ESC-10043 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2023/24

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

Not available to students who have taken ESC-00004 as a Foundation Year module.

Description for 2023/24

Businesses and large organisations are operating in a world where the consumer is becoming increasingly aware of the consequences of their own resource use. Single use plastics, our impact on climate change and the loss of biodiversity are just three of the global challenges which are shaping the business landscape of the future, driving resource efficiency and leading to innovative marketplace solutions. The Greening Business module explores the environmental and social responsibilities of organisations through the application of various management models such as Carbon Footprinting, Life Cycle Analysis and ISO-standards. Students will gain a broad understanding of contemporary global issues and investigate the role that the media, campaigning and public choices play in driving forward change. As a large organisation itself, Keele University provides the ideal case study, allowing students to research real world sustainability challenges faced by the university and propose recommendations for future changes.

This module aims to highlight to students the benefits to businesses to green their operation and ways this can be achieved; to provide introductory training to students in environmental auditory and Carbon reduction in businesses; to improve students awareness of employment opportunities in the field of sustainability and explore their future employment prospects; and to provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to improve the environmental performance of their current and future employers.

Intended Learning Outcomes

explain and assess the environmental and social sustainability responsibilities of organisations and the environmental and social impacts of different sectors and activities within organisations (e.g. energy, transport, waste): 1,2
research the environmental and social impacts of an aspect of an organisation's operations, place them in a sustainability context, and make recommendations for future improvements: 1,2
communicate professionally the results from research into the environmental and social impacts of an aspect of an organisation's operations and make recommendations for future improvements: 2
critically reflect on their own learning and the links between course material and their own lives: 1,2
explain how organisations can measure and monitor environmental and social impacts of their activities and how they can use this to drive improvements in these areas: 1,2

Study hours

10 hours workshops
10 hours of scheduled group work and coursework support
60 hours workshop follow up and preparation
70 hours independent and group coursework preparation

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment