Master in Management for Sustainability Program

Sustainable leadership and effective governance require a new approach to selecting and developing leaders.

This includes significant mindset shifts, changes in governance practices and systems, and the adoption of entirely new timeframes for performance indicators.

In this course, students will examine how leadership for sustainability demands specific organizational characteristics, while exploring how some companies have successfully embedded sustainable leadership principles and practices, while others have been slow or reluctant to adopt them.

This course is developed and offered in collaboration with B-Lab France.

This course focuses on social sustainability and human rights.

To understand social sustainability, it is essential to examine the role of business organizations in addressing these issues.

This course explores the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (‘the Ruggie Principles’), the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and their implications for leading in social sustainability.

The program kicks off with this interactive course aimed at exploring the overall objectives of MMS program and delve into the use of scenario analyses to map out plans for action on sustainability.

Various tools and techniques are introduced to help students understand the complexities of sustainability challenges and develop strategic solutions.

By applying these methods, students will gain practical insights into decision-making processes and the long-term impacts of sustainability actions.

Developing a broader perspective is essential for leading in sustainability.

This course introduces systems thinking, focusing on how entities influence one another within a larger whole.

It explores the complexity of Grand Challenges and approaches problem-solving in an interdisciplinary, interconnected manner.

This course serves as the foundation for many others in the program.

Many experts agree that addressing climate change is a defining business issue of our time.

Its complex impacts are directly affecting business, society, and ecosystems while many governments are scrambling to mitigate its effects with far-reaching regulations.

This course will provide students with a thorough understanding of the basic science drivers of climate change and how it affects our physical world.

We will look at a variety of tools governments have used to help reduce and mitigate impacts while examining the risk of both action and inaction and considering current developments in climate change strategies.

This course explores the critical intersection of business and biodiversity, examining how companies impact ecosystems and how biodiversity conservation can be integrated into business strategies.

Students will learn practical approaches to managing biodiversity risks and opportunities, while understanding the economic, social, and regulatory factors influencing corporate responsibility in preserving biodiversity.

How can companies ensure that their full supply and value chains integrate environmentally and financially viable practices into the complete lifecycle?

This course focuses on deploying and governing efficient, resilient, socially responsible and environmentally friendly supply chains.

Students will examine technologies such as block chain, big data analytics and automation to optimize product and service delivery while integrating sustainability into purchasing, procurement and logistics operations.

How to set organizations in motion to embrace sustainability? How to transform thinking about sustainability in business? How to convince top management, customers or supply chain partners of adopting more sustainable practices?

Activism, direct action in support of or opposition to a disputed issue, plays a crucial role in this process.

This course examines both external and internal forms of activism, identifies effective strategies and tactics, and explores their implications for business organizations.

This intensive course examines a range of technological issues and solutions, with a primary focus on artificial intelligence (AI).

New technologies are transforming business practices and industries, offering potential solutions to major societal problems, including sustainability.

Exploring both current and future developments in technology is therefore essential to understanding its role in driving change.

Coming soon.

The Career Program aims to help IÉSEG students build and implement their professional objective in line with their aspirations, skills and the socio-economic reality of the market.

The objective is to facilitate their integration into the labor market, in an environment that allows them to develop personally and professionally.

All students benefit from a credited program tailored to their track or major, taught by a dedicated team of experienced professionals. The Career Program includes collective credit courses, digital resources, and on-demand coaching provided by the Career team for those who need additional support.

A cycle of thematic events fosters connections with companies and helps students build their professional networks. Our pedagogical approach blends various teaching methods, including digital modules, interactive and blended learning, coaching, peer-to-peer, learning by doing, live scenarios, debriefing, and reflection, in line with IÉSEG’s teaching and learning strategy.

Credited Language courses for all levels are included in the program. French is the mandatory choice for any non-French speaking student. For native French speaking students, other languages are offered (Chinese, Spanish, German – list subject to change).

This course examines the transition from a linear to a circular business model.

Business models define the products or services a company offers, its target market, and associated costs. How do these models change when sustainability and circularity take center stage?

Using real case studies, students will analyze the main drivers of business models, as well as their positive and negative externalities.

A central focus of the course is exploring how to reconcile profit generation with the creation of positive externalities within the circular economy.

The “Building a Sustainability Strategy” bootcamp is an immersive simulation that challenges students to develop and implement a comprehensive sustainability strategy for a business.

Participants will navigate real-world scenarios, balancing environmental, social, and economic factors to drive sustainable growth.

This capstone experience allows students to apply their knowledge and skills in a dynamic, hands-on environment, preparing them for leadership roles in sustainability.

The program includes several company visits, offering students the opportunity to explore different organizations’ experiences with sustainability and management firsthand.

Capturing and reporting data on a company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance is crucial for its credibility among stakeholders, including investors.

This data, whether it relates to carbon emissions, human rights violations or compensation transparency, shapes strategy, investment, management and control processes.

This course will explore disclosure trends and best practices in ESG reporting and examine how they impact investor decision-making.

Additionally, this course will help students prepare for the ‘GRI Sustainability Professional’ exam, a formal and recognized qualification offered by the Global Reporting Initiative.

Developing, communicating and promoting a work environment that reflects the principles and practices of diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) is no longer an optional business strategy but rather a fundamental element of business success.

This course will focus on the insights, skills, and tools needed to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations.

We will explore metrics for evaluating and monitoring progress, fostering a cohesive and constructive dialogue on these issues.

Case studies include examples of firms making great strides, as well as those still at ‘the starting gate’.

Impact investing focuses on generating financial returns while also advancing social and environmental aims.

This course will focus on the tools and tactics that make that possible, integrating capital market and mainstream investment with environmental and social policy objectives, while examining the broader domain of sustainable finance.

We will analyze innovations and effectiveness across all asset classes and impact themes.

The data revolution has arrived, offering many opportunities to apply information and data management systems to address sustainability challenges.

This course is designed for students who want to develop both a theoretical and practical understanding of an organization’s data and information management capabilities and their significant impacts on sustainability strategies and practices.

Going beyond the fundamentals, this course explores advanced concepts, methodologies, and technologies essential for addressing complex sustainability challenges in organizations, harnessing the power of data to drive positive environmental, social, and economic change.

Sustainable marketing promotes products and services that respect environmental and social issues.

But what makes a brand truly sustainable? How are companies developing marketing strategies that are authentic, transparent and impactful?

As consumers become more knowledgeable and demand greater levels of disclosure, companies are navigating new challenges, including tracking and tracing supply chains, aligning with various sustainability labels, and executing effective advertising campaigns.

This course will explore global trends and issues influencing sustainability-related success and communication challenges, focusing on the shift from motivation to persuasion.

For nearly all industrial firms, three issues dominate their strategic and operational agendas. Companies that manage these critical environmental challenges effectively stand out in the marketplace.

This course will equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the main challenges surrounding:
> Energy: technology, renewable energy, and building and energy performance.
> Water: Treatment Technology, the water cycle, and policy frameworks for managing supply and wastewater treatments.
> Waste: Waste management, landfill engineering and reuse/recycling.

Coming soon.

The Career Program aims to help IÉSEG students build and implement their professional objective in line with their aspirations, skills and the socio-economic reality of the market.

The objective is to facilitate their integration into the labor market, in an environment that allows them to develop personally and professionally.

All students benefit from a credited program tailored to their track or major, taught by a dedicated team of experienced professionals. The Career Program includes collective credit courses, digital resources, and on-demand coaching provided by the Career team for those who need additional support.

A cycle of thematic events fosters connections with companies and helps students build their professional networks. Our pedagogical approach blends various teaching methods, including digital modules, interactive and blended learning, coaching, peer-to-peer, learning by doing, live scenarios, debriefing, and reflection, in line with IÉSEG’s teaching and learning strategy.

Credited Language courses for all levels are included in the program.

French is the mandatory choice for any non-French speaking student. For native French speaking students, other languages are offered (Chinese, Spanish, German – list subject to change).

Development economics analyses the forces that drive or hinder economic and social development, focusing on how developing and emerging countries can find innovative solutions to promote sustainable and equitable growth.

The course examines how macroeconomic and microeconomic policies can help promote sustainable growth and reduce inequalities.

Topics covered include social inequalities, poverty, education, health, microfinance, gender, green growth, aid, and the role of institutions in development.

This course gives students a rigorous, economics-based understanding of the fundamental themes underlying business and policy discussions concerning sustainability.

Topics include the theory of the firm, market efficiency; externalities and environmental policy; environmental policy instruments and the role of information and values in business and policy decisions.

This course aims to deepen understanding of environmental sustainability and management by exploring the latest scientific thinking on emerging themes in the field.

It will examine how these themes can be studied and transformed into actionable knowledge for organizations to drive sustainability.

A variety of current environmental issues from different industries will be analysed to highlight the differences and challenges across key economic sectors.

Sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation, making the exploration of partnerships essential.

Cross-sector partnerships involve collaborative efforts where various societal actors collaborate to address complex challenges.

This course explores the motivations, forms and outcomes of such partnerships in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), examining how ‘wicked’ problems can be addressed through collaboration and the roles that business organizations can play.

Additionally, the course also examines the institutional structure of intergovernmental meetings and the opportunities and limitations for non-state actors to engage.

This course highlights the context where many of our sustainability challenges converge: urban environments.

The course examines the multiple challenges and environmental issues caused by human beings in cities.

Using a systemic approach, the course explores the complexity of urban systems and the interconnections within them.

Students will tackle various complex urban problems and learn to apply holistic thinking to address sustainability in city contexts.

This course provides participants with a profound understanding of entrepreneurship, new business development, and business plan writing.

Through lectures, testimonials, fieldwork, and group assignments, participants are confronted with the how, where, when, whom, and why of starting and developing new business activities.

As part of an international and multicultural team, participants are invited to work on an operational business plan aimed at either the creation of a new venture (NVC-track) or the acceleration of new business for an already established SME (NBD-track).

This course’s ambitions thus go beyond providing theoretical insights. Hands-on experience is gained through out-of-class field work covering all steps of the entrepreneurial decision-making process (e.g., idea generation, feasibility analysis, industry study, market analysis, marketing plan, production plan, product development, and financial statements).

In doing so, participants accumulate entrepreneurial knowledge and behaviors that support innovative solutions and new value development.

This course equips students with analytical tools and a strategic perspective to understand how geopolitical dynamics impact global business environments.

Through an interdisciplinary approach, students explore the influence of political risk, international relations, and global power shifts on trade, investment, supply chains, and corporate strategy.

Emphasis is placed on real-world cases and interactive discussions to help students assess geopolitical risk and adapt business decisions accordingly.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to integrate geopolitical thinking into strategic planning, enabling responsible and resilient decision-making in complex international contexts. Participants will also be able to integrate geopolitical thinking into strategic planning, enabling responsible and resilient decision-making in complex international contexts.

Particular attention is given to the social impact of geopolitical shifts, encouraging students to consider how business decisions can promote inclusive growth, ethical practices, and long-term societal resilience.

This is a modular, asynchronous course designed to provide participants with a comprehensive and integrated understanding of AI and its transformative impact on business strategy.

Bridging technical knowledge and strategic insight, the course guides learners through a rich curriculum that explores how AI drives innovation, enhances operational efficiency, and creates sustainable competitive advantages.

The learning journey culminates in real-world case studies that demonstrate how leading organizations have successfully integrated AI into their strategies, operations, and innovation processes. These examples provide actionable insights and help bridge theory with practical application.

Crucially, the course also engages with the broader societal and environmental impacts of AI, positioning ethical, ecological, and workforce considerations as central to strategic decision-making.

By the end of the course, participants will not only understand how AI works, but also how to deploy it responsibly and strategically for long-term business success in complex, dynamic environments.

Creativity is one of the critical components of an organization’s ability to survive and thrive in today’s competitive and dynamic markets.

This course will provide participants with a rich understanding of how creativity can be facilitated and managed in a work setting. They will acquire knowledge regarding various theoretical conceptualizations (i.e., how do you define creativity), antecedents (i.e., what makes you and others more creative) and outcomes (i.e., what is the impact) of creativity as well as knowledge on design thinking techniques and tools to lead teams in the creative journey.

How do creative ideas happen? How can we foster our creativity and the creativity of those around us? What are the paths of creative development of individuals who are successful in their creative endeavours? What are the implications for fostering and managing creativity in the workplace? What are the obstacles to creativity? What is the nature of creativity in teams and organizations? These are some of the questions we will address.

During the course, a variety of teaching and learning techniques (including design thinking) will be used to enable participants to think critically and imaginatively about various perspectives of creativity.

To realize the goal of a shared learning experience between participants and the instructor, the course is aimed at integrating real challenges and practical experiences of creativity, projects, presentations, experiential exercises, and critical reflection on the various course materials.

This advanced course provides a comprehensive exploration of how organizations can effectively manage, measure, and align performance at individual, team, and organizational levels.

The course begins by clarifying the concept of performance management – what it is, what it is not, and what characterizes effective strategic performance practices. Students will examine the challenges of defining and measuring performance accurately, and how to align performance indicators with broader strategic goals such as employee engagement, retention, and organizational growth.

Throughout the course, students will engage with a range of human resource management tools applicable at various stages of the performance management cycle. Legal, ethical, and reporting considerations—as well as software solutions—will also be addressed to provide a holistic understanding of modern performance systems.

A key focus of the course is the social dimension of performance management. Students will explore how to design systems that are valid, reliable, and fair for all employees, with a strong emphasis on eliminating bias and supporting diversity, inclusion, and social justice.

The course encourages critical assessment of whether performance systems genuinely enable all individuals, regardless of background, to demonstrate their full potential. This includes addressing how organizational culture, leadership behaviors, and system design can unintentionally disadvantage certain groups—and how such challenges can be effectively mitigated in practice.

Credited Language courses for all levels are included in the program.

French is the mandatory choice for any non-French speaking student. For native French speaking students, other languages are offered (Chinese, Spanish, German – list subject to change).

4-to 6-month internship or work experience anywhere in the world. Alternatively, students can opt for a consulting project or a thesis.