Managing Sustainability Accounting and Regulation in Practice

The course Managing Sustainability Accounting and Regulation in Practice is a course within the Master of Science programmes at the Graduate School, School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg.

To be eligible for the course Managing Sustainability Accounting and Regulation in Practice the participant must fulfil the entrance qualifications for one of the Master of Science programmes at the Graduate School.

The course aims to provide advanced knowledge of international standards and frameworks for sustainability accounting, underlying theoretical perspectives and concepts, as well as perspectives of internal and external use of sustainability accounts in practice.

The course includes two main parts

1. Sustainability accounting standards and frameworks and their use.

2. Integration of sustainability in corporate decisions and practices.

Sustainability accounting standards and frameworks and their use

This part covers regulations, frameworks and standards guiding the practice of sustainability accounting and reporting. The norm- and standard-setters in focus are the leading European and global regulators (e.g., CSRD/ESRS and ISSB standards). Examples of areas covered include economic, social and environmental impacts of businesses, assessment and measurement of these impacts, materiality analysis and stakeholder engagement. These areas are discussed in relation to the existing research and through the lenses of different theoretical perspectives.

Integration of sustainability in corporate decisions and practices

This part focuses on how sustainability accounting serves both as a tool for internal governance and managerial decision making (e.g., optimizing resources, managing risks, and setting ESG goals), as well as for external reporting and communication of corporate sustainability performance to different stakeholders (e.g., to attract investors, build trust, and ensure compliance).

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

1. describe and explain the sustainability accounting regulations, standards and frameworks and discuss underlying theoretical perspectives

2. analyze practical cases and reflect over the ways the theoretical concepts are translated in the practice of sustainability management and reporting

3. critically analyze sustainability accounts and reflect over ways corporate responsibility and performance are communicated in the reports

4. evaluate challenges and opportunities of different tools for sustainability accounting and management and discuss their roles in the contemporary context.

Lectures and seminars. The language of instruction is English.

Learning outcome 1 is assessed through a written exam and a group case (written report and seminar).

Learning outcome 2 and 3 are assessed through group cases (written reports and seminars).

Learning outcome 4 is assessed through a written exam.

Participation in seminars is mandatory.

Individual exams shall be written individually, cooperation in formulating text, tables, figures etc. is not allowed.

A failed case can be supplemented to a pass grade.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E) and Fail (F).

Pass is required on all examination forms. The grade (A-E) corresponds to the total score a student obtains on the written exam and cases. To receive a pass grade (A-E) >= 50% points is required in total, under condition that each individual assignment and each group case is passed. The scale is tied to fixed score intervals:

A: 85%-100%
B: 75%-84%
C: 68%-74%
D: 60%-67%
E: 50%-59%
F: <50%

The course will be evaluated upon completion. The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.

The course may not be part of a master´s degree from the University of Gothenburg together with the course GM1408 Redovisning och hållbarhet.