Institute for Economy and the Environment
Through relevant and rigorous research and impactful teaching, we prepare future business leaders to address global sustainability and climate challenges.
In August 2022, Judith Stroehle has joined the Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWOe) and the Institute for Accounting, Control and Auditing (ACA) at the University of St Gallen as Assistant Professor of Sustainability Governance. Judith is passionate about building bridges between sustainability and accounting, challenging the status quo of measurement, reporting, and performance management. Her recent work explores issues related to the measurement of corporate purpose, the benefits and challenges of non-financial accounting, ESG stewardship, and the role of standards and regulation in this space.
Previously, Judith was a Senior Research Fellow at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford where she co-founded and led the Oxford Rethinking Performance Initiative in 2021 and the Oxford Impact Roundtable for sustainability reporting and accounting in 2018. Judith holds a doctoral degree (PhD Europeaus, U Milan) in Economic Sociology for which she examined the auditability of social standards in global supply chains in cooperation with the International Labour Office (ILO). Judith also engages and works with several non-profits, companies and asset managers. She recently served as the Global Future Council Fellow for SDG Investing at the World Economic Forum and works as an academic advisor to the Bertelsmann Foundation in Germany and the Codespa Foundation in Spain.
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 25. August 2022
Die Schweizerische Botschaft lädt gemeinsam mit dem Weiterbildungsprogramm «Renewable Energy Management» der Universität St.Gallen sowie dem Schweizer Technologiekonzern Meyer Burger (Solarzellen), zu einer Diskussionsrunde ein. Im Fokus stehen die Themen Solarenergie und Lieferketten , mit einem speziellen Akzent auf die industriepolitische Komponente und das Comeback der Photovoltaik-Produktion in Europa.
Erneuerbare Energien und deren Ausbau haben in den vergangenen Monaten weiter massiv an Bedeutung gewonnen. Nicht nur stark steigende Strompreise, sondern auch die Auswirkungen der Erderwärmung und der Krieg in der Ukraine sorgen für einen Bewusstseinswandel. Schnelle und gleichzeitig nachhaltige Lösungen in Bezug auf Energiesicherheit und Klimaneutralität sind gefragt. Darüber wollen wir in einem Fachpanel in ausgewählter Runde zur Mittagszeit sprechen.
Datum: Freitag, 2. September 2022, 11:15 – 13:30 Uhr
Ort: Residenz der Schweizerischen Botschaft, Otto-von-Bismarck-Allee 4, 10557 Berlin (Eingang Altbau)
Moderation: Dr. Melinda Crane
Die Veranstaltung wird in deutscher Sprache durchgeführt. Eine Simultanübersetzung auf Englisch ist auf Anfrage verfügbar.
Anmeldung bis spätestens 25.08.2022 unter berlin.wirtschaft@eda.admin.ch. Die Plätze sind begrenzt, die Anmeldungen werden nach Eingangsdatum berücksichtigt. Eine Anmeldebestätigung wird ca. eine Woche vor der Veranstaltung verschickt.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 4. August 2022
The Chair of Sustainability Management is offering a new executive education program in collaboration with the Competence Center for Social Innovation (CSI-HSG). The program equips leaders and managers with key sustainability knowledge while leveraging an agile mindset, skills and tools. Participants gain key knowledge in the field of corporate sustainability management, including driving trends, challenges and opportunities, climate solutions, biodiversity regeneration, social impact creation, circular economy business models and sustainability governance.
The programme consists of four in-person days at the University of St. Gallen, divided into four modules. These include an introduction to sustainability, the business case for sustainability, managing sustainability and ESG, and leading sustainability.
“Sustainability Management for Business Excellence” brings you up-to-date on the field of sustainability management, providing a powerful foundation from which to develop and implement practical and impact-focused sustainability strategies.
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 22. July 2022
Understanding the social acceptance of renewable energies: Insights into the EU project “MISTRAL”
Many projects to promote renewable energies fail due to the resistance of the local population. The EU has therefore launched a programme called MISTRAL, which aims to support young researchers who are dedicated to the social acceptance of such projects. MISTRAL was supported by the EU’s Horizon 2020 funding programme. The University of St.Gallen also participated in the project and supervised three young researchers in their studies. Two of them give an insight into their findings in the video.
Link to the MISTRAL project: https://mistral-itn.eu/
Die soziale Akzeptanz von erneuerbaren Energien verstehen: Einblicke in das EU-Projekt «MISTRAL» Viele Projekte zur Förderung erneuerbarer Energien scheitern am Widerstand der lokalen Bevölkerung. Die EU hat deswegen ein Programm namens MISTRAL aufgegleist, das Nachwuchsforschende fördern soll, die sich der sozialen Akzeptanz solcher Projekte widmen. MISTRAL wurde durch das EU-Förderprogramm Horizon 2020 unterstützt. Auch die Universität St.Gallen nahm am Projekt teil und hat drei Nachwuchsforschende bei dementsprechenden Studien betreut. Zwei von Ihnen geben im Video Einblick in ihre Erkenntnisse.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 21. July 2022
“Managing the Dynamics of Social Acceptance” We are looking back to a successful 12th conference #REMforum 2022 where energy experts shared and discussed latest insights from research and new ideas on the Management of Renewable Energies. It was a strong networking event for practitioners, academia, and politicians. Do not miss the announcement for #REMforum 2023 and sign up to our #REMforum newsletter.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 21. July 2022
From May 5-6, 2022 the 51st St.Gallen Symposium took place, focusing on impactful models of collective action to address interconnected challenges of global security, climate action, and intergenerational fairness. IWÖ is proud that both institute directors Prof. Judith Walls and Prof. Rolf Wüstenhagen were involved as moderators.
Prof. Walls lead the session “Mind the Gap: Protecting Against Climate Risks and Losses” (Video) with Vanessa Nakate, Climate Justice Activist, Uganda; Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, India; Florence Tondu-Mélique, CEO, Zurich (Insurance) France and also served as speaker in the workshop “A Sustainable Transformation: Co-Create a New Generational Contract” (with Zukunfts-Fabrik.2050) together with Sophie Lara Neuber, Student, University of Cambridge and Leader of Tomorrow.
Prof. Wüstenhagen had the pleasure to moderate a panel discussion on “Energy (In-)Security: Game Changer for Europe’s Energy Transition, but in what Direction?” (Video) with his guests Ben van Beurden, CEO, Shell plc, UK; Franklin Chang Díaz, Former NASA Astronaut & Founder/CEO of AdAstra Rocket Company, USA; and Kerstin Knapp, Executive Vice President, People & Culture, Vestas Wind Systems, Denmark.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 19. May 2022
“Managing the Dynamics of Social Acceptance” Looking forward to the 12th conference #REMforum 2022. With latest insights from research and new ideas on the Management of Renewable Energies. Do not miss a strong networking event for practitioners, academia, and politicians. Registration is open now – Early Bird discount until May 15, 2022 !
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 9. May 2022
The Master’s certificate program in Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS-HSG) addresses one of the biggest societal challenges of our time. Climate change has been called “a trillion dollar risk, and an opportunity”, so coming up with positive solutions is key for future leaders in business and society.
Why should you consider applying for MaCS-HSG? What are you going to learn? And who are the people involved?
Sign up for this free webinar on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 to get first-hand insights about MaCS-HSG from the program’s academic director, Prof. Rolf Wüstenhagen, and the program manager, Prof. Merla Kubli. The webinar also provides the opportunity to exchange with current MaCS students. Register HERE
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 5. April 2022
Prof. Dr.
Rolf Wüstenhagen
Management of Renewable Energies
The Chair of Management of Renewable Energies contributes to the transition from a non-renewable to a renewable energy supply and thus help to reduce environmental, economic and societal risks, and to create entrepreneurial opportunities. We invest intellectual venture capital in students and young researchers, enabling them to contribute to a clean energy future, in academia or business.
Prof. Dr.
Judith Walls
Sustainability Management
At the Chair of Sustainability Management, we research and teach on corporate sustainability strategy. Corporate leaders face decisions to address major sustainability challenges through their businesses. We identify business models that effectively create value and govern sustainability, both within and outside the company’s boundaries.
#REMforum, the St.Gallen Forum for Management of Renewable Energies, took place in a blended format in Fall 2020. Full replays of the main conference programme on September 11, as well as the Dinner Talk on September 10 and the joint #REMforum #MaCSHSG #GreenBagSeries, featuring our latest research insights and best practices from an international set of industry practitioners, are available on our YouTube channel and accessible via www.REMforum.ch.
The Consumer Barometer of Renewable Energy provides insights into what Swiss people think about energy and climate change. The study is published annually since 2011 and is based on a representative sample of more than 1,000 respondents.
In the Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS-HSG) certificate, master students develop entrepreneurial solutions to one of the most pressing societal challenges of our time: climate change.
Students complement their core Master`s programme with dedicated courses enabling them to understand the magnitude of the challenge, to explore the range of possible solutions, to craft behaviorally informed strategies, and to shape a positive future in a carbon-constrained world.
Currently in its 10th consecutive edition, the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Renewable Energy Management (REM-HSG) is a unique executive education programme helping participants to turn climate change and other challenges to the energy status quo into new business opportunities. A particular focus is on managing disruptive decentralization in the energy market, driven by the convergence of solar photovoltaics, battery storage, digitization, and electric mobility.
The university’s contribution to sustainable development
The University of St.Gallen is committed to contribute to a sustainable economy and society. Find out how we integrate this mission into our education, research, engagement and the activities on campus.
IWÖ-HSG collaborates with three other institutes of the University of St.Gallen within the Center for Mobility. The interdisciplinary center, hosted by IMP-HSG, investigates the effects of digital technologies, climate change and land use on changes in mobility-related consumer behaviour and innovative business models.
University of St. Gallen (HSG)
Institute for Economy and the Environment
Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 6/8
CH-9000 St. Gallen
Tel: +41 71 224 2584
