Master in Management for Sustainability Program

This course looks at how firms reimagine, redesign and/or in some cases, turn traditional businesses ‘upside down’. We will explore innovative approaches to value creation, including embedding societal and environmental value in products and services, creating new modes of differentiation, and/or totally re-vamping business ecosystems. Cases cover success stories as well as risks, limitations and vulnerabilities.

Sustainable leadership and effective governance demand a different approach to selecting and developing leaders. This includes significant mindset shifts, changes in governance practices and systems, and adopting entirely new timeframes around performance indicators. We will examine in this course how leadership for sustainability requires particular organizational characteristics, while exploring how some companies have already had great success embedding sustainable leadership principles and practices while others have been late or non-adopters.

This course gives students a rigorous, economic-principles-based insight into the fundamental themes that underly the discourse on business & policy issues concerning sustainability. These themes include the theory of the firm; the efficiency of markets; externalities and environmental policy; environmental policy instruments and information and values in business & policy decisions.

Although many students will be familiar with some basics of business ethics, this course moves into wider and deeper challenges. We will explore the complexity of ethics in the age of contemporary capitalism while grappling with the new and emerging landscape of business ethics in the face of managing rapid technology advances (i.e., artificial intelligence, data protection, social media practices) and ensuring safe and equitable workplace practices (i.e., discrimination, harassment, abusive leadership, diversity). Cases and role plays will focus on moral frameworks to consider grounds for and implications of business decisions.

This course covers systems thinking – how entities influence one another within a larger whole – while examining the complexity of Grand Challenges and how to approach problem-solving in a cross disciplinary, interconnected way.

Many experts agree that addressing climate change is a defining business issue of our time. Its complex impacts are directly affecting business, society, and ecosystems while many governments are scrambling to mitigate its effects with far-reaching regulations. This course will provide students with a thorough understanding of the basic science drivers of climate change and how it affects our physical world. We will look at a variety of tools governments have used to help reduce and mitigate impacts while examining the risk of both action and inaction.

All strategic decisions of businesses occur under some degree of uncertainty. This is particularly true for decisions concerning sustainability strategies. This course introduces to students the theory of decision-making under uncertainty and explores how and why decisions in practice deviate from the theoretical ideal.

Development economics analyses the forces that drive or hinder economic and social development and the ways in which developing and emerging countries can find innovative solutions to promote sustainable and fair growth. It looks at how macro and micro economic policies can help promote sustainable growth and reduce inequalities. This course covers topics such as social inequalities, poverty, education, health, microfinance, gender, green growth, aid, and the role of institutions in development.

The Anthropocene defines our current geological age and is largely characterized by human activity and its impacts on the earth’s systems. This course will explore these planetary boundaries and social-ecological resilience. We will evaluate selected ecosystem processes and ecosystem services while identifying management, measurement and modeling strategies.

Most of the Earth’s environmental problems are the result of human behavior. This course uses the science of human behavior to understand the roots of the problems and explore strategies for solving them. Key questions explored in this course include, for example: Are there inherent human behavioral tendencies that contribute to environmental degradation? To what extent are the harmful behaviors of people controlled by the situational factors? And, how can we intervene to change these behaviors?

Capturing and reporting data on company environmental, social and governance performance is critical for a firms’ credibility among stakeholders, including investors. This data, whether it includes carbon emissions, human rights violations or transparency around compensation shapes strategy, investment, management and control processes. This course will cover disclosure trends and best practices around ESG considerations and how they impact investor decision-making.

Developing, communicating and promoting a work environment that reflects the principles and practices of DEI is no longer an optional business strategy but rather a fundamental for business success. This course will focus on the insights, skills and tools needed for diverse, equitable and inclusive organizations. We will delve into the metrics for evaluating and monitoring a cohesive and constructive dialogue on these issues. Case studies include those of firm’s making great strides as well as those still at ‘the starting gate’.

Impact investing is about generating financial returns while also advancing social and environmental aims. This course will focus on the tools and tactics that make that happen, integrating capital market and mainstream investment with environmental and social policy aims. We will work across all asset classes and impact themes analyzing innovations and effectiveness.

The data revolution has arrived and there is no shortage of opportunity to apply information and data management systems to help advance the challenges sustainability poses. This course will focus on how data collection and analysis can help organizations understand and better manage risk, energy efficiency, waste disposal and even untangle exhaust choking traffic. We will spend time exploring select, seminal and significant data sets and scientific reports such as the IPCC’s work.

Sustainable marketing is the type of marketing that promotes products and services that respect the environment and social issues. But what makes a brand sustainable? How are companies developing marketing strategies that are authentic, transparent and impactful? As consumers become more knowledgeable and demand ever greater levels of disclosure, companies are navigating new commercial domains of tracking and tracing supply chains, aligning with various labels, and executing effective advertising campaigns. The course will approach global trends and issues that influence sustainability-related success and communication challenges, for moving from motivation to persuasion.

How can companies ensure that their full supply and value chains integrate environmentally and financially viable practices into the complete lifecycle? This course is focused on how to deploy and govern efficient, resilient, socially responsible and environmentally friendly supply chains. Students will examine in this context technologies such as block chain, big data analytics and automation to deliver products and services, and integrate sustainability in purchasing, procurement and logistics operations.

Social entrepreneurship has become a prominent area of entrepreneurship, posing specific challenges to organizations and entrepreneurs. In this course students will study social entrepreneurs, examine the solutions they create to address societal problems and position this in the wider context of social innovation. Specific attention will also be devoted to the role of intrapreneurship.

For almost all industrial firms these four issues dominate their strategic and operational agenda and, those that manage these critical environmental issues well, are distinguished in the marketplace. This course will equip students with an understanding of the main challenges around:

Energy: technology, renewable energy, and building and energy performance

Carbon: mitigation, adaption, measurement

Water: treatment technology, water cycle, policy frameworks for managing supply, wastewater treatments

Waste: waste management, landfill engineering, reuse/recycling

How to set organizations in motion? How to change thinking about sustainability in business? How to convince top management, customers or supply chain partners of more sustainable practices? Activism, direct action in support of or opposition to a disputed issue, is an important practice here. In this course, external and internal forms of activism are examined, strategies and tactics are identified and the implications for business organizations are debated.

Organizations operate in a wider institutional environment where norms are set and rules are made. This context influences organizations’ objectives, strategy and policies and many stakeholders contribute to shaping the institutions that affect organizations. This course explores the institutional context in which sustainability norms and rules are shaped or changed, as well as ways in which (business) organizations can actively engage in those activities.

According to pioneer Ellen MacArthur, the circular economy (CE) is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. In this course the notion of circularity is explored, looking at how value can be generated through CE but also being able to critically assess several CE initiatives. The main concepts, methods and tools of CE are examined – the course builds on the earlier courses “Business Model Innovation” and “The Big Four”.

Sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation so exploring the role of partnerships is essential. Cross-sector partnerships involve collaborative efforts in which a variety of societal actors collaborate to some degree to solve a common and often complex problem. In the UN Sustainable Development Goals, partnerships are listed as a separate goal (SDG17). In this course different motivation, forms and outcomes of partnerships are explored in the light of the SDGs, examining how ‘wicked’ problems could be addressed in collaboration and what roles business organizations can play therein.

Short interactive introductory course aimed at exploring the overall objectives of the program.

Intense short course in which a sustainable business simulation will be experienced in teams.

Intense short course in which product and service design, creativity and sustainability are explored. During the Bootcamp, students will identify an innovation opportunity, develop and deliver a pertinent and sustainable solution. Finally, they will select a business model to deliver value for a range of stakeholders.

Intense short course in which a variety of technological issues and solutions are examined in collaboration with a firm with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). AI but also new forms of technology will transform business practices and industries and has the potential to address major societal problems, including sustainability.

The program will contain a number of company visits to explore different organizations’ experiences with sustainability and management.

This is a dedicated course on consulting skills, from making a bid to delivering a pitch and a report, with a focus on successfully delivering value to clients and improving organizational performance in the context of sustainability.

Transversal project in which teams of students will work on a consulting assignment for real clients, combining insights from different courses in their analyses and solutions. Final advice will be pitched to experts.

The course is designed to immerse students into the daily life of business consultants working for an ERP implementation company. Through interactive lectures, group assignments, and the intervention of four expert professionals, this course confronts students with the diverse expectations, tasks, and challenges functional consultants need to tackle. Combining theoretical concepts with hands-on exercises on a hypothetical business case, participants are expected to acquire knowledge on and experience with ERP deliverables and domains (i.e., Microsoft Dynamics 365), workflow design for top-level business processes (i.e.., Procure-to-Pay, Order-to-Cash), project management activities, and functional consulting analysis tools (e.g., XMind, Bizagi).

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

Creativity is one of the critical components of an organization’s ability to survive and thrive in today’s competitive and dynamic markets. This course will provide participants with a rich understanding of how creativity can be facilitated and managed in a work setting. They will acquire knowledge regarding various theoretical conceptualizations (i.e., how do you define creativity), antecedents (i.e., what makes you and others more creative) and outcomes (i.e., what is the impact) of creativity as well as knowledge on design thinking techniques and tools to lead teams in the creative journey. How do creative ideas happen? How can we foster our creativity and the creativity of those around us? What are the paths of creative development of individuals who are successful in their creative endeavours? What are the implications for fostering and managing creativity in the workplace? What are the obstacles to creativity? What is the nature of creativity in teams and organizations? These are some of the questions we will address. During the course, a variety of teaching and learning techniques will be used to enable participants to think critically and imaginatively about various perspectives of creativity. To realize the goal of a shared learning experience between participants and the instructor, the course is aimed at integrating real challenges and practical experiences of creativity, projects, presentations, experiential exercises, and critical reflection on the various course materials.

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

Description to come.

*(2 courses to be chosen among “Business Consultancy in a Digital Environment”, “Leading for Creativity and Design Thinking” or “Strategic People Management”)

The Career Program aims to help IÉSEG students build and implement their professional objective in line with their aspirations, skills and the socio-economic reality of the market. The objective is to facilitate their integration into the company, in an environment that allows them to develop personally and professionally A credited program offered to all students A specific program adapter to their track / major A dedicated team of experienced professional as professors An overall support: collective credit courses + digital resources + on demand coaching, for students expressing the need, provided by the CAREER team A cycle of thematical events creating bridges with companies and helping students to develop their network  Our pedagogical approach: an alternation of teaching methods to promote learning => digital modules, interactive courses, blended learning, coaching, peer to peer, learning by doing, live situations, debriefing and reflexivity – in line with the teaching and learning strategy @IÉSEG.

This course provides participants with a profound understanding on entrepreneurship, new business development, and business plan writing. Through lectures, testimonials, fieldwork, and group assignments, participants are confronted with the how, where, when, whom, and why of starting and developing new business activities. As part of an international and multicultural team, participants are invited to work on an operational business plan aimed at either the creation of a new venture (NVC-track) or the acceleration of new business for an already established SME (NBD-track). This course’s ambitions thus go beyond providing theoretical insights. Hands-on experience is gained through out-of-class field work covering all steps of the entrepreneurial decision-making process (e.g., idea generation, feasibility analysis, industry study, market analysis, marketing plan, production plan, product development, and financial statements). In doing so, participants accumulate entrepreneurial knowledge and behaviors that support innovative solutions and new value development.

Credited Language courses for all levels are included in the program. French is the mandatory choice for any non-French speaking student. For native French speaking students, other languages are offered (Chinese, Spanish, German – list subject to change).

Capstone Project: 4-to 6-month internship or work experience anywhere in the world. Alternatively, students can opt for a consulting project or a thesis.