Un-sustainability represents an array of quite different complex problems, which require new research, analysis and solution finding approaches. In the search for new, more powerful research approaches, transdisciplinarity is ever more developing as the mainstream set of research approaches of sustainability science(s). Most transdisciplinary publications and projects investigate global syndromes or large scale cases of un-sustainability (e.g. the greenhouse effect, diminishing quality and availability of drinking water, desertification or slums in megacities). Companies are frequently addressed, however, they mostly only play an indirect role in this research.

Management research has so far dealt with corporate sustainability either from a theoretical, mostly disciplinary perspective often criticising managers for the damage they cause and for not already having solved all problems, or by conducting applied projects addressing very focused issues of energy efficiency, environmental management systems, fair trade marketing, etc. Corporate practitioners are often interested in practical, easy to implement consulting type solutions and less in complex, broad analyses. Transdisciplinarity, although somehow addressed and sometimes even applied in sustainability management research, is far from being influential or integrated in (sustainability) management research and corporate practice.

Given that sustainable development of the economy and society cannot be achieved without a sustainable development of companies, this presentation discusses different transdisciplinarity approaches which are emerging in the area of corporate sustainability and CSR. Furthermore, obstacles for the application of existing transdisciplinary research methods as used in sustainability sciences are analysed and conclusions drawn for the development of transdisciplinary research approaches in sustainability management research.