Vision
The IBS seeks to provide
cutting-edge educational programs and future-relevant research
in business sustainability and transformation
to practitioners and change makers across sectors.
About
The Institute for Business Sustainability is an independent, forward-thinking, international research and education center dedicated to enabling business and its leaders to contribute positively to society and our planetary challenges.
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We operate with purpose and based on shared values. Our aspiration is to contribute to a better world through relevant education and research insights.
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It is set up as a Swiss Association and supported generously through funds of the Mission Possible Foundation and other independent donors.
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The Institute is proudly affiliated with the globally renowned Network for Business Sustainability (NBS).
Team
Directors
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Prof. Dr. Katrin Muff is Professor of Practice at the LUISS Business School and former Dean of Business School Lausanne, is a respected thought leader in the organizational transformation towards business sustainability. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership from the University of Exeter and combines 15 years of academic experience with 15 years of strategic leadership experience in business around the globe.
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Prof. em. Dr. Thomas Dyllick of the University of St. Gallen is in many ways the godfather of the field of sustainability in Europe, having contributed enormously to the field both in its early years through seminal and highly cited work, as well as in a redefinition of "True Business Sustainability" together with Katrin Muff in the past decade. He has co-created the Institute of Economy and the Environment (IWÖ) at the University of St.Gallen together with Hans-Christoph Binswanger, a visionary in his own right.
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Prof. Dr. Tima Bansal holds the Canada Research Chair in Business Sustainability and is Professor of Sustainability & Strategy at Ivey Business School in Canada. She is highly recognized and respected research and prominance in the business sustinability research field. The 2017 Organizations and Natural Environment Distinguished Scholar Award by the Academy of Management honors her achievements to date.
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Together the three researchers combine close to a century of knowledge development and thought leadership in the areas of business sustainability, responsible leadership and organizational transformation, stakeholder engagement and sustainability business strategy.
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Partners
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The Institute collaborates with qualified research and education partners - individuals and organizations who - each in their field - contribute to advance the transformation of the leader and the organization towards true business sustainability.
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Dr. Arthur Braunschweig bridges research and practice in business sustainability through contributions in the field of and his engagement at E2 management consulting. His role as President of ÖBU, the Swiss chapter of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development highlights his ability to steer business practice towards a new role in creating positive value in society.
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Dr. Barbara Dubach contributes to the practice of business sustainability and stakeholder engagement through her consulting practice at engageability as well as her leadership in many cross-sector initatives such as the bi-annual Focused Reporting study, the SustainabilityToday platform or the SDGXCHANGE business strategy tool co-developed with Katrin Muff.
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Prof. Dr. Jörg Hofstetter is Associate Professor for Operations and Supply Chain Management at KEDGE Business School and is President of the International Forum on Sustainable Value Chains (ISVC). As an expert in corporate global value chains and circular economy business models, he has worked with multinational companies, startups, government and NGOs for the past two decades.
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Dr. Kathy Miller is an expert in the development of a sustainability culture in organizations. She and Katrin Muff have run a transatlantic blog for several years sharing insights about the challenges of organizational transformation. Her recent book Leadership and Purpose features her insights gained through SCALA (R) of the past two decades.
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Dr. Natalie Wilkins is co-founder and Managing Partner at Thriving Talent Sarl, a talent management consultancy in Switzerland, and professor. She specializes in helping companies and leaders to drive culture change at organizational and team level, and designs and facilitates experiential leadership and team development experiences.
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The partnership is currently in development. New partners are added by invitation, recommendation or through a personal application.
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Research
Research at the Institute for Business Sustainability is funded through the Mission Possible Foundation and international research burseries available throught international research collaborations.
An important element of the research is to continuously advance the latest thinking shared at the Diploma of Advanced Sustainability program, in order to maintain the program at the leading edge of sustainability and transformational practices.
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Research is conducted at the three levels of responsibility (the I, the we, the all-of-us), as outlined below. The research line below shows the complimentarity of Thomas Dyllick and Katrin Muff. Tima Bansal's work will be added shortly.
The research agenda is continuously adapted and updated in recognition of new insights influencing current and future work. An example for such ongoing development is Katrin Muff's current attempt to reframe her work - drawing on insights of the past years of reflection on ongoing work. Her work has recently been recognized with an important grant by the European Commission:
Education
Since 2011, Thomas Dyllick and Katrin Muff have co-directed the jointly developed Executive Leadership Program, called Diploma in Advanced Sustainability, short the DAS.
To date, the program has attracted more than 150 outstanding individual changemakers, consultants and sustainability professionals across all sector and domains. The alumni of the program have co-created the PositiveImpact.Space to meet and exchange their ideas and best practices in the field and to contribute to the transformation of business to become a force for good.
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The program starts annually in September with a carefully selected group of 12-18 participants. The program typically sells out quickly and receives applications from December onwards until the program is complete.
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The Diploma of Advanced Sustainability has enjoyed the endorsement of the World Business Council of Sustainable Development (WBCSD) since its foundation in 20111, and of the Mission Possible Foundation since 2016. The program has been run in cooperation with different educational institutions such as Business School Lausanne in the early years, and the Institute for Economy and the Environment at University of St.Gallen. From 2020 onwards, degrees are provided by the Institute for Business Sustainability to ensure the indepencence and continued development of the program in the coming years. As the program will grow internationally, new collaborations will be envisaged.
Projects
Conceptual work in the area of business sustainability: True Business Sustainability
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Conceptual work in the area of stakeholder engagement: The Collaboratory and Five Superpowers for Co-Creators
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Strateigc work in the area of business sustainability integration in the core: The SDGXCHANGE business strategy tool for organizations and consultants.
Alpenquai 22, 6005 Luzern