Be able to critically analyze sustainability reporting of an organization against the background of EU regulatory landscape on sustainability reporting.

Social and personal skills:

• Be able to collaborate effectively with a team of fellow students to complete in-class exercises.
• Be able to structure problems adequately and develop potential solutions to these problems, including critical discussions and reflections on such solutions.
• Be able to communicate in the classroom clearly, concisely, and logically.

Skills in scientific work:

• Understand the different aspects of voluntary disclosure as well as the foundations of disclosure derived from accounting theory.
• Be able to apply content analysis to evaluate the sustainability reporting of an organization.
• Be able to draft a written report that provides an analysis of and solution for a clearly defined problem.

Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung: 80% minimum. 

Throughout the course, classroom exercises and/or homeworks are used to confront students with “real-life” problems. Additional insights are provided from practitioners through keynote speeches on specific topics.

• In-class exercises and/or homework, individually or in groups (30%) 

• In-class participation (10%) 

• Quiz (20%) 

• Final exam (40%)

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In case of questions regarding this course, please contact: karina.bauernhofer@wu.ac.at.