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

    Bildungsinstitutionen und nachhaltiger Konsum: Ein Leitfaden zur Förderung nachhaltigen Konsums

    Michelsen, G. (Editor), Nemnich, C. (Editor) & Fischer, D. (Editor), 2011, Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 100 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCompendium/lecture notesTransfer

  2. Published

    nachhaltigkeitskommunikation.de: Das Internet als Medium der unternehmerischen Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation in Deutschland

    Godemann, J. & Herzig, C., 2012, In: Umweltwirtschaftsforum. 19, 3-4, p. 237-243 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  3. Published

    Environmental Management Accounting: Case studies of South-East Asian companies

    Herzig, C., Viere, T., Schaltegger, S. & Burritt, R., 15.03.2012, London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. 326 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  4. Published

    Bildung für nachhaltigen Konsum in der Praxis

    Nemnich, C. & Fischer, D., 2011, Bildung für nachhaltigen Konsum: ein Praxisbuch ; mit Beispielen und Anregungen aus dem Projekt BINK - Bildungsinstitutionen und nachhaltiger Konsum. Nemnich, C. & Fischer, D. (eds.). Bad Homburg: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften, p. 8-14 6 p.

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

  5. Published

    Managing Supplier Requirements with HSE Accounting: The Case of the Mechanical Engineering Company Bisma Jaya, Indonesia

    Schaltegger, S. & Herzig, C., 2011, In: Social and Environmental Accountability Journal. 5, 1/2, p. 82-105 24 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Climate Change: Implications for Europe's Security and Defence Policy: How Climate Change affects the Security of Europe

    Laws, N., 08.12.2011, Saarbrücken: AV Akademikerverlag. 135 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  7. Published

    Deficits in EU and US mandatory environmental information disclosure: Legal, comparative legal and economic facets of pollutant release invent.

    Bünger, D., 01.01.2012, Berlin: Springer. 487 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  8. Published

    Education and Communication as Prerequisites for and Components of Sustainable Development. Reflections for Policies, Conceptual Work, and Theory, Based on Previous Practises

    Stoltenberg, U. & Holz, V., 2011, Sustainable Development – Relationships to Culture, Knowledge and Ethics. Parodi, O., Ayestaran, I. & Banse, G. (eds.). 1 ed. Karlsruhe: KIT Scientific Publishing, p. 187-200 13 p. (Karlsruher Studien Technik und Kultur; no. 3).

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

  9. Published

    Integrating Art and Education for Sustainable Development. A Transdisciplinary Working Process in the Context of Culture and Sustainability

    Holz, V., 2011, Sustainable Development – The Cultural Perspective. Concepts – Aspects – Examples. Banse, G., Nelson, G. L. & Parodi, O. (eds.). 1 ed. Berlin: edition sigma, p. 239-250 12 p. (Gesellschaft – Technik – Umwelt; vol. 15).

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

  10. Published

    Anforderungen eines sozial-ökologischen Stoffstrommanagments an technische Ver- und Entsorgungssysteme

    Hofmeister, S., 2011, Zukunftsfähige Infrastruktur und Raumentwicklung: Handlungserfordernisse für Ver- und Entsorgungssysteme. Tietz, H.-P. & Hühner, T. (eds.). Hannover: Verlag der ARL , p. 176-190 14 p. (Forschungs- und Sitzungsberichte der ARL; no. 235).

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