Sustainability at the School
Sustainability is a central dimension for the School, and the School works in various ways to integrate the global sustainability goals in Agenda 2030 into its operations.
The School has the ambition to be among the international leaders in integrating sustainable development perspectives into education, and to produce research that contributes to private as well as public decision-makers gaining the best possible knowledge base for dealing with societal challenges. This often presupposes interdisciplinary approaches. The fact that the School has a disciplinary breadth and is part of a broad university are therefore important assets.
The School's mission:
To develop knowledge, educate, and foster independent thinking for a sustainable world
In research
The School has a long and strong tradition of research related to sustainability in several different disciplines. Today, there is research related to all the global goals in Agenda 2030, and research of particular importance related to several of the goals. Some examples are environmental economics, marine management and sustainable consumption.
In education
The School's impact on societal development as an academic institution depends on the knowledge, skills, and abilities we provide to our students. It is therefore of great importance that our students are prepared and trained to address sustainability-related problems and to make ethical judgements relevant for their future careers. This is to an increasing degree reflected in our program portfolio, even though there is still room for improvement. Since 2013, sustainability perspectives have been included in all undergraduate programs at the School.
Sustainability Days
For the School's programme students, every year during their education a Sustainability Day is arranged as a complement to the sustainability elements within the courses. The Sustainability Days have different complementary focus and themes, and are often visited by external guests, such as small entrepreneurs, larger companies, actors from the public and non-profit sector and researchers from other universities.
Bachelor programme in Environmental Social Science
The Programme in Environmental Social Science started in 2001 and integrates social science and environmental science. It was the first of its kind in Sweden and gives the students broad career opportunities. By studying together with science students, the students gain a broad understanding of environmental issues, while specializing in one of five scientific profiles where environmental economics, environmental planning and sustainable business are provided at the School.
Courses at Bachelor's and Master's level
All departments at the School gives courses related to sustainable development. See our courses.
Participation in university-wide sustainability education
The School collaborates with other faculties in sustainability-profiled programmes at Bachelor's and Master's level, like the Master's Programme in Geography and the Sea and Society, Master's Programme.
Handels Students for Sustainability - an organisation within the student union
In collaboration with business and society
The School's ambition that research and education should contribute to a positive development for society at large presupposes an active commitment to contemporary societal development, but also a close collaboration with the surrounding society. Cooperation between partners from different sectors - academic institutions, private companies, public organisations, regulators and civil society - is crucial to building ever more sustainable societies.
The collaboration takes place in many different ways, including in research projects at departments and centers, in education, and in the Partnership Programme. Among other things, the School has developed collaboration with Getinge on sustainable business strategies, with the Västra Götaland region and Getinge on Health Governance and with Volvo Cars on sustainable transport. The School has also initiated roundtable discussions between leading representatives of companies and organisations and sustainability researchers. Additionally, many individual researchers from the School have been appointed to expert councils and working groups on local, regional, national, and international arenas.
Environment for Development (EfD) is a global network of 13 research centers established in 2007 with the purpose of increasing the use of environmental economics to reduce poverty and increase sustainability in the Global South. EfD contributes to solve the world’s most pressing environmental and development challenges through policy-relevant research, capacity development and policy engagement. EfD’s research addresses the most important sustainability challenges. These are identified in a close dialogue with decision makers at EfD's centers and through continous learning between countries. EfD works actively to reach policy makers and other stakeholders with the research results and contributes thereby to policy making that promotes poverty alleviation, increased equality and sustainable development.
The network is coordinated by the EfD Global Hub, located at the School of Business, Economics and Law. The organization is financed by external funds.
Handels Impact Innovation Challenge
Handels Impact Innovation Challenge (HIIC) is an annual competition and platform for sustainable entrepreneurship at the School of Business, Economics and Law, organised in collaboration with the School’s Student Association (HHGS), the career fair GADDEN, Venture Cup Sweden and Ernströmgruppen. The initiative gives students the opportunity to develop business ideas and projects that contribute to addressing societal challenges within environmental, social and organisational sustainability.
Participants receive support in developing their ideas through guidance, feedback and pitch training, as well as meetings with actors within entrepreneurship and sustainable development. The competition culminates in a final where the entries are presented to a jury, winners are selected, and achievements are celebrated in connection with the GADDEN career fair gala dinner.
International collaborations
The School is an active member of a number of international forums, focusing on sustainable development:
- Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)
- Global Business School Network (GBSN)
- Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI)
Sustainable development is also an important part of the collaboration within AACSB and EFMD, two of the School's accreditations.
The School has also been actively involved in developing the Positive Impact Rating (PIR).
Global Cluster leader on SDG 8
The School and the University of Gothenburg has been appointed lead university for Sustainable Development Goal 8 together with eight satellite universities globally, as part of the International Association of Universities (IAU) Cluster on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD).
SDG 8 spans a wide range of issues related to economic growth, resource efficiency, innovation, decent work, job creation, youth employment, and tourism. The ambition of the SDG 8 Initiative is to mobilize academic work and policy interaction in local and global contexts.
Sustainable campus
Of course, we must practice what we preach, and work constantly to make our business more sustainable. This applies, for example, to the physical environment - where we have solar panels on the roof - and how we arrange our events.
Our campus has ISO 14001 accreditation, together with the entire University of Gothenburg. This means that there is an environmental policy that continuously drives improvements in our environmental work through time-specific goals and annual inspections of the business.
In the ongoing new building project, the School works for environmentally and energy-efficient solutions. The School also strives to increase the number of installations and functions that meet the dual goals of having a positive environmental impact while showing our footprint and our dependence on natural resources. We also prioritise reuse and reconditioning of furniture before new purchases.
When it comes to purchasing goods and services, and waste management, the School continuously works to minimize the environmental impact, both in daily work and at conferences and other events.
The School works for sustainable and climate-smart investments in its financial assets by continuously reviewing and discussing the conditions for investments with the asset managers.
Sustainable meetings
To practice what we teach, sustainability must also guide how we plan and carry out meetings, events, and conferences. The School of Business, Economics and Law’s Guidelines for sustainable meetings, events and conferences provide support for making informed choices that reduce environmental impact and promote inclusion – regardless of scale.
Sustainability at the career fair
GADDEN's (the largest career fair arranged by the Student Union), work on sustainability started already in 2015, becoming a certified sustainable event. In 2017, GADDEN took the step towards becoming a ‘non-meat’ organisation. By the year of 2018, GADDEN started offering all companies, both sponsors and exhibitors to compensate for the carbon footprint created by collaborating with the fair. In 2020, the digital fair was not only climate-neutral but also climate-positive, where they compensated for more than 200 per cent of the fair’s and exhibitor’s carbon dioxide emissions. GADDEN wants to be bold, dare to take a stand, and always strive for a more sustainable fair in every possible detail. Read more.
Sustainability Office
The Sustainability Office is responsible for preparing and coordinating faculty-wide matters relating to sustainable development in education, research and external collaborations for consideration by the Faculty Board. Its activities are guided by the School’s strategy and its annually approved operational plans, which set out the relevant priorities.
The School’s Deputy Dean has specific responsibility for the activities of the Sustainability Office and is responsible for keeping the Faculty Board regularly informed about its work.
The Sustainability Office comprises the Faculty Environmental Coordinator, an Academic Lead, as well as relevant expertise and resources within the Faculty Office. In addition, four academic members are appointed with specific responsibility for, and involvement in, the working group that organises the sustainability days for students. Members are appointed for a three-year term.
