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

    Bush encroachment control and risk management in semi-arid rangelands

    Lukomska, N., Quaas, M. F. & Baumgärtner, S., 01.12.2014, In: Journal of Environmental Management. 145, p. 24-34 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Business and Emissions Trading from a Public Choice Perspective: Waiting for a New Paradigm to Emerge

    Tschochohei, H. & Zöckler, J., 01.01.2008, Emissions trading: Institutional Design, Decision Making and Corporate Strategies. Antes, R., Hansjürgens, B. & Letmathe, P. (eds.). New York, NY: Springer New York LLC, p. 21-35 15 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  3. Published

    Business cases and corporate engagement with sustainability: Differentiating ethical motivations

    Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R., 06.11.2018, In: Journal of Business Ethics. 147, 2, p. 241-259 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Business Cases for Sustainability

    Schaltegger, S. & Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2013, Encyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility. Idowu, S. O., Capaldi, N., Zu, L. & Das Gupta, A. (eds.). Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer, Vol. 1. p. 245-252 8 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticles for encyclopediaResearch

  6. Published

    Business Cases for Sustainability: A Stakeholder Theory Perspective

    Schaltegger, S., Hörisch, J. & Freeman, R. E., 09.2019, In: Organization & Environment. 32, 3, p. 191-212 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Business Cases for Sustainability and the Role of Business Model Innovation: Developing a Conceptual Framework

    Schaltegger, S., Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Hansen, E. G., 2011, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 32 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  8. Published

    Business experimentation for sustainability: Emerging perspectives

    Bocken, N. M. P., Weissbrod, I. & Antikainen, M., 25.01.2021, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 281, 6 p., 124904.

    Research output: Journal contributionsOther (editorial matter etc.)Research

  9. Published

    Business Model Assessment: Taking a Stakeholder Perspective

    Freudenreich, B., Saviuc, I. & Schaltegger, S., 2015, Measuring sustainability performance: bridging corporate and academic contributions. Rodney, I. & Schaltegger, S. (eds.). World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), p. 102-105 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Business Model Concepts in Corporate Sustainability Contexts: From Rhetoric to a Generic Template for "Business Models for Sustainability"

    Lüdeke-Freund, F., 2009, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 79 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers