Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsprüfungen in kleinen und mittleren Kommunen: Gestaltungsoptionen für die Implementation in Kommunen

    Redenius, P., Gromball, L. E. & Heinrichs, H., 15.03.2024, Institut für Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung (INSUGO), p. 1-8, 8 p. (Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit, Politik, Gesellschaft; no. 6).

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  2. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsprüfungen in Kommunen

    Redenius, P., Heinrichs, H. & Gromball, L. E., 01.06.2023, Institut für Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung (INSUGO), p. 1-15, 15 p. (Schriftenreihe Nachhaltigkeit, Politik, Gesellschaft; no. 4).

    Research output: Working paperExpert opinions

  3. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsrechnungswesen als Bindeglied zwischen Sustainability Balanced Scorecard und Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung

    Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M., 2008, Internetbasierte Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung: maßgeschneiderte Stakeholder-Kommunikation mit IT. Isenmann, R., Marx Gömez, J. & Amelung, M. (eds.). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 157-172 16 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitssteuerung in der öffentlichen Verwaltung

    Heinrichs, H., 20.03.2012, Jahrbuch Verwaltungsmodernisierung Deutschland 2012. Berlin: Wegweiser Berlin Research & Strategy, p. 108-109 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien erfolgreich entwickeln: Grundlagen, Analysen und Gestaltungsoptionen

    Heinrichs, H. & Laws, N., 2015, Gütersloh: WBV Bertelsmann Verlag, 214 p.

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsResearch

  6. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsstrategien und die Herausforderung der politischen Umsetzung

    Laws, N. & Heinrichs, H., 07.2017, Die Deutsche Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie: Wegweiser für eine Politik der Nachhaltigkeit. Michelsen, G. (ed.). Wiesbaden: Hessische Landeszentrale für politische Bildung, p. 141-156 16 p. (forum hlz).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitstrends im Management

    Schaltegger, S., 2014, Corporate Resposibility 2014: Unternehmen und Verantwortung- Trends in Corporate Responsibility. A. V. &. S. G. & F.-I. F.M.-,.M. U. M. G. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main: F.A.Z.-Institut für Management-, Markt- und Medieninformationen , p. 28-31 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesTransfer

  8. Published

    Nachhaltigkeits- und CSR-Berichterstattung als Beitrag zur Unternehmensreputation: Ausgewählte Untersuchungen bei europäischen Großunternehmen

    Hetze, K., 2013, Nachhaltigkeit in der Wirtschaftskommunikation. Nielsen, M., Rittenhofer, I., Grove Ditlevsen, M., Pollach, I. & Esmann Andersen, S. (eds.). 1 ed. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, p. 137-157 21 p. (Europäische Kulturen in der Wirtschaftskommunikation ; vol. 24).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften

    Heinrichs, H. (Editor) & Michelsen, G. (Editor), 02.2014, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Spektrum. 608 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesEducation

  10. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften/Umweltwissenschaften

    Hofmeister, S. & Thiem, A., 2012, Geschlechtergerechte Akkreditierung und Qualitätssicherung - eine Handreichung: Analysen, Handlungsempfehlungen und Gender Curricula. Meike, H., Kortendiek, B. & Knauf, A. (eds.). 3 ed. Essen: Netzwerk Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung NRW, Vol. 14. p. 210-215 6 p. (Studien; no. 14).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review