Sustainable and Green Transition: Strategies, Practices and Resource Management

The world is facing a sustainability crisis that extends beyond climate change, biodiversity loss, and overconsumption. These challenges impact not only countries, regions, and communities but also businesses, creating an urgent need for a shift toward a more sustainable and equitable economy. 

This programme is designed to equip individuals and organizations with a comprehensive understanding of sustainable economics and green business practices. Participants will explore comprehensively circular economy principles and their application in sustainable business strategies, with a special focus on resource efficiency, energy, critical raw materials (CRM), and the mineral value chain.  

In addition, the programme provides essential knowledge in sustainable strategic management and innovation, focusing on integrating sustainability principles into corporate strategies to drive the transition toward a more sustainable economy. Participants will gain in -depth knowledge of sustainability challenges, ESG strategies, energy and resource management, along with practical skills for integrating them into business strategies. 

What will you learn? 
 

• Understanding Sustainability Challenges – Develop a systemic understanding of sustainability crises, assess their impact on businesses, and identify opportunities for growth and resilience. 
• Integrating ESG into Business Strategy – Learn to embed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into strategic planning, ensuring compliance, risk management, and long-term value creation. 
• Adopting Circular Economy Principles – Design innovative business models that promote resource efficiency, waste reduction, and environmental responsibility. 
• Managing Strategic and Critical Raw Materials – Gain insights into effective resource management, ensuring supply chain stability and sustainable value chain practices. 
• Navigating Energy Transitions – Understand the implications of energy systems and the Green New Deal on businesses, developing strategies to align with sustainable energy practices. 
• Practical tools and metrics – engage in case studies and projects, measure sustainability impact, and avoid greenwashing. 

By the end of the programme, learners will be able to understand and analyze environmental and social challenges, develop sustainability-driven business strategies, and promote circular economy principles in everyday business activities. Participants will acquire the expertise to lead businesses responsibly and innovatively, contributing to the competitiveness of European companies and supporting sustainable development.

– 24 contact hours, 106 hours of independent study – 5 ECTS

The course aims to shape a systemic understanding of sustainability crisis issues (including climate change, loss of biodiversity, and overconsumption) in connection to business processes and their effect on entrepreneurial and everyday activities on the country, region, company, and community level, and to give knowledge and practical skills and instruments for the mitigation of sustainability crisis consequences, adopting and building of organizational resilience.  
Topics covered: Sustainability Crisis, Planetary Boundaries and Ecosystems Thinking, SDGs: history, evolution and role for companies; Business Processes and Sustainability; Mitigation Strategies and Organizational Resilience; Future Challenges and Opportunities.
Lecturer: Aleksandra Kekkonen – PhD, an expert in green and circular economy, explores how businesses can navigate sustainability challenges

– 24 contact hours, 106 hours of independent study – 5 ECTS

This course focuses on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into organizational strategy: defining ESG, highlighting its growing significance in the business landscape, and equipping students with the skills to adeptly formulate, implement, and evaluate sustainable business strategies, fostering critical thinking in sustainability decision-making. 
Topics covered:  Triple Bottom Line, Stakeholder Theory, Sustainable Businesses, Green Economy, Value-Action Gap, Objective Setting, Sustainable Transformation Framework, People and Organisational Design, Internal Communication, Brand, Brand Building, Sustainable Brands, Greenwashing, Greenhushing.
Lecturer - Natalja Piiskoppel
a strategic consultant, shares her global expertise in brand communication and impactful sustainability initiatives.

– 24 contact hours, 106 hours of independent study – 5 ECTS

The energy sector is no longer merely a supporting function – it directly shapes companies’ competitiveness, risk exposure, and long-term sustainability. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of energy production methods and their financial, environmental, and social impacts, linking them to the functioning of the European energy system and dependencies on critical resources.

Participants analyse how energy consumption influences strategic decision-making, value chains, and compliance with increasing regulatory requirements. Particular attention is given to transparency of energy use across supply chains, the role of critical raw materials, and the management of supply security and geopolitical risks. Through practical assignments and case-based learning, participants develop the capability to design data-driven, effective sustainability strategies that create tangible business value.
Lecturer:  Renato Sydler, – PhD a strategic management and innovation specialist, provides insights into complex problem-solving and organizational development