Sustainability Management and Innovation MSc

Biologists claim we’re living through the sixth mass extinction of species, while climate scientists suggest there’s little more than a decade to cut the risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and extreme poverty. Sustainability is the most pressing concern of the 21st century. Companies across the globe are being forced to consider their impact on people and the planet to achieve the outcomes of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement.

The UK was the first major nation to formally back a pledge to cut carbon emissions to practically zero by 2050, followed soon after by the EU. Having spent decades internationalising operations and supply chains, organisations now have to reduce their carbon footprint, minimise climate and environmental risk, enhance resiliency and integrate sustainability into their operations, but few know how to do this.

Our exciting MSc responds directly to the urgent demand for a new type of professional – those who not only possess core business management skills, but also understand corporate sustainability, want to make a difference and, more importantly, have the skills, creativity and innovation to lead positive (and profitable) change.

Corporate sustainability management is critical to the long-term viability of businesses, many of whom are under increasing scrutiny from a concerned society and mounting pressure from expanding regulations. They need people who appreciate the wider context of their operations and stakeholder relationships – people capable of spotting and solving problems, coming up with practical and feasible solutions, then pushing through change.

Tackling all this and more, our MSc is structured around three themes: analysis of sustainability issues (both social and environmental), the development of possible innovative solutions (collaborative, innovative business models, projects and products), and implementation and change management.

From the outset, your learning will be practice based. You’ll engage with a range of partner organisations on ‘live’ projects and research, and see first-hand how sustainability is managed in a particular socio-economic space. Companies we are in talks with include those involved in upcycling and recycling, as well as champions in this burgeoning professional area. You can also undertake an optional internship as part of your dissertation.

Our course was designed with input from a range of industry professonals and businesses currently operating in the sustainability space or championing the prefession.

Top reasons to study with us

• This MSc is ideal for recent graduates and those with a passion to contribute to a better future as an expert in sustainability – promoting sustainable solutions, driving sustainable product development or managing sustainability reporting, compliance, and change
• Sustainability is a growing field with more and more job opportunities in environmental protection, social responsibility and business profitability
• Become business-ready through intensive practical experiences and focused study
• Exciting teaching and learning with live case studies and guest speakers to include managers and entrepreneurs who have transformed their companies into a sustainable firm
• Sustainability in practice consulting project with a client company, acquiring up-to-date skills such as carbon footprinting expertise and product life-cycle analysis
• Interactive group ‘Trash Hack’ – an entrepreneurial exercise in recycling an industrial waste product
• Engaging assessment methods, including simulations, business challenges, investigating briefs, group pitches and video presentations

Professional recognition

The Carbon Trust, an expert partner for businesses to reduce their CO2 emissions to zero, participated in the creation of this MSc and runs the Sustainability Analytics and Reporting module.