The course addresses the core sustainability issues and societal challenges that face energy industry today. It provides tools to approach them and methods to align social sustainability and ecological transition with business models and overall business strategy.

Climate, environment and, ecological transition, and how business strategies can be forged in constructive interplay with government and civil society is given a central place in the course. Particular focus will be given to the industrial interplay with international norms and policy frameworks, like the UN ecology oriented SDGs, The Paris Agreement, EU’s Green Deal, and its Green Taxonomy, the Circular Economy etc.

Human rights, welfare, corruption and other issues pertaining to social sustainability are also important course topics. Particular focus will be given to the industrial interplay with international norms and policy frameworks, like the UN socially oriented SDGs, UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations on Human Rights, OECD guidelines on responsible business conduct and human rights; ILO conventions, etc..

The course will address energy industry’s ecological and social challenges and opportunities from a broad set of perspectives taken from current sustainability analysis: This involves a stakeholder perspective, addressing how energy business may engage with its surroundings to gain acceptance and support for its operations. It also includes a business strategy perspective, that focuses on aligning commercial initiatives with social legitimacy and societal concerns.

Given the major shifts in both technology and business models, under green transition, the course includes an innovation perspective with a focus both on necessary technological and business model transformation. And since industrial organization in modern energy industry typically involves extended outsourcing, the course includes a logistics and supply chain perspective on industrial social and environmental sustainability.

As innovation and sustainability-oriented transition typically entails engagement across the public and private interest divide, we include a governance perspective, with particular focus on public-private governance-partnerships in energy industry. The ensuing need for legitimacy naturally adds on a communication perspective.

The major role played by finance in today’s economy has brought socially and environmentally responsible investment in as a central perspective, not the least in shaping energy industry’s climate-transition. The need for information, both with respect to financial evaluation and public regulation adds on a sustainability-oriented reporting perspective.

Acquired Knowledge
This course is designed to provide:

• basic knowledge of the CSR and sustainability concepts from different perspectives, with a particular focus on energy industry;
• insights into stakeholder theory and its applications in securing social license to operate by building trust and partnering with communities;
•  knowledge of relevant tools such as UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, laws and regulations, national and international, to further sustainable development in energy industry;
• insights into partnered governance arrangements - such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative - where industry and government work together towards transparency and good governance;
• knowledge of basic business ethics and how to implement it in practical management;
• insight into green transition and business strategies and partnerships for innovation.
• Familiarity with the major initiatives driving ecological transformation in energy industry – particularly in Europe: EU’s Green deal, Circular Economy and EU Taxonomy 
• insights into how sustainability issues may play out in the media and other public arenas, and affect reputation brand value
• insights into approaches to turning CSR and sustainability into a value driver;
• Given its salience for energy industry, particular emphasis will be given to familiarize the students with the essentials of climate change, and its strategic implications.