New 5 credit course on Sustainability reporting, Transition finance and Business transformation
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The course is provided by the Department for Business Administration at the Lund University School of Economics and Management. It links to Mistra BIOPATH and is developed by Susanne Arvidsson, Director of Mistra BIOPATH.
Course objectives
The course goals are to develop students’ knowledge of and ability to apply theories, policies, frameworks and concepts related to promoting green transition and dealing with the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss through an understanding of sustainability reporting, transition finance and business transformation.
Knowledge and understanding
Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of fundamental theories, polices, frameworks and concepts related to sustainability reporting, transition finance, and business transformation.
Demonstrate an ability to identify relevant theoretical and practical opportunities and challenges (enabling and constraining factors) in promoting the green transition by better integration of sustainability consideration into financial decision making.
Competence and skills
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Can identify and analyse the strengths and weaknesses in the discussed theories, policies, frameworks and concepts including their applicability in different transition contexts.
Can use the discussed theories, policies, frameworks and concepts in analysing relevant enabling and constraining factors (stemming from policy, industry, and/or financial market) for green transition.
Judgement and approach
Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
Demonstrate an ability to reflect and assess the different perspectives that the theories, polices, frameworks and concepts, introduced during the course, represent, as well as to how they can be combined when addressing practical and theoretical problems related to the green transition and the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Course content
The course will provide the students with knowledge and skills that promote the green transition by better integration of sustainability consideration into financial decision making through enhanced sustainability reporting regulations. The course is structured into modules integrating the following themes:
The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The objective, structure, and content of the EU Green Deal, transition finance, and the myriads of public policies and private initiatives related to green transition and business transformation.
Transition versus incremental change enabling and constraining factors for transition the role of industry, the financial system, and policy makers in promoting societal and business transition the roles of management, leadership, and innovation
The objective, structure, and content of upcoming and launched sustainability reporting regulations and auditing standards including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and its European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), the Omnibus proposal, Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Green Claim Directive.
The tension between regulative compliance and business transformation.
Course design
The primary classroom activities are seminars/workshops with elements of lectures, guest lectures, and student presentations. The seminars/workshops are built upon active student participation in terms of discussions in various forms and students are given individual and group assignments to work on as means to prepare for the seminars.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for the course a minimum of 60 completed credits is required.