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Sustainability knowledge for business and society

Connecting academic expertise with real-world sustainability challenges.

A beginner’s guide to Corporate Sustainability

Friday 19 April 2024 – 12.30 – 1.30pm

Join our free training session in-person at our Chiswick Park campus (Classroom 6, Building 12, Chiswick Park, London W4 5AN)
You can also join the session online.

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The Institute for Corporate Sustainability

The Institute for Corporate Sustainability is Richmond American University London’s hub for sustainability knowledge, education and community engagement. Based within Richmond Business School, the Institute connects academic expertise with the practical challenges facing businesses, organisations and future leaders.

Sustainability is no longer optional for businesses, professionals or future leaders. The Institute helps make sustainability understanding accessible, rigorous and actionable through training, events, research and knowledge sharing.

Coming soon

Carbon Literacy Training for Business

Accredited sustainability training for small and medium-sized enterprises, launching in November 2026.

Register your interest

What we do

The Institute brings together training, events and knowledge exchange to support practical sustainability learning across Richmond American University London and the wider community.

Training and Professional Development

We design and deliver sustainability training for students, faculty, staff and the wider business community, covering topics such as sustainability fundamentals, biodiversity and business, plastics regulation and the circular economy.

Sustainability Weeks

Twice a year, the Institute coordinates Richmond American University London’s Sustainability Week, bringing together expert talks, hands-on workshops and open training sessions for the University community and beyond.

Knowledge and Outreach

The Institute shares knowledge on sustainability regulation, reporting standards and best practice through events, talks and partnerships. Richmond American University London is also a member of PRME.

The Institute for Corporate Sustainability (ICS)

Led by Richmond Business School, The Institute for Corporate Sustainability (ICS) has been launched to foster and share knowledge on sustainability throughout the University and in the wider community and to contribute to the liberal arts approach of the University as a whole.

The dissemination of the UN Sustainable Development Goals will play an important role in the ICS.

To quote the UN: “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.”

The ICS will foster and share knowledge of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in a number of ways:

  1. Embedding sustainability in our curriculum. Within Richmond Business School, we already cover many sustainability focused courses such as Sustainable Strategic Management, Governance & Sustainability, and Ethical Fashion and Sustainability. We endeavour to remain at the forefront of sustainability including the latest developments. We also offer a minor in Sustainability for students who want to receive in-depth exposure to sustainability.
  2. Offering training sessions on sustainability open to our students, faculty, staff, and the local and wider community.
  3. Getting our students involved – launching a Sustainability Club.
  4. Promoting employability within the field of sustainability. Some of our students participate in internship programmes with sustainability at the core of their functions
  5. Promoting a partnership of ideas on sustainability between businesses and academia. Speakers from the business world participate in conferences, seminars and lend their time to our students to enrich them

Latest Training on Sustainability

Embark on a journey to sustainability excellence with expert guidance from The Institute for Corporate Sustainability (ICS). Learn how to drive positive change, enhance brand reputation, and achieve long-term success through sustainable business practices.

Download our most recent training documents and find out more.

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The Institute for Corporate Sustainability (ICS)?

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REGSITER NOW

ICS Members

Dr Samantha Bracey
Associate Professor of Sports Management / Chair of Richmond Gender in Sport Research Centre
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Inma Ramos-Perez
Associate Professor of Business Management & Law
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Professor Greg Gannon
Head of Richmond Business School, Professor of Business Management
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Dr Theano Lianidou
Associate Dean - Research and Professional Engagement
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Dr David M Munyinyi
Associate Professor of Mathematics

Teaching sustainability at Richmond American University London

With climate change and social and governance challenges high on the agenda for national and local governments, and organisations in every sector, there is an ever-growing need for graduates trained in sustainable development.

Equipping graduates for these roles, Richmond’s new courses and options are strongly interdisciplinary, covering the three essential components of sustainability: environmental, economic and social.

  • Sustainability is an integral part of our liberal arts curriculum – all undergraduate students take an Environmental Studies course in their first, second or third year, see here for more details
  • Sustainability is now available as a Minor option, see here for more details
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How we teach sustainability at Richmond American University London

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Senior Management and the Board
  • MGT 4200 Introduction to Management

    This course includes a unit on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), which is an important element of social sustainability. In this unit, students discuss various dimensions of diversity (e.g., gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.) as well as how such characteristics can influence people's perception about the individual and behaviours in the workplace. Students also explore company policies regarding DEI.

  • MGT 5415Governance & Sustainability

    In this course, you will work in multiple activities where you will become acquainted with the implications of sustainability in a variety of business sectors. You will have the chance to interact with industry professionals and be part of exhibitions to explain the concept of sustainability in practice.

  • MGT 5220 Legal & Ethical Aspects of Management

    This course will enable you to become acquainted with the basics of companies’ reporting on governance and sustainability. You will be equipped to take a critical stance on companies’ communications on sustainability through their annual reports.

  • MGT 6102 Sustainable Strategic Management

    Building on long established models of strategic management the course focuses on strategic analysis, planning and implementation in the light of current interest in sustainability and ESG values. Early lectures outline the basic strategic analysis models and case study analyses relate to both the firm's internal operations and the environment in which it operates. The course culminates in embedding the principles of ESG and the triple bottom line into future strategic planning.

  • INB 6102 Managing the Multinational Business Environment

    In this course, you will take a critical stance on how multinational corporations work on sustainability alongside their value chain from innovation and research, to supply chain and marketing. You will understand the implications that sustainable practices have on international human resources and finance strategies of international businesses.

  • INB 6101 International Business Environment

    You will understand how the different geographies drive businesses to operate sustainably by implementing their commitments to international agreements on climate and labour. You will assess how this is translated into different environmental, social, and governance standards and regulations that businesses need to meet in their international development.

  • MGT 7131 Strategy for People, Planet and Profit

    In today's dynamic business and geopolitical landscape, where sustainability and ESG have an increasing importance, this course equips students with the tools and frameworks to navigate strategic analysis, planning, and implementation with a triple bottom line focus. Through case studies that examine both internal operations and the external environment, students learn to apply ESG principles to real-world strategic challenges that to provide societal, environmental and financial value. Students design and implement a sustainability-driven strategic plan for a chosen organization.

  • MGT 7203 Sustainable Business Strategies

    ESG values have come to the forefront recent business discourse and financial investment. Building on theories and models of strategic management this course focuses on strategic analysis, planning and implementation of environmentally and socially sustainable business strategies. Early lectures outline the basic strategic analysis models and case study analyses relate to both the firm's internal operations and the environment in which it operates. The course culminates in embedding the principles of ESG and the triple bottom line into future strategic planning.
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Operations / Production / Supply Chain
  • INB 5102 International Supply Chain Management

    Developments in the political and social environment can significantly impact supply chain issues. This creates a need for business leaders of international organisations to rethink their supply chain strategies. Businesses around the world, strive to achieve competitive advantage and create value for their customers through robust and well-executed supply chains. The reliance on supply chains both domestically and internationally poses a range of challenges for managers across disparate sectors. This course is designed to help students acquire the insights, understand processes, and appreciate tools of supply chains to deliver sustainable competitive advantage.
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Marketing
  • MKT 6102 Ethical Fashion & Supply Chain Management

    This course focuses on analysing ethical considerations within the fashion industry, whilst also exploring changes in practice, communication and consumerism and the diversity of stakeholders in the supply-chain of this industry toward sustainability movements.This course will give students an overview of ethics and sustainability in the fashion industry, ranging from textile fibre production to the globalisation of fast fashion. The course considers the growing demand from consumers that the fashion items they choose have been produced ethically. The course also focuses on the needs of stakeholders who look for sustainability in the creation of shared value. Ethical sourcing is increasingly becoming the norm for the fashion industry and it has changed the way of fashion production and consumerism.
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Human Resources
  • MGT 5400 Organisational Behaviour

    This course explores the structure and nature of organisations and the contribution that communication and human behaviour makes to organisational performance. The course will address not only macro level issues relating to the environment and context within which organisations operate, but also the micro level influences of people as individuals and groups, their motivations and operating styles. The management of people for successful organisational performance will be emphasised by considering work environmental factors that facilitate or impede organisational success.

  • MGT 5201 Employment Law for Managers

    In this course, you will understand the practical implications that sustainability plays concerning existing and prospective employees. You will become familiar with the initiatives that organizations undertake to meet recognized sustainability standards to attract and retain employees.

  • MGT 6101 Human Resources Management

    This course focus on Human Resource Management in Business including the non-for profit sector. Key HRM topics are covered as Talent Management, Workforce Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Diversity, Performance Management and Learning and Development. It is appropriate for students seeking to follow a career in Human Resource Management or in other areas of functional management.
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Finance
  • FNN 5215 Compliance & Regulation

    You will understand the impact that the financial sector has in promoting sustainability by mobilizing and facilitating funding for projects that meet social and environmental objectives. You will be able to assess critically such an impact through financial institutions’ reporting and upcoming regulations.

Richmond becomes member of UN body promoting sustainability

Good news, the University has been successful in its application for membership of The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), the sustainability arm of the UN Compact for higher education.

This move follows the recent launch of the Institute for Corporate Sustainability by Richmond Business School and will play an important role in providing the University with a framework to integrate sustainability across the organisation to make a lasting positive impact.

PRME is an initiative of the UN Global Compact which was founded in 2007, with a network of over 850 Signatory Members, making it the largest organised relationship between the United Nations and higher education institutions.  Working through a set of Six Principles, PRME’s vision is to realise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through responsible management education.

The image features the PRME logo, an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact, with dark blue text on a white background.

“Sustainability has always been part of the DNA of Richmond American University London and faculty members involved in sustainability have been aware of collaborative set-ups such as PRME over the last years.  We are delighted to have formalised our connection with PRME by becoming a member of this organisation.  This move will take us further along the path of sustainability and contribute further to fostering the UN Compact Sustainable Development Goals in relation to our students, staff, faculty and the wider community.”

Inma Ramos, Associate Professor Business, Management and Law

Take part in our research

As part of our work with PRME, we are collaborating with other universities (The University of Exeter, Nottingham Trent University, The University of Surrey and Oxford Brookes University) on a research project on employers’ perceptions of sustainability when they recruit graduates or interns for placements.

Take the survey here ➝

ICS in the News

Richmond attends launch of Sustainability Alumni Network at LSE  

December 18, 2024/by Richmond American University London

The path to COP16: Mobilising private finance for nature

December 18, 2024/by Richmond American University London

Richmond Hosts PRME Event Promoting Responsible Management and Sustainability

December 17, 2024/by Richmond American University London

Richmond’s Director of ICS Inma Ramos appointed as co-lead for the PRME London South-East network

November 27, 2024/by Richmond American University London