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

    Nitrogen deposition increases susceptibility to drought - experimental evidence with the perennial grass Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench

    Friedrich, U., Oheimb, G., Kriebitzsch, W.-U., Schleßelmann, K., Weber, M. S. & Härdtle, W., 04.2012, In: Plant and Soil. 353, 1-2, p. 59-71 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  2. Published

    Konzeption und Praxis des Nachhaltigkeitscontrollings: Ansatzpunkte in großen deutschen Unternehmen

    Schaltegger, S. & Zvezdov, D., 08.2011, In: Controlling. 23, 8/9, p. 430-435 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Plant–flower visitor interaction webs: Temporal stability and pollinator specialization increases along an experimental plant diversity gradient

    Ebeling, A., Klein, A.-M. & Tscharntke, T., 06.2011, In: Basic and Applied Ecology. 12, 4, p. 300-309 10 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Accounting for Sustainable Organisations: Where is the Accountant and why it Matters

    Zvezdov, D., 2011, Innovations in Sharing Environmental Observations and Information: Proceedings of the 25th International Conference EnviroInfo : Youth Informatics Prize, Special Tracks and Workshops. Pillmann, W., Schade, S. & Smits, P. (eds.). Shaker Verlag, Vol. 2. p. 601-607 7 p. (ASIM-Mitteilungen aus den Arbeitskreisen).

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

  5. Published

    Bankability von Photovoltaik-Projekten

    Lüdeke-Freund, F., Hampl, N. & Flink, C., 2012, Solarvorhaben – Wirtschaftliche, technische und rechtliche Aspekte. Böttcher, J. (ed.). München: Oldenbourg Schulbuchverl, p. 285-302 18 p.

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

  6. 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

  7. Published

    What Kinds of Photovoltaic Projects Do Lenders Prefer to Finance?

    Lüdeke-Freund, F. & Loock, M., 2011, Cross-Sector Leadership for the Green Economy: Integrating Research and Practice on Sustainable Enterprise. Marcus, A., Shrivastava, P., Sharma, S. & Pogutz, S. (eds.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 107-124 18 p.

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

  8. Published

    The Myth of Bankability: Definition and Management in the Context of Photovoltaic Project Financing in Germany

    Hampl, N., Lüdeke-Freund, F., Flink, C., Olbert, S. & Ade, V., 2011, München: Goetzpartners & COLEXON, 27 p.

    Research output: Working paperResearch communication reportsTransfer

  9. Published

    Developing European conservation and mitigation tools for pollination services: approaches of the STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators) project

    Potts, S. G., Biesmeijer, J. C., Bommarco, R., Felicioli, A., Fischer, M., Jokinen, P., Kleijn, D., Klein, A.-M., Kunin, W. E., Neumann, P., Penev, L. D., Petanidou, T., Rasmont, P., Roberts, S. P. M., Smith, H. G., Sorensen, P. B., Steffan-Dewenter, I., Vaissiere, B. E., Vila, M., Vujic, A., Woychiechowski, M., Zobel, M., Settele, J. & Schweiger, O., 13.04.2011, In: Journal of Apicultural Research. 50, 2, p. 152-164 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement: Weiterbildung, Methoden, KMU

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 2004, Lüneburg: Centre for Sustainability Management. 12 p. (CSM-Newsletter; vol. 1/2004)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesSpecial Journal issueTransfer