The course aims to provide students with the concepts and theoretical basis necessary for understanding:

-the concept of sustainability and its dimensions (economic, social, environmental dimensions) and the relevance of ESG information 

-the concept and the content of integral development

-the concept of corporate social responsibility and sustainability  and its theoretical construct/foundation

-the different perspective on sustainability and corporate social responsibility applied at a macro, micro and territorial level and operationalized by for profit, not for profit companies and by purpose-driven companies and Benefit Corporations

-the main national and international accountability standards (GRI, GBS, IIRC for integrated reporting) and reporting tools (such as the social report, the sustainability report, the integrated reporting) and norms (such as the UNI EN ISO26000) as well as an overview on the current international evolution drawn from the UN AGenda, the European Action Plan and the National PNNR.

First Part

Module A: The concept of sustainable modernity and integral development of companies

The concept of sustainability modernity and the role of enterprises for sustainability – Sustainability made in Italy

The concept of integral development and integral success

Tools and models of performance management and reporting suitable to the multidimensional development

Second Part

Module B:  Sustainability and CSR in a global context

CRS: The Theoretical framework: from the stakeholder theory to the common good theory and humanistic management

The global, european and national journey towards CSR and sustainability (UN Agenda 2030; Action Plan, PNRR)

Sustainability Strategy; Tools and levels of application in large businesses and SMEs

Purpose-driven companies, rigenerative business  and benefit corporations.

Module C: Territorial Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability

Corporate Social Responsibility and the local context; the territorial dimension of sustainability

Experiences and  cases of Territorial Social Responsibility (TSR) (The case of the Marches region: territorial responsibility in Sardinia and Emilia Romagna).

Third Part

Module D: reporting standards and guidences, processes and models for sustainability 

The GBS model - the social report

The GRI model - the Sustainability Report

The IIRC Framework: Basic  notions of  Integrated Reporting

Other international reporting standards

The guidelines for social reporting in the Third Sector

Other reporting standards and ongoing evolution in terms of sustainability reporting and ESG (environment, society and governance) information.

==

Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course, students must have acquired the knowledge of the concept of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, key regulatory references, national and international guidelines of CSR and sustainability reporting and reporting standards used by organizations worldwide. In particular, they must know and understand the different strategies, actions and accountability tools of sustainability and social responsibility. These results will be achieved through the following teaching methods: traditional class lectures, analysis and discussion of business cases, working group and in-depth seminars involving managers, entrepreneurs and practitioners.

Applying knowledge and understanding: Students should be able to appropriately apply the knowledge to analyze, understand and solve situations and problems related to the development of social responsibility and sustainability actions, programs  and strategies implemented by public and private organizations, as well as to interpret and evaluate the reporting standards required for the implementation of the social and sustainability reporting and the ESG information.

Making judgements: Students must acquire the capability to integrate the different topics and perspectives of CSR and sustainability and to critically evaluate strategies and tools organizations adopt to implement and report on sustainability and CSR.  The methods used to achieve this goal include the analysis and discussion of cases and working group involving managers, entrepreneurs and practitioners.

Communication skills: Students must acquire a clear and effective communication capability to interact with CSR and sustainability officers, managers, entrepreneurs and institutions - belonging to the public, private and no-profit sectors -,  and a good mastery of the lexicon related to the topics. The main teaching methods used to achieve an in-depth technical language and a wide knowledge on the topic include: traditional class lectures and seminars aimed to discuss specific issues with managers and practitioners.  

Learning skills: Students must have developed good learning skills that will enable them to deepen and apply the knowledge gained during the course on social and sustainability strategies, and ethical, social and environmental reporting as well as relative to international standards adopted by organisation (for profit, no-profit, public and private organisations). The methods of teaching work with which these results will be achieved will be: testimonials, analysis and discussion of business cases, group work and in-depth seminars, production of works.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Classroom readings and group discussion/focus group focused on specific themes.
Involvement of practitioners  (on campus) for in-depth analysis of some topics included in the program.

Teaching

Traditional class lectures

Workshops and seminals (with the parcitipation of CSR and sustainability managers/officers)

Case-studies (lectures and critical evaluation)

Working groups and discussions

Videos 

Attendance

Strongly Recommended. Attendance will allow to deepen and operationalize the knowledge and to adopt a different assessment method (based on presenting and discussing a thesis:  viva dissertation and short written thesis based on an assigned topic).  

Course books

Please procure the following textbooks:

Rullani Enzo, Modernità Sostenibile. Idee, filiere e servizi per uscire dalla crisi, Marsilio, Venezia, 2010

Capitolo 2: Come e perché la modernità è diventata insostenibile p. 43-71

Capitolo 3: Veri e finti rimedi. Paragrafo 10. L’impresa socialmente responsabile dà senso anche alla sua sostenibilità p. 97-101

 

Carlo Sorci (a cura di), Lo sviluppo integrale delle aziende Giuffè, Milano, 2007.

Capitolo 1: Sorci Carlo, Lo sviluppo integrale dell’azienda (la nozione di sviluppo integrale; lo sviluppo integrale delle aziende; dalla dimensione sociale allo sviluppo integrale: Yunus, il banchiere dei poveri). Pp. 11-27;

Capitolo 3: Vergara Corrado, programmazione, controllo e sviluppo integrale delle aziende pp.. 41-59

(Sviluppo, sviluppo integrale e successo aziendale; la dinamica causale del successo e quella dello sviluppo integrale aziendale; alcuni presupposti per l’avvio e la guida dei processi di sviluppo integrale delle aziende: le caratteristiche del profilo imprenditoriale; le caratteristiche del contesto culturale; Gli strumenti di programmazione e controllo dello sviluppo integrale delle aziende).

Molteni Mario, Responsabilità Sociale e performance d’impresa. Per una sinesi socio-competitiva, Vita e Pensiero, Milano, 2004

Capitolo 1: Molteni Mario, La  responsabilità sociale nella strategia d’impresa, pp. 3-46

Moscarini Flaviano (2005) Lo sviluppo degli studi sulla Corporate Social Responsibility nella dottrina internazionale, RIREA, n ¾, pp. 178-193,

 

Orlandini, Paola, Amelio StEfano (2020). Dalla responsabilità sociale al bilancio integrato, Giappichelli, Torino-

Capitolo 5:La rendicontazione sociale (pp 118-159)

Capitolo 6: Dal bilancio sociale al bilancio di sostenibilità (pp 160-182)

Capitolo 7:Il bilancio integrato (p 183-218)

Matacena Antonio, Del Baldo Mara (2009), Responsabilità sociale d’impresa e territorio, F.Angeli, Milano

Capitolo 4: I territori della Responsabilità sociale. Un modello marchigiano di sviluppo sostenibile (pp. 127-156)

Un possibile speciale ruolo delle PMI verso la CSR e la sostenibilità?

Le radici della responsabilità sociale dell’imprenditori: valori e comportamenti socialmente orientati

Etica, mission e governance nella grande e nella piccola impresa. Un inquadramento concettuale.

Le Marche: una regione di imprenditorialità diffusa.

Le linee guida ISO26000;

Standard di Rendicontazione GBS (Bilancio Sociale)

Standard di Rendicontazione GRI (Bilancio di sostenibilità)

Agenda 2030: SDGs (Sustainable development)

Further/additional (not compulsory) materials could be made available through the  Moodle Platform 

Assessment

Written and oral examination, taken on the same day.

For a correct answer to each question is assigned a score of 15, for a total of 30.In answering the questions students have to respond in an articulate and detailed way in order to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts introduced during the course. 

The oral examination (which only takes place after passing the written one with a minimum score of 18/30) involves at least 2 questions based on selected topics included among the course program.

The student must answer both the written and oral  questions in an articulated and in-depth way, in order to demonstrate to have mastered the concepts and issues introduced during the course

The oral examination shall include at least two questions about the parts of the course program which have  not been included in the written test. Accordingly, the total score assigned to the answers is 30. The overall assessment of the student's level of preparation will be performed taking into account the evaluation of the written test and the oral dissertation.

As an alternative to the written exam, only the attending students will be allowed to submit a written dissertation focused on a selected topic included in the course. The manuscript should be submitted in hard copy and by e-mail (as attachment) one week before the exam date. The work will be evaluated taking into account the following parameters: completeness; clarity, critical analysis and will be assigned a maximum rating of 30 points / 30. The oral examination will take place in the same way as described in the previous paragraph (one question about the program not covered by the thesis and thesis discussion)..

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance

Non-Attending students could use the same training materials adopted for attending students. Accordingly, the verification will be based on a written and oral exam as per adopted.

Course books

The same

Assessment

Non-Attending students could use the same training materials adopted for attending students. Accordingly, the verification will be based on a written and oral exam.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography.

THE COURSE WILL BE HALD IN THE SECOND  HALF OF THE SECOND SEMESTER THROUGH 12 LESSONS THAT WILL HAVE A DURATION OF THREE HOURS EACH. THE TIME SCHEDULING OF THE ENTIRE COURSE  WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS ON THE MOODLE PLATFORMS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE LECTURES.