•   Responsible Business ENT003TR1AE-3012 12.01.2026-15.05.2026  5   (NONSTOP, ...) +-
    Learning objectives
    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
    Starting level and linkage with other courses
    No prerequisites
    Contents
    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
    Assessment criteria
    Assessment criteria - grade 1
    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
    Assessment criteria - grade 3
    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
    Assessment criteria - grade 5
    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
    Further information
    For courses delivered in contact, online, or blended formats, attendance is required for the scheduled sessions as indicated in the timetable. If you are absent for more than 25% of the sessions, your grade will be reduced by one point. If you are absent for more than 50% of the sessions, the course will be failed.

    Teaching methods and instruction

    This version is exclusively for Open University students

    NO LIVE TEACHING. Independent studying. Moodle quizzes and individual assignments.

    Guidance available via Moodle, during support hours and by email.

    Learning material and recommended literature

    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.

    Working life connections

    Assignments are linked to companies selected by students and reflect real-world business operations.

    Campus

    Pasila Campus

    Exam dates and re-exam possibilities

    Includes Moodle quizzes. Quizzes can be taken 3 times.

    Teaching language

    English

    Internationality

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

    Timing

    12.01.2026 - 15.05.2026

    Learning assignments

    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.

    Enrollment

    01.01.2024 - 01.01.2024

    Content scheduling

    Deadlines and support hours are posted in Moodle. All assignments must be submitted by the course’s official end.

    Groups
    • NONSTOP
    • AVOINAMK
    • VIRTUAL
    • INSTRUCTED
    Alternative learning methods

    Contact, contact-blended, online, online-blended, virtual, virtual-instructed and demonstration.
    More information is available in the course description and at Haaga-Helia’s website:
    https://www.haaga-helia.fi/en/career-planning/recognition-learning

    Teachers

    Rakhshanda Khan, Petra Lindell

    Seats

    30 - 100

    Further information

    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.

    Degree Programme

    AVO Avoin ammattikorkeakoulu

    R&D proportion

    0.00 cr

    Virtual proportion

    0.00 cr

    Evaluation scale

    H-5