Business for Sustainability, Social Change and Impact
Overview
This unit aims to equip students with essential knowledge and skills to appreciate the critical role Australian and global businesses play in sustainability, social change and making social impact. The unit enables students to make a logical connection between business activities and their impact on the environment and society. The unit prepares students to think, plan and implement business initiatives as they relate to sustainability to ensure meaningful, positive social impact. The overarching aim is to develop future graduates with a commitment to achieving social and planetary wellbeing guided by Indigenous knowledge and knowledge systems which are foundational to Australia's intellectual, social and cultural capital.
Requisites
09-February-2025
01-June-2025
05-October-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Analyse the direct and indirect connections between business, social change and social impact
- Propose innovative business solutions to address social problems related to sustainability including global and local Indigenous peoples as partners and their concepts as a basis for business solutions
- Work collaboratively in teams to share, innovate and co-create sustainable business solutions with positive social impact
- Reflect on the role of individuals and groups as participants, collaborators and enablers in business sustainability, social change and social impact
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture (asynchronous) |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1 | Individual | 30-40% | 1,2 |
| Assignment 2 | Individual | 20-40% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Assignment 3 | Individual | 30-40% | 1,2 |
Content
Key concepts in sustainable development, sustainability, and social impact
Principles and practices of sustainable business operations
Frameworks and strategies for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Modern Business:
Ethical foundations in business practices
Corporate philanthropy initiatives
Business impacts on the environment
Impacts, risks, adaptation and opportunities relating to climate change
Indigenous knowledges and caring for country: Insights from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices
Creating impact-driven business through social entrepreneurship model
Sustainable finance and investment: Integrating ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and responsible investing
Sustainable marketing and consumer behaviour
Tools and frameworks for sustainability reporting
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.