Inspired by the Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainable Strategy’s (IBES) current research project “TransformS”, this winter semester’s “Responsible Management Lectures” presented their “Ideas for Better Business” under the heading of “Sustainability Transitions”.
The role of corporate leadership
On October 25, 2023, Barbara Kump, Associate Professor at the University of Twente, shared insights into her research on the role of leadership in transforming companies towards sustainability.
In her lecture, she emphasized the importance of strong leadership to achieve the necessary change. She also explained what capabilities are required to initiate and guide change processes in companies. In this context, she introduced the concept of “dominant logics” and explained how leaders need to challenge these logics in order to enable change towards sustainability.
Prof. Kump then discussed real-life examples of change in corporate logics together with the audience and was able to delve deeper into the differences between structural and strategic change. It was concluded – without claim to completeness – that change must take place continuously and that even small steps can make a difference. Furthermore, it usually makes sense to start by changing visible structures or procedures.
From fossil fuels to green energy
On November 8, 2023, Adele Tharani, Social Sustainability Manager at multinational energy company Orsted, described the company’s transition journey from being an oil and gas company towards becoming the world’s largest developer of offshore wind power.
In her presentation, she shared insights into the company’s financial and value-based motives for initiating this transformation in 2012, as well as the actual transition process. This consisted of dismantling the company’s fossil fuel business and simultaneously building a global renewable energy system. She emphasized how this transformation completely changed the strategic profile and performance of the company.
In the discussion that followed, Adele Tharani responded to questions about the specifics of sustainability management in a frontrunner company like Orsted. She also provided insights into which skills are particularly important in her position as sustainability manager and what role investors and communication play in the company’s transformation process.
IBES would like to thank both lecturers as well as the interested and active audience, which consisted of Master’s students from FHWien der WKW and colleagues from science and practice! The IBES-Team hopes to have inspired further change towards sustainability.
The next Responsible Management Lectures “Ideas for Better Business” will take place on Thursday, May 16, 2024 and Thursday, May 23, 2024.