The Future of Business module

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Course content related to sustainable development

The module combines ecological economics with the teachings of technologies that are set to become part of the solution to the climate crisis. Ecological economics is an interesting and ever evolving area and is particularly important as the effects of climate change are accelerating at an alarming rate. In terms of technology innovations, colleagues within the teaching team have specialties in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.

Topics explored throughout the module include the Conference of the Parties (COP) summits, climate policies, who pays for climate change, planetary boundaries, degrowth, energy transition and environmental dynamics. Students engage critically with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in terms of economics, which calls for growth and development, whilst there are other SDGs calling for more environmental protection. The module addresses eco-anxiety by not just focussing on the negatives; the urgency of the climate crisis is explored, but good work across the globe is also highlighted.

Competencies for sustainability

A key element of ESD is supporting learners to develop competencies that will help them to tackle and cope with sustainability challenges. Within The Future of Business module the key competencies developed are: 

• Empathy: Cultivated through scenario-based learning, including role-play exercises and interactive simulations that encourage students to take the perspective of affected stakeholders, local communities, future generations, and non-human nature, deepening their emotional and moral understanding of sustainability issues.
• Humility: Students are encouraged to question dominant business paradigms, reflect on their assumptions, and appreciate the limits of technological fixes. Through group discussion, guided reflective journals, and peer feedback, students become more aware of the complexity of sustainability challenges and the importance of collaborative solutions. 
• Appreciation: Students gain an appreciation for diverse systems, natural, cultural, and technological. We examine interdependencies between business and nature, as well as Indigenous and non-Western approaches to sustainability, fostering respect for alternative worldviews and practices. 
• Critical thinking: Students analyse sustainability reports, evaluate policy impacts, and critique greenwashing practices. 

Pedagogical approaches

ESD uses action-orientated and transformative pedagogical approaches to facilitate taking sustainability knowledge and competencies into practice. Teaching methods and pedagogical practices used in The Future of Business module include:

• Enquiry-based learning: Calculating carbon footprints, completing the future postcard activity and carrying out a stakeholder mapping activity focused on climate-induced migration, helping students to explore emotional and ethical dimensions of policy decisions.
• Play-based approaches: Exploring the metaverse and experiencing virtual reality through BodySwaps, as well as playing ‘The Fish Game’, a sustainability simulation where students manage a shared fishery over multiple rounds, making harvesting decisions that highlight the challenges of resource depletion, collective action, and long-term thinking. 
• Case studies: Students investigate BMW, who ran a virtual reality simulation about the motorbikes that they were introducing; this was an example of using the metaverse to promote upcoming projects. Other case studies explore Tesla, SHEIN, TikTok and Instagram. 
• Simulation and problem-based learning: Policy making using the C-Roads climate change policy simulator, and energy transition mapping, where students explore selected countries and their transition to renewable energy. This includes a comparative exploration of energy transitions in the Global South vs. Global North, helping students appreciate the unevenness of environmental burdens and the value of place-based solutions.

Questions to Matthew Allen

How do you link ESD to industry?

As there is a lot of work taking place across the University about sustainability, before exploring links with external partners the initial priority has been to link with internal areas, including: 

• Robotics
• ThinkLab
• Maker Space
• Energy House and Energy House 2.0
• School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology
• School of Science, Engineering and Environment
• School of Health & Society

Is ESD embedded in any assessments in the module?

The assessment consists of students creating a 10-minute video presentation about at least two disruptors to a chosen industry. Students present a problem and then propose a solution or policies that will help to tackle it.

As climate change is one of the disruptors explored in lectures and seminars a lot of students include this or other environmental related disruptors, incorporating ecological economics, relevant policies or technology that can be used to mitigate impacts into their presentations. For example, students have explored the impacts on the automobile industry, connections with artificial intelligence, and waste associated with technologies like 3D printing. 

The assessment requires synthesis of complex information, the application of systems thinking, and the proposal of innovative yet feasible solutions. Students evaluate trade-offs, justify their decisions, and critique business-as-usual approaches using sustainability frameworks such as the triple bottom line and circular economy.