ESPM 136: Sustainable Industry

Academics, policy-makers, workers, communities, consumers, and business leaders are increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impacts of industry. A range of fields have emerged to respond to these concerns, seeking to redesign and re-align industrial systems and activities to be more ecologically and socially sound. This course explores internal firm capabilities (core functions, practices, technologies) and external pressures (governments, NGOs) to advance more sustainable industry. The course examines emerging production and consumption systems, introduces several methods for mapping and measuring the environmental and social impacts of industry, and evaluates recent strategies to advance more sustainable production.