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

    Beyond Markets: Strategic Sustainability Management Control

    Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R., 2011, EURAM 2011: Management Culture in the 21st Century : European Academy of Management (EURAM). Alas, R. & Bessant, J. (eds.). Tallinn, Estonia: Estonian Business School, 28 p. (EURAM Conference).

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

  2. Published

    Beyond fragmentation: the continuum model for fauna research and conservation in human-modified landscapes

    Fischer, J. & Lindenmayer, D. B., 01.02.2006, In: Oikos. 112, 2, p. 473-480 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Beyond carbon, more than forest? REDD plus governmentality in Indonesia

    McGregor, A., Challies, E., Howson, P., Astuti, R., Dixon, R., Haalboom, B., Gavin, M., Tacconi, L. & Afiff, S., 2015, In: Environment and Planning A. 47, 1, p. 138-155 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Beyond Biodiversity Conservation: Land Sharing Constitutes Sustainable Agriculture in European Cultural Landscapes

    Loos, J. & Wehrden, H., 02.05.2018, In: Sustainability. 10, 5, 11 p., 1395.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Bewertung und Minderung der Emissionen aus Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens in die aquatische Umwelt

    Pinnekamp, J., Adomßent, M., Bastian, D., Bäumlisberger, M., Dreyer, M., Esser-Schmittmann, W., Fiehn, R., Firk, J., Gebhardt, W., Herrel, M., Herrmann, M., Johne, S., Jonas, D., Kerber, H., Kuhn, R., Kümmerer, K., Meyer, A., Lyko, S., Montag, D., Mousel, D., Nafo, I., Olsson, O., Palmowski, L., Scheele, S., Schmitt, B., Schramm, E., Steube, T. & Winker, M., 2015, Abwasser aus Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens – Charakterisierung, Technologien, Kommunikation und Konzepte: Abschlussbericht des durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderten Vorhabens "Innovative Konzepte und Technologien für die separate Behandlung von Abwasser aus Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens (Sauber+)", Förderkennzeichen: 02WRS1280A-J- der Fördermaßnahme "Risikomanagement von neuen Schadstoffen und Krankheitserregern im Wasserkreislauf (RiSKWa)". Pinnekamp, J., Palmowski, L., Kümmerer, K. & Schramm, E. (eds.). Aachen: Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Siedlungswasserwirtschaft an der RWTH Aachen e.V., p. 357-366 10 p. (Gewässerschutz - Wasser – Abwasser; vol. 238).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to scientific reportsResearch

  6. Published

    Bewertung der Nachhaltigkeit von Software: Entwicklung einer Umweltkennzeichnung

    Kern, E., Guldner, A. & Naumann, S., 2018, Nachhaltige Betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme. Arndt, H.-K., Gomez, J. M., Wohlgemuth, V., Lehmann, S. & Pleshkanovska, R. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, p. 9-19 11 p. (Nachhaltige Betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme).

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

  7. Accepted/In press

    Between the lines: linking carbon management to carbon accounting actions in the pursuit of corporate decarbonization

    Johnson, M. P., Strobel, J. & Trencher, G., 04.12.2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal. 28 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Between Ostrom and Nordhaus: The research landscape of sustainability economics

    Drupp, M. A., Baumgärtner, S., Meyer, M., Quaas, M. F. & von Wehrden, H., 01.06.2020, In: Ecological Economics. 172, 17 p., 106620.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  9. Published

    Better performance of organic than conventional tomato varieties in single and mixed cropping

    Ficiciyan, A. M., Loos, J. & Tscharntke, T., 21.04.2022, In: Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. 46, 4, p. 491-509 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  10. Published

    Betriebswirtschaftlich Rationales Management der ökologischen Herausforderung: Dargestellt am Beispiel eines Kurdirektors

    Schaltegger, S. & Sturm, A., 1993, Ökonomie und Ökologie unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Alpenregion. Mainzer, K. (ed.). Bern: Haupt Verlag, p. 131-150 20 p. (Schriftenreihe Institut Kurt Bösch; no. 1).

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

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