SUS 7300S Sustainable Business Practices

Sustainable Business Practices, Spring 2022. Subject to refinement/updating.

SUS 7300S – Sustainable Business Practices 

Instructor:     Morris Bocian  

Schedule:    Wednesday, 6:00-8:40pm, Room - TBD.  

General Bulletin Description 

This course will be a broad-based exploration of how sustainability intersects with the contemporary business environment. Businesses increasingly recognize that their operations and products have important impacts on the sustainability of natural and human systems. A combination of market forces, consumer awareness and government attention is making businesses more intent on reducing the negative environmental impacts of their operations, supply chains and products. Companies recognize that resource depletion will impact the future of their business and are doing something about it.  

There is a burgeoning literature on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), and business schools are increasingly exploring notions of “shared value.” Organizations such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development argue that “sustainable development is good for business and business is good for sustainable development.” Skeptics caution that in light of the powerful need to maintain corporate image and goodwill, a superficial response to sustainability challenges—aka “greenwashing”—is always a temptation, and often done. To help students better evaluate what is or is not superficial, this course will strive to impart an objectively-grounded understanding of how sustainability and business practices come together. 3 credits 3 hrs/week.

Spring 2022 Course Description 

This course enables students to gain an understanding of what “sustainable business practices” really are and how they can be measured and reported.  It requires students to identify the stakeholders (both within and outside an organization) so as to gain an understanding of why so many well-intentioned initiatives fail. It will also impart an understanding as to why many innovations will be created by entrepreneurs, not by today’s Fortune 500 Companies. The course contrasts business practices of large corporations with those of entrepreneurial for-profit companies. It immerses students in sustainability-oriented business strategies and exposes them to assessment of the sustainability of business practices.  It also touches upon the fundamentals of green accounting and reporting.  

Required Course Readings: 

(1)  Scott, Jonathan T, The Sustainable Business: Taking the first steps towards understanding, implementing and managing sustainability from a cost/profit perspective, Brussels, Belgium, EFMD. 
https://www.efmdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Sustainable_Business_…  (free download)
(2)  Assessing Sustainable Development: Principles in Practice
International Institute for Sustainable Development   https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/bellagio.pdf   (free download)
(3)  A guide to Social Return on Investment, The SROI Network 
https://neweconomics.org/uploads/files/aff3779953c5b88d53_cpm6v3v71.pdf…;

Suggested Readings: 

Sustainability definition, United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://www2.epa.gov/sustainability, Sustainable manufacturing http://www2.epa.gov/sustainability/sustainable-manufacturing    

Lazlo, Christopher. 2005. The Sustainable Company: How to Create Lasting Value
through Social and Environmental Performance. Washington, DC: Island Press.

Friedman, Thomas L, 2008, Hot, Flat and Crowed, Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Study Guide to Making Sustainability Work, Marc J. Epstein http://www.bkconnection.com/static/Making_Sustainability_Work_DISCUSSIO…  

Mastering the Art of Change
http://www.kenblanchard.com/img/pub/Blanchard_Mastering_the_Art_of_Chan…  

Most Change Initiatives Fail -- But They Don't Have To
 https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/162707/change-initiatives-fail-…;

Nike’s Sustainability Strategy www.nikeresponsibility.com/report/content/chapter/our-sustainability-st…  

Additional readings and case studies to be announced.  Many of the homework assignments will require students to read specific selections from the foregoing.   

Instructor

Morris Bocian, [ MB@CreativeBusinessPlanning.com ], w: (973) 736-2535, m: (973) 865-3232, office hours by appointment. 

Mr. Bocian has background and experience in both business and the social sector. He is Chief Executive Officer at Creative Business Planning Incorporated, a business consulting firm that provides business and strategic planning services. Through his financing company he helps arrange for asset-based financing. He sits on several Advisory Boards, including the Rutgers Newark Small Business Development Center.  His practice includes Green clients, including but not limited to: alternative energy projects; water projects; energy conservation/enhanced utilization projects. When the Federal energy bill was proposed in 2009, he was part of a legislative team that requested insertion of language to facilitate the creation of new green jobs that would stay in the United States. In addition, as a former CFO for a real estate developer he has worked on land use and economic development issues. 

Course Requirements 

This course requires students to complete regular homework assignments and to carry out a course project that unfolds in three phases. Working in small teams, students will create and present their project work to the class at each of the three stages. Projects will entail a substantive analysis of an environmental issue facing business policymakers, together with a detailed exploration of the economics of proposed remedies (for the company as well as for the users). During class times we will have presentations from each group (graded in accordance with this syllabus). 

Educational Outcomes 

Students will demonstrate proficiency in understanding how to develop a green initiative in a way that identifies and addresses stakeholder concerns (internal and external).  They will learn how to demonstrate the overall impact of the initiative to the customer using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Investment (ROI) calculations.  They will demonstrate familiarity with common sustainability-oriented business-strategic considerations and options. They will become versed in methods for assessing the sustainability of business practices, and able to apply these methods in new circumstances. Students will understand the basics of entrepreneurial enterprises and their impact on innovative and commercializable new products, the change agents for green technology.  They will understand green accounting methodologies and the practical application of a reporting system such as the GRI’s G3 Guidelines. 

Grading 

Course grades are determined entirely by observed performance, taking into account three factors: grades on the course project (70%), class participation (15%), and homework assignments (15%).  

The project grades are broken up into the following components:

Outline of Course Topics 

2/2/22    Introduction – Definitions. Entrepreneurs’ role as change agent vs. legacy costs and barriers to disruption. 
2/9/22    What is the Sustainable Company and the Brundtland Commission? What is the “triple bottom line” and is that an appropriate measurement? Intro to Economics of Sustainability. The Innovators Dilemma 
2/16/22    Sustainability is a Global issue. Solutions need Scale & Speed – Introduction Cradle to Cradle design/Life cycle assessment intro. 
2/23/22    Lean Startups - Increasing their likelihood of success. Prevalence of initiative failures. 
3/2/22    Importance of identifying and understanding Stakeholders and addressing their needs. 
3/9/22    First section of project presentation (reports due by the following Monday 12:01 AM) 
3/16/22    Business Model Canvas - Pricing externalities and how failing to appropriately price them leads to wrong decisions and non-competitiveness. 
3/23/22    The importance of Proposition - Understanding Total Costs of Ownership/ ROI etc. 
3/30/22    Why do ideas become contagious? 
4/6/22    Second section of project presentation (reports due by the following Monday 12:01AM). 
4/20/22    Social entrepreneurism/ types of entities. 
4/27/22    Green accounting/reporting/shared value. 
5/4/22    Sustainable Business/governments in action–Future of Sustainability in Business 
5/11/22    Final project presentation project presentation (reports due by the following Monday 12:01AM).

The above schedule of topics is subject to change, with deviations to be announced in class.

CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity

As stated in the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity: “Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's ideas, research or writings as your own.” Some examples of plagiarism: 

• ‘Copying another person's actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source; 
• 'Presenting another person's ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source; 
• 'Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source; 
• 'Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments. 
• 'Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the internet without citing the source, and "cutting & pasting" from various sources without proper attribution.' 
• ‘A student who plagiarizes may incur academic and disciplinary penalties, including failing grades, suspensions, and expulsion. 

A complete copy of the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity may be downloaded from the College's home page.’

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities 

The Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) is dedicated to providing students with disabilities equal access to the College curriculum. The Office ensures that, upon request, qualified students with disabilities are provided reasonable and effective accommodations, as mandated by law, as well as appropriate support services.
Students who contact SDS and indicate that they have a disability or believe that they might qualify for services will be asked to make an appointment for an intake interview with SDS staff. To qualify for services, students must register with SDS by providing appropriate documentation from a qualified professional describing the nature of their disability and functional limitations. Although academic adjustments are mandated by law, the College is not required to alter demonstrably essential academic requirements of a course of study nor is the College mandated to lower or effect substantial modifications of reasonable academic standards. 

Early planning is essential for many of the resources, adjustments and accommodations; students are asked to contact SDS at the earliest possible date (NA 1/218; 212-650-5913 or 212-650-6910 for TTY/TTD).