Responsible Business - Study guide

The course ensures that graduates act towards ethical, responsible, and sustainable business practices and solutions and understand that responsible practices are a basic necessity in businesses.

After completion of this course or the equivalent assessment of prior learning, the student will be able to:

1. Identify the fundamental concepts related to sustainability, responsible business, corporate responsibility, circular economy and climate businesses.
2. Recognise the motives and risks involved in running a responsible business.
3. Compare corporate responsibility strategies
4. Assess the suitability of various stakeholder engagement models
5. Evaluate the challenges and opportunities companies face in terms of ethics, responsibility and sustainability when operating in a global value chain while considering the key elements of social responsibility.
6. Recognize the business models that align with circular economy, climate neutral or biodiversity respectful business

No prerequisites

1. Introduction to corporate responsibility, responsible business and ethics
2. Strategic sustainability
3. Stakeholder orientation and stakeholder dialogue
4. Circular economy, climate businesses and biodiversity in business
5. Social responsibility and fair operating practices
6. Careers and business opportunities in sustainability

In the CONTACT, ONLINE, and BLENDED implementations of the course, attendance is required during the scheduled teaching sessions. If you are absent for more than 25% of the sessions, your grade will be lowered by one grade point. If your absences exceed 50%, you will fail the course.

The student:

Knows the basic concepts related to sustainability, responsible business, corporate responsibility, circular economy and climate businesses.

is able to recognise some motives and risks involved in running a responsible business.

is able to analyze some corporate responsibility strategies

can assess the suitability of various stakeholder engagement models at a elementary level

has basic knowledge of the challenges and opportunities companies face in terms of ethics, responsibility and sustainability when operating in a global value chain and knows some key elements of social responsibility

has basic knowledge of some business models that align with circular economy, climate neutral or biodiversity respectful business

The student:

Knows the fundamental concepts related to sustainability, responsible business, corporate responsibility, circular economy and climate businesses.

is able to recognise the motives and risks involved in running a responsible business.

is able to analyze corporate responsibility strategies

can assess the suitability of various stakeholder engagement models

is familiar with the challenges and opportunities companies face in terms of ethics, responsibility and sustainability when operating in a global value chain and knows the key elements of social responsibility

has good knowledge of some business models that align with circular economy, climate neutral or biodiversity respectful business

The student:

Knows thoroughly the fundamental concepts related to sustainability, responsible business, corporate responsibility, circular economy and climate businesses.

is able to analyze the motives and risks involved in running a responsible business.

is able to proactively analyze corporate responsibility strategies

can skillfully assess the suitability of various stakeholder engagement models

has very good knowledge of the challenges and opportunities companies face in terms of ethics, responsibility and sustainability when operating in a global value chain and knows thoroughly the key elements of social responsibility

has very good knowledge of different business models that align with circular economy, climate neutral or biodiversity respectful business

This course is a key competence study for all TRALI and INTBBA students starting their studies 1.8.2025 onwards. The students may participate in any of the listed delivery formats. This specific implementation is designed especially for students of the INTBBA degree program.

Lectures, class assignments, independent study,, group and assignments + presentations

Students participate in on-campus classroom teaching during the course.

Guidance is provided by the teacher during class sessions, through Moodle, in group meetings, and by email.

Study materials are available on Moodle.

Books: Blowfield, Michael and Murray Alan. 2019. Corporate Social Responsibility. Fourth Edition. Oxford university Press. Optional reading: Laasch, Oliver. 2023. Principles of Business & Management: Practicing Ethics, Responsibility, Sustainability. Third Edition. Sage Publishing.

Assignments are linked to companies selected by students and reflect real-world business operations. May also include guest speakers from different companies.

Pasila Campus

Includes Moodle quizzes. Quizzes can be taken 3 times to pass.

English

International aspects are considered as part of analyzing the selected company’s responsible business.

12.01.2026 - 13.03.2026

Graded assignments: 1) Individual – Discuss and reflect, 2) Group – Mystery shopping, 3) Individual - Learning diary and 4) Quizzes (4). In addition there are class assignments (groups) mainly done during class hours.

Follows the given course schedule. Deadlines are shared in the first session. Submissions are ongoing throughout the course following the given deadlines

CONTACT
IBE2PA3

Contact, contact-blended, online, online-blended, virtual, virtual-instructed and demonstration. Students may choose from:
Contact, Contact-Blended, Online, Online-Blended, Virtual, Virtual-Instructed, and Competence-Based Recognition.
More information is available in the course description and at Haaga-Helia’s website:
https://www.haaga-helia.fi/en/career-planning/recognition-learning

Petra Lindell

15 - 45

The graded assignments Learning Diary and Mystery shopping are assessed using evaluation rubrics. Discuss and reflect assignment is evaluated by the amount of active conversation. There are also 4 quizzes that need to be passed. Detailed instructions for assessment and rubrics are available in Moodle.

Attendance and participation will be required for passing this course. The student is required to attend at least 75 percent of all lessons in contact, online, and blended formats, and actively participate. Absence exceeding 50 percent will result in disqualification.

INTBBA International Business

0.00 cr

H-5