Department of Management Studies

Sustainability in Business (SUB)

Our mission is to provide knowledge about innovative business models and transition paths that enhance sustainable development. As complex sustainability challenges call for multi-disciplinary knowledge and societally impactful research, we co-create solution proposals together with partners from different sectors of society.

View of Earth from space

Solar panels in front of mountains

Renewable energy production and storage technologies change the way we produce and use energy, do business with it, and innovate.

Department of Management Studies

People boarding airplane

The effective management of transition risks is crucial for the resilience of businesses in global value chains.

Department of Management Studies

Recycling bins

Circular economy keeps materials in use longer using strategies like reuse, remanufacture, recycling, and replacing ownership with rentals.

Department of Management Studies

Car parked at electric charging station

Innovating new sustainable products, services, business models and forms of consumption can help tackle global challenges.

Department of Management Studies

Two people hauling bags in Brazil

Frugal innovations can help alleviate poverty.

Department of Management Studies

CSR news articles

Cross-national governance of businesses make ethical issues urgent.

Department of Management Studies

Palms with sustainability pictures drawn on them

Rethinking economy, work and money can help our economy function better.

Department of Management Studies

Publications

The latest publications from SUB researchers

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Two people with pens hovering over articles

Sustainability teaching

Sustainability course offerings in the School of Business

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Creative Sustainability students gathered around a laptop

SUB seminar series

The SUB lunchtime seminar series provides a monthly forum for all interested to discuss topical research in social and environmental issues in management.

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Plate of food with wooden spoons

Awards and highlights

Inês Peixoto

Finalist for the EGOS Best Student Paper Award with the paper “Risk organization and moral multiplexity in the EU biofuels market” (presented at EGOS Edinburgh 2019)

Minna Halme

HSE Support Foundation Societal Impact Award, 2019

Elizabeth Miller

Thesis "Trash to Treasure: A Multiple Case Study of Finnish Companies That Create Economic Value from Waste Materials" received award for top university master's thesis, Association for Environmental Management (Ymparistöjohtamisen yhdistys ry), 2018

Samuli Patala and Minna Halme

Article "Polycentric Governance of Privately Owned Resources in Circular Economy Systems" received Carolyn Dexter Award for international papers, Academy of Management 2018

Jouni Juntunen, Minna Halme, Angelina Korsunova and Risto Rajala

Article "Powering sustainable innovations: Strategies for collaborating with deviant partners" won Best Academic Paper at R&D Management Conference 2016, University of Cambridge

Minna Halme, Sara Lindeman and Paula Linna

Article "Innovation for Inclusive Business: Intrapreneurial Bricolage in Multinational Corporations", Journal of Management Studies, 2012 received the Emerald Citations of Excellence for 2015

Jouni Juntunen nominated to Network for Business Sustainability Sustainability Centres Community (SCC) Advisory Board

Jouni Juntunen has been nominated to Network for Business Sustainability Sustainability Centres Community (SCC) Advisory Board for a three year period starting from 2021.

Interesting methodology workshop organized by SUB researchers

The Sustainability in Business research group organized a virtual workshop on conducting field research in methodologically challenging settings.

Methodology workshop

The World Needs Hands-on Solutions to Wicked Problems

New Global has taken a holistic approach to exploring pathways from poverty to sustainable development. By com-bining interdisciplinary research and education with innovation work in the field, we have studied and experimented with co-innovation across Finland and emerging markets.

Aalto New Global

Does Corporate Responsibility Deliver? Broken Pathways to Business Sustainability

Guest blog for Business and Society by Leena Lankoski and Minna Halme.

Broken road

Millainen liiketoiminta muuttaa maailmaa?

Perinteinen kapitalistinen ajatus, että yrityksen tehtävänä on ainoastaan tuottaa voittoa osakkeenomistajilleen, tuntuu nykyään suunnilleen yhtä 1900-lukuiselta kuin lankapuhelin.

Kuuluisassa Kasvun rajat –raportissa (Meadows ym., 1972) todettiin jo lähes 50 vuotta sitten, että luonnonvarojen tuhlaileva käyttö ei voi jatkua loputtomiin.

Valitettavasti 2020-luvulle tultaessa on käynyt ilmeiseksi, että ihmiskunta on ollut hidas reagoimaan. Materiaalienkäytön ja päästöjen kasvu kielii siitä, että todellinen radikaali muutos vaatii aikaa. Näinhän se menee. Hammaslääkäriinkin vaivautuu vasta, kun tarpeeksi kivistää.

Onneksi löytyy myös kosolti kestäviä edelläkävijäyrityksiä, joiden innovaatiot ovat parhaillaan tehokasta juurihoitoa luonnonvarojen käytön kasvun kanssa kipuilevalle ihmiskunnalle. Näitä edelläkävijäyrityksiä löytyy tekstiilialalla esimerkiksi vastuullisten yritysten listasta, jota Finix-hankkeen tutkijat kokosivat koronakevään aikana #kestävävaate-kampanjassa.

Green roof in urban center

SUB researchers to present at the virtual Academy of Management conference

From August 7-11, several members of the SUB research group will participate in the 80th annual meeting of the Academy of Management, this year held virtually because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Doctoral dissertation: Innovative entrepreneurship may be a viable solution for reducing poverty

Entrepreneurs need an innovative business idea, access to significant support and an environment that endorses entrepreneurship.

Kolmipyöräinen traktori nimeltään Bullet Santi ja kehittäjänsä Mansukhbhai Jagani

Creative Sustainability included in Financial Times’ list of best practices for sustainability in business schools

School of Business was included among the best practices for sustainability in teaching and student projects.

Creative sustainability students brainstorming

Kicking off the "Better Business - Better Society" series

Researchers and partners from the Finix sustainable textile system project, co-led by SUB scholars, kicked off the Aalto Business School "Better Business - Better Society" seminar series.

Cellulose-based fabric from the Ioncell process

SUB researchers to present at the Academy of Management conference in Boston

From August 9-13, several members of the SUB research group will participate in the 79th annual meeting of the Academy of Management in Boston, USA. They will join scholars from across the world to share and discuss the latest research on the conference theme Understanding the Inclusive Organization, examining how organizations impact communities on many different dimensions, from the psychological to the ecological.

SUB researchers lead new sustainable textiles consortium

Researchers from the Sustainability in Business (SUB) research group are leading one of Aalto’s three consortia funded in the latest round of grants from the Academy of Finland’s Strategic Research Council.

Rolls of fabric in warehouse

Many Shades of Cocreation: Research Designs for Collaboration

When academics and practitioners work together on research, there’s no standard template to follow. Aalto researchers provide a model.

Nanomaji water filters in East Africa

'The solutions for circular economy are not achieved alone'

A circular economy workshop series develops new collaborations between engineers and business researchers.

Circular economy workshop Dilemmas of disassembly Photo: Outi Puukko

How to accelerate the circular economy

It sounds simple — one business’s waste becomes another’s input. But the reality is challenging. Three case studies provide best practices.

Bales of paper and cardboard waste

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Sustainability day

Studies Published: 14.1.2021

Open University course Sustainability in Business begins in February 2021

Join our sustainability course and deepen your understanding of how business operations impact society and the environment, and what kind of roles organizations can play in addressing sustainability challenges.

Research & Art Published: 8.1.2021

Apply now for the Designs for a Cooler Planet 2021 event

This year's theme is Resource wisdom. In a world of plenty, what is wise to design for the next generations? A university-wide call is open for the Aalto community in January.

Drawing of people using their smart phones.

Research & Art Published: 7.1.2021

The majority of Finland's ICT emissions are generated outside our borders – So our reporting must be adjusted

It is difficult for companies and consumers to obtain information on the environmental impact of information technology. Researchers recommend unified, cross-boarder reporting obligations for the ICT sector.

An illustration depicting a diverse puzzle

Studies Published: 17.12.2020

Enforcing diversity in teams pays off — a student story

Making students from different backgrounds work together can make students nervous, but it also makes their teams work better in the long run.

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20 4

Other 20.4.2021 13:00 – 16:30

Climate change - perspectives of hope for the future

The discussion will address, among other things, the mitigation of climate change through technology and the potential for change in the lives of individuals and communities. The event was postponed from Spring 2020 to 2021.

18 5

Sustainability Science Days 2021 - Online

Conferences and workshops 18.5.–19.5.2021

Sustainability Science Days 2021: Destruction & Creativity

SSD is a two-day conference concentrating on radical changes that are indispensable for solutions to the sustainability crisis.

Who we are

Member of the Sustainability Centres Community

SUB is a member of the Sustainability Centres Community (SCC), hosted by the Network for Business Sustainability (NBS).

Get in touch

Address

Väre, Otaniementie 14
02150 Espoo

Contact

Elizabeth Miller
[email protected]

Published: 24.10.2018
Updated: 15.1.2021