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

    Stakeholder Engagement for Corporate Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of B2C and B2B Companies

    Johnson, M., Redlbacher, F. & Schaltegger, S., 01.01.2018, In: Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 25, 4, p. 659-673 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Stakeholder engagement in Water Framework Directive planning in the United Kingdom: Two case studies from Northern Ireland and Scotland

    Challies, E., 2018, Participation and Effective Environmental Governance: Evidence from Implementing the European Water Framework Directive. Kochskämper, E., Challies, E., Jager, N. W. & Newig, J. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 90-113 24 p. (Earthscan Studies in Water Resource Management).

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

  3. Published

    Stakeholder expectations on sustainability performance measurement and assessment: A systematic literature review

    Silva, S. L., Nuzum, A.-K. & Schaltegger, S., 20.04.2019, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 217, p. 204-215 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  4. Published

    Stakeholder Governance: How stakeholders influence corporate decision making

    Spitzeck, H. & Hansen, E. G., 2010, In: Corporate Governance. 10, 4, p. 378-391 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Stakeholder involvement for Water Framework Directive implementation in Germany: Three case studies from Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein

    Schütze, N. & Kochskämper, E., 2018, Participation for Effective Environmental Governance: Evidence from European Water Framework Directive Implementation. Kochskämper, E., Challies, E., Jager, N. W. & Newig, J. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 39-63 25 p. (Earthscan Studies in Water Resource Management).

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

  6. Published

    Stakeholder-orientierte Reputationsrisiken managen: Nachhaltigkeitskonzept als solides Fundament

    Peylo, B. T. & Schaltegger, S., 2010, In: Betriebswirtschaftliche Blätter. 59, 11, p. 641-649 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Stakeholder signalling and strategic niche management: The case of aviation biokerosene

    Koistinen, K., Upham, P. & Bögel, P. M., 10.07.2019, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 225, p. 72-81 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Stakeholders perceptions of the endangered Egyptian vulture: Insights for conservation

    Cortés-Avizanda, A., Martín-López, B., Ceballos, O. & Pereira, H. M., 01.02.2018, In: Biological Conservation. 218, February 2018, p. 173-180 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Stakeholders’ Perspectives of Species Diversity in Tree Plantations: a Global Review

    Cagnoni, L. B., Weidlich, E. W. A., Guillemot, J., Morselo, C., Weih, M., Adler, A. & Brancalion, P. H. S., 08.2023, In: Current Forestry Reports. 9, 4, p. 251-262 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Stakeholders' perspectives on the operationalisation of the ecosystem service concept: Results from 27 case studies

    Dick, J., Turkelboom, F., Woods, H., Iniesta-Arandia, I., Primmer, E., Saarela, S. R., Bezák, P., Mederly, P., Leone, M., Verheyden, W., Kelemen, E., Hauck, J., Andrews, C., Antunes, P., Aszalós, R., Baró, F., Barton, D. N., Berry, P., Bugter, R., Carvalho, L., Czúcz, B., Dunford, R., Garcia Blanco, G., Geamănă, N., Giucă, R., Grizzetti, B., Izakovičová, Z., Kertész, M., Kopperoinen, L., Langemeyer, J., Montenegro Lapola, D., Liquete, C., Luque, S., Martínez Pastur, G., Martin-Lopez, B., Mukhopadhyay, R., Niemela, J., Odee, D., Peri, P. L., Pinho, P., Patrício-Roberto, G. B., Preda, E., Priess, J., Röckmann, C., Santos, R., Silaghi, D., Smith, R., Vădineanu, A., van der Wal, J. T., Arany, I., Badea, O., Bela, G., Boros, E., Bucur, M., Blumentrath, S., Calvache, M., Carmen, E., Clemente, P., Fernandes, J., Ferraz, D., Fongar, C., García-Llorente, M., Gómez-Baggethun, E., Gundersen, V., Haavardsholm, O., Kalóczkai, Á., Khalalwe, T., Kiss, G., Köhler, B., Lazányi, O., Lellei-Kovács, E., Lichungu, R., Lindhjem, H., Magare, C., Mustajoki, J., Ndege, C., Nowell, M., Nuss Girona, S., Ochieng, J., Often, A., Palomo, I., Pataki, G., Reinvang, R., Rusch, G., Saarikoski, H., Smith, A., Soy Massoni, E., Stange, E., Vågnes Traaholt, N., Vári, Á., Verweij, P., Vikström, S., Yli-Pelkonen, V. & Zulian, G., 16.02.2018, In: Ecosystem Services. 29, C, p. 552-565 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review