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

    Implementing Environmental Management Accounting in South-East Asian Companies

    Herzig, C., Viere, T., Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R. L., 2007, Conference Proceedings of the 10th Annual EMAN-EU Conference on "Environmental Management Accounting and Sustainable Supply Chains”. Helsinki University of Technology, 6 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  2. Published

    Implementing Environmental Management Accounting: Status and Challenges

    Rikhardsson, P. M. (Editor), Bennett, M. (Editor), Bouma, J. J. (Editor) & Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 01.01.2005, Dordrecht: Springer. 374 p. (Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science; vol. 18)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesConference proceedingsResearch

  3. Published

    Implementing education for sustainable development in the German school system: Implications for teacher education

    Barth, M. & Kater-Wettstädt, L., 28.09.2021, Quality in Teacher Education and Professional Development: Chinese and German Perspectives. Chi-Kin Lee, J. & Ehmke, T. (eds.). London: Taylor and Francis Inc., p. 157-175 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  4. Published

    Implementing Education for Sustainable Development in teacher education: case studies from Germany

    Kater-Wettstädt, L., Bruhn, K., Bürgener, L. & Barth, M., 2019, Environmental Education. Lahiri, S. (ed.). Delhi: Studera Press, p. 13-32 20 p. 2

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

  5. Published

    Implementing Corporate Sustainability: What drives the Application of Sustainability Management Tools in Germany?

    Windolph, S. E., Schaltegger, S. & Herzig, C., 28.10.2014, In: Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal. 5, 4, p. 378-404 27 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Implementierung von Sozialstandards in die Wertschöpfungskette von Bekleidungsunternehmen durch die Bildung von Kooperationen

    Knolle, M., 2006, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management, 95 p.

    Research output: Working paperWorking papers

  7. Published

    Implementierung einer Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung in den Kindergarten aus organisationaler Perspektive

    Godemann, J., 2002, Umweltbewusstsein unter dem Leitbild nachhaltige Entwicklung. Bolscho, D. (ed.). Opladen: Verlag Leske + Budrich, p. 127-167 41 p. („Ökologie und Erziehungswissenschaft“ der Kommission „Umweltbildung“; vol. 9).

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

  8. Published

    Implementation of Sustainability Management and Company Size: A Knowledge-Based View

    Hörisch, J., Johnson, M. & Schaltegger, S., 01.12.2015, In: Business Strategy and the Environment. 24, 8, p. 765-779 15 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Implementation digitaler Medien in die naturwissenschaftliche Lehramtsausbildung

    Stinken-Rösner, L., 2021, Fachliche Bildung und digitale Transformation - Fachdidaktische Forschung und Diskurse: Fachtagung der Gesellschaft für Fachdidaktik 2020. Maurer, C., Rincke, K. & Hemmer, M. (eds.). Regensburg: Universität Regensburg, p. 181-184 4 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearch

  10. Published

    Impacts of urban real-world labs: Insights from a co-evaluation process informed by structuration theory in Wuppertal-Mirke

    Wanner, M., Augenstein, K., von Wirth, T. & Lang, D. J., 16.03.2024, In: GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society. 33, Supplement 1, p. 102-109 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review