Research

In research, our chair is dedicated to the question of how companies, in collaboration with other societal actors, can contribute to sustainable development as defined in the UN SDGs. Our team works together closely with  for profit business partners and other societal actors such as non-profit organizations, social enterprises, consultancies, and policymakers to jointly find answers to questions of practical and academic relevance. In line with the 17th Sustainable Development Goal (Partnerships), we firmly believe that sustainable development can only be achieved through effective collaboration between a wide range of societal actors.

The research of our chair is characterized by a quantitative-empirical approach. In many of our research projects, we collect large primary data sets that help to gain insights into questions of corporate responsibility. Projects frequently address how stakeholder groups such as customers or employees perceive the activities of a company. Is the social commitment of a company credible and does it fit the company? When is a company considered guilty of a scandal? How can companies motivate their customers to consume more sustainable products? How can company employees get excited about sustainability? What expectations do millenials or Generation Z have of their potential employers? What social impact do companies have with their activities? What role does digital technology play in sustainable development? These and many other questions do not only keep many practitioners in organisations awake, but we as part of the academic community are equally passionate about them.