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. 2012
  2. Published

    Vom integrierten Umwelt- zum heutigen Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement: Eine Fallstudie aus der Telekommunikationsbranche im Lichte des Winter-Modells

    Schaltegger, S. & Hansen, E. G., 2012, Georg Winter - Pionier der umweltbewussten Unternehmensführung: Festschrift zum 70. Geburtstag. Seidel, E. (ed.). Marburg: Metropolis Verlag für Ökonomie, p. 255-276 22 p.

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

  3. Published

    Vorsorgendes Wirtschaften

    Biesecker, A. & Gottschlich, D., 2012, ABC der Alternativen 2.0: Von Alltagskultur bis Zivilgesellschaft. Brand, U., Lösch, B., Opratko, B. & Thimmel, S. (eds.). Hamburg: VSA-Verlag, p. 320-322 2 p.

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

  4. Published

    Vzdělávání pro udržitelný rozvoj pro pedagogy v mateřských školách

    Stoltenberg, U., 2012, Školka blízká přírodě: Příručka předškolního vzdělávání pro udržitelný rozvoj. Asociace lesních mateřských škol. Vošahlíková, T. (ed.). Praha (Prag): Asociace lesních mateřských škol

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

  5. Published

    Was bewegt die Jugend? Greenpeace Nachhaltigkeitsbarometer

    Michelsen, G., Grunenberg, H. & Rode, H., 2012, Homburg/ Taunus: VAS Verlag für Akademische Schriften. 213 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  6. Published

    Wende überall? Von Vorreitern, Nachzüglern und Sitzenbleibern ; in memoriam Günter Altner

    Michelsen, G. (Editor), Leitschuh, H. (Editor), Simonis, U. E. (Editor), Sommer, J. (Editor) & Weizsäcker, E. U. V. (Editor), 2012, Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag. 256 p. (Jahrbuch Ökologie; vol. 2013)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesCollected editions and anthologiesResearch

  7. Published

    Whistle-Blowing heißt nicht: "verpfeifen": Ordonomische Überlegungen zur Korruptionsprävention durch und in Unternehmen

    Pies, I. & Beckmann, M., 2012, Korruption als internationales Phänomen: Ursachen, Auswirkungen und Bekämpfung eines weltweiten Problems. Fifka, M. S. & Falke, A. (eds.). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag, p. 67-94 28 p.

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

  8. Published

    Wie werden Nachhaltigkeitsinformationen gemanagt? Eine Exploration in führenden deutschen und britischen Unternehmen

    Schaltegger, S. & Zvezdov, D., 2012, Nachhaltigkeit: Unternehmerisches Handeln in globaler Verantwortung. Corsten, H. & Roth, S. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag, p. 275-285 11 p.

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

  9. Published

    Wirtschaften in Netzen

    Lang, F. J., Schrader, R. & Burandt, A., 2012, In: Unsere Wirtschaft. 63, 03/2012, p. 20-22 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

  10. Published

    Wirtschaftswende durch nachhaltiges Unternehmertum

    Schaltegger, S. & Hansen, E. G., 2012, Jahrbuch Ökologie 2013: Wende überall ?. Leitschuh-Fecht, H., Michelsen, G., Simonis, U., Sommer, J. & Weizsäcker, E. U. (eds.). Stuttgart: S. Hirzel Verlag, p. 64-75 12 p.

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

  11. Published

    Zum Stand der Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation – Potenziale für Nachhaltigkeitsjournalismus

    Michelsen, G. & Rieckmann, M., 2012, Umwelt Europa: Grüne Gesellschaft und europäische Krise - neue Fragen an den Journalismus. Schulte-Reckert, C. & Schäfer, T. (eds.). Bonn: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, p. 20–28 9 p.

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