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

    Interaktive Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung von Unternehmen: Konzeption und Analyse der Internetnutzung von GF-500-Unternehmen hinsichtlich der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung

    Kim, K., 2005, Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Verlag. 248 p. (Europäische Hochschulschriften)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Managing the Business Case for Sustainability: The Integration of Social, Environmental and Economic Performance

    Schaltegger, S. (Editor) & Wagner, M. (Editor), 2006, Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing. 625 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  3. Published

    CollaborativeInformationSystemszurSelbstorganisationvonad-hoc-Helfern

    Bonin, H. E. G., 2005, Informatik 2005 - Informatik live!: Beiträge der 35. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), 19. bis 22. September 2005 in Bonn. Bonn: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., Vol. 2. p. 365-369 5 p. (INFORMATIK - Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.).

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

  4. Published
  5. Published

    Integrative Management of Sustainability Performance, Measurement and Reporting

    Schaltegger, S. & Wagner, M., 19.06.2006, In: International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation. 3, 1, p. 1-19 19 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    The insurance value of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services

    Baumgärtner, S., 03.2007, In: Natural Resource Modeling. 20, 1, p. 87-127 41 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Latitudinal Gradient of Airborne Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances in the Marine Atmosphere between Germany and South Africa (53° N−33° S)

    Jahnke, A., Berger, U., Ebinghaus, R. & Temme, C., 01.05.2007, In: Environmental Science & Technology. 41, 9, p. 3055-3061 7 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published
  9. Published

    Corporate Social Responsibility: Trend oder Modeerscheinung

    Müller, M. (Editor) & Schaltegger, S. (Editor), 2008, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 262 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  10. Published

    40. Chronology and climate forcing of the last four interglacials

    Sirocko, F., Claussen, M., Litt, T., Fernanda Sánchez Goñi, M., Berger, A., Boettger, T., Diehl, M., Desprat, S., Delmonte, B., Degering, D., Frechen, M., A. Geyh, M., Groeger, M., Kageyama, M., Kaspar, F., Kühl, N., Kubatzki, C., Lohmann, G., Loutre, M. F., Müller, U., Rein, B., Rosendahl, W., Roucoux, K., Rousseau, D. D., Seelos, K., Siddall, M., Scholz, D., Spötl, C., Urban, B., Vautravers, M., Velichko, A., Wenzel, S., Widmann, M. & Wünnemann, B., 01.01.2007, In: Developments in Quaternary Science. 7, C, p. 597-614 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsConference article in journalResearchpeer-review