About Us
As a diverse and productive team, we are dedicated to crafting evidence-based insights that helps to solve global sustainability and climate challenges through business.
As a diverse and productive team, we are dedicated to crafting evidence-based insights that helps to solve global sustainability and climate challenges through business.
The Chair of Management of Renewable Energies contributes to the transition from a non-renewable to a renewable energy supply, which helps 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.
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.
The Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG), part of one of the leading European business schools, is a source of rigorous and relevant research on the topics of business sustainability and renewable energy management. Our focus is on educating tomorrow’s leaders and inspiring innovative solutions for sustainability challenges in business and the society. The institute addresses topics like climate change, corporate sustainability, renewable energy and environmental governance through award-winning research and teaching, as well as impactful executive education and engagement with the wider public. Founded in 1992, IWÖ-HSG was the first institute of its kind in Europe, and has been a focal point of thought leadership and entrepreneurial talent engaging in the design of business solutions to global sustainability challenges.
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We are happy to announce that Dr. Cris Pons-Seres de Brauwer joined our institute as a postdoctoral researcher. He will be working under the leadership of Rolf Wüstenhagen on innovative business dynamics at the intersection between EV use and renewable energy generation. Before he finished his PhD at DTU Wind and Energy Systems and is now ready to take on new exciting challenges to accelerate the energy transition!
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 10. March 2023
We are excited about our newly finished PhDs who just received their doctoral certificates in Feb. 2023: Dr. Jakob Knauf, Dr. Elizabeth Côté and Dr. Nina Schneider with supervisor Prof. Dr. Rolf Wüstenhagen, Chair of Management of Renewable Energies, Dr. Nina Schmid with supervisor Prof. Dr. Judith Walls, Chair of Sustainability Management, and Dr. Angela Honegger with Prof. em. Dr. Thomas Dyllick, Emeritus Chair of Sustainability Management. Thank you for all your contributions to the IWÖ community, in all possible ways, and all the best for your future!
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 28. February 2023
Two Institutes of the Universität St.Gallen (HSG): HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment and Institut für Marketing und Customer Insight (IMC-HSG) are currently working on a research project with Publicis Groupe and Grownate. The aim of the collaboration is to create a well-founded scientific study on the perceived sustainability of companies in Switzerland. Prof. Dr. Judith Walls and Zsuzsa Borsa from the Chair of Sustainability management are in charge of the qualitative phase of the study, which looks at how brands manage their sustainability communication to stakeholders. Based on multiple case studies, the study illustrates how sustainability has changed the branding landscape and become an integral part of (corporate) brand communications. The publication of the report is planned for Summer 2023.
https://www.scopes.report
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 17. February 2023
A “young” institute turns 30! Founded back in 1992, IWÖ-HSG was one of the first research institutes at a leading business school to focus on sustainability. Three decades later, concerns about climate change and biodiversity loss are at the center of the public debate, and the Institute’s contributions to research and teaching on topics of corporate sustainability and renewable energy management are in high demand. To celebrate our anniversary, we joined forces with our colleagues from the Institute of Accounting, Control and Auditing ACA-HSG, which happens to have been founded in the same year. The newly appointed tenure track assistant professor of Sustainability Governance, Dr. Judith Ströhle, shared her insights on “Current Debates in Accounting for Sustainability” with a deep dive into carbon accounting, highlighting interesting areas for future research at the interface of both institutes. Thanks to the many alumni, team members, business and research partners, and university representatives who joined for an evening full of insightful exchanges.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 30. November 2022
Dr. Fabian Takacs joined the Delegates Team for Responsibility and Sustainability as a Project Manager (Sustainability Curriculum Development) and post-doctoral researcher of the IWÖ. Fabian is passionate about environmental protection and sustainability. His research focuses on the Circular Economy and business model innovation, focusing on the entrepreneurial implementation of resource conservation and closed material loops.
Fabian works at the team of the Delegate for Responsibility and Sustainability on realizing the HSG vision and Roadmap 2025 supporting the implementation of sustainability in the curriculum at HSG. In addition, he continues to research the Circular Economy’s entrepreneurial implementation with various academic and practice partners.
Previously, Fabian worked at the Institute of Management and Strategy (IfB) at the University of St. Gallen and conducted research in an SNF research project (Laboratory for Applied Circular Economy, NRP73), for which work he received the HSG-Impact Award in 2020. Fabian holds a Ph.D. in Management (Ph.D. HSG) focusing on circular transformation through business model innovation and ecosystems. Fabian is also involved in various non-profit organizations, among others, in local culture promotion.
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 29. October 2022
Katharina Reidl and Juliane Seika joined the Chair of Management of Renewable Energies
With the start of the new semester, Katharina and Juliane have started as doctoral candidates after finishing their master’s degrees in Business Management and Marketing Management at the University of St.Gallen.
Being alumni of the certificate program Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS), both are looking forward to contributing to the institute’s research about electro mobility within the CircuBAT project and investigating options for a Green Deal for Switzerland and Ukraine.
Author: Doris Hoevel
Date: 6. October 2022
Kerrigan joined IWÖ as a post-doctoral research fellow through the Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS) Project. She recently obtained her Ph.D. in Strategic Management and Public Policy at the George Washington University (Washington, DC) under the supervision of Professor Jorge Rivera. Kerrigan’s research broadly focuses the interconnectedness between business and the natural environment. More specifically, she examines the relationship between biophysical conditions, such as climate change, extreme weather, and biodiversity, and business performance and adaptation strategies. Kerrigan obtained a Graduate Certificate in Geographical Information Systems and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from George Washington University. She also has experience working with environmental nonprofits in areas on water quality, invasive species, and biodiversity of native species.
Author: Zsuzsa Borsa
Date: 26. September 2022
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
IWÖ-HSG in the News
06.08.2022
Wer ist tatsächlich schuld, wenn Gas und Strom knapp werden?
Energie-Misere: Die SVP kritisiert Bundesrätin Sommaruga heftig wegen der unsicheren Versorgungslage. Bei genauer Betrachtung wird klar: Vom Parlament bis zum Stimmvolk, alle sind mitverantwortlich. Ein Überblick im Tagesanzeiger u.a mit Rolf Wüstenhagen vom Lehrstuhl für Management Erneuerbarer Energien. 6.8.2022 => LINK
12.09.2022
V2G is not a magic bullet: electric cars can play a role in storing electricity
Prof. Wüstenhagen's take at SRF Tagesschau (scroll to 18'47'') "While #V2G is not a magic bullet, electric cars can play a role in storing electricity close to where it is needed." A challenging as well as promising vehicle-to-grid pilot project by Mobility Car Sharing.
16.08.2022
The Space Café Podcast #061
Prof. Dr. Judith Walls, researcher at the intersection of business and environmental sustainability and wildlife warrior was guest of the Space Café Podcast. She explains why the decision about the future of your company is being made right now.
05.05.2022
Mind the Gap: Protecting Against Climate Risks and Losses
Prof. Walls lead the session “Mind the Gap: Protecting Against Climate Risks and Losses” at the 51st St.Gallen Symposium. Her guests: Vanessa Nakate, Climate Justice Activist; Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha; Florence Tondu-Mélique, CEO, Zurich (Insurance) France.
05.05.2022
Zeithorizont hat sich verkürzt
Der Krieg in der Ukraine macht die Energiewende noch dringender, sagt HSG-Professor Rolf Wüstenhagen. Interview St.Galler Tagblatt vom 5.5.2022
14.04.2022
Strombranche: Warum der Bund Milliarden-Rettungsschirm plant
Der Bundesrat will einen milliardenschweren Rettungsschirm aufspannen für systemrelevante Stromunternehmen. Seit Ende letzten Jahres kommt es an den Energiemärkten zu hohen Preisausschlägen. Der Krieg in der Ukraine habe die Dynamik noch verstärkt, so Bundesrätin Simonetta Sommaruga. Rolf Wüstenhagen erklärt, wie diese Preisschwankungen einzuordnen sind. Unter "More" finden Sie die ganze SRF-news Sendung "echo der zeit" vom 14.4.22.
29.03.2022
We need to Speed Up on Renewable Energies / Con le rinnovabili bisogna accelerare
Dr. Beatrice Petrovich, postdoc and researcher at IWÖ-HSG, on rising prices, the energy crisis, and the 2050 energy strategy , between foreign dependence and a greener future. For the english version, click HERE.
09.03.2022
Miron Avidan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, University of St. Gallen
The Impact Scholar Community is a community for early-career research scholars who want to connect research to impact. The community is supported by the Academy of Management (AOM) and hosted by the Organization and the Natural Environment AOM division. In the interview, Miron Avidan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow from the Institute of Economy and the Environment, University of St. Gallen shares his thoughts about impact within the academic community and and his engagement outside the office.
29.03.2022
Eoliennes: à Sainte-Croix, le long supplice des pales
Dans sa stratégie 2050, la Confédération mise sur l’éolien pour combler les pénuries d’électricité en hiver. Nos voisins allemands et autrichiens comptent déjà des milliers d’hélices, couvrant 11% à 20% de leur demande. Mais en Suisse, 41 éoliennes se battent en duel, produisant l’équivalent de 0,2% de la consommation totale. Comment expliquer un tel retard? Elément de réponse à Sainte-Croix, dans les crêtes du Jura vaudois. Interview avec Rolf Wüstenhagen.
25.03.2022
Welche Alternativen hat Deutschland zu russischer Energie?
Ein interessanter Podcast von Orange by Handelsblatt u.a. mit Prof. Wüstenhagen zu der hochaktuellen Frage, wie Deutschland aus der Abhängigkeit von Russlands Energiezufuhr kommen kann.
University of St. Gallen (HSG)
Institute for Economy and the Environment
Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 6/8
9000 St. Gallen