Ethics and Sustainability in Organizations

Introduction

The main aim of this course is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to take an active, professional part in countering the social, economic and environmental challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, poverty, environmental degradation and employment issues generated by the automation of human labor. Private and public organizations, as well as governments and individuals, on different levels are ethically responsible for finding constructive measures to deal with these challenges. To do so, knowledge about the scope and relevance of sustainable development is crucial.

This course highlights the relevance of ethics and sustainability for the decision-making processes in organizations, and provides a theoretical framework for understanding and balancing responsibilities toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030. The course has an applied orientation, introducing cases and dilemmas for discussion in light of the theoretical and practical input.

Course content

Issues covered in the course:

• Introduction to ethics in organizations
• Moral psychology
• Professionalism and conflict of interest
• Ethical navigation
• Anti-corruption and bribery
• Sustainable development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Circular economy - new business models
• Stakeholdertheory and practice 
• Climate challenges and psychology
• Responsible Investments - Environmental, Social Governance (ESG)