On the 12^th of October, Professor Rob van Tulder from Erasmus University will visit CBS to talk about his recent book "Principles of Sustainable Business. Frameworks for corporate action on the SDGs". The book presents a comprehensive framework for addressing society’s most ‘wicked problems’ (aka as ‘ grand challenges’) whilst creating a  truly sustainable society and developing a ‘ future-resilient’  business model.  The book covers key strategic questions that profit and nonprofit organizations are faced with in case they aim at moving from a reactive to a proactive attitude on the cascade of crises that they are presently facing.  The book has garnered international acclaim, praising its multidisciplinary approach and relevance in navigating a volatile and uncertain world.

In the presentation, Rob van Tulder will discuss how companies can effectively confront systemic challenges of an increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The 2015 SDGs are arguably the most important frame to drive business engagement with today’s global challenges. The SDG-agenda not only defines a holistic set of global goals and targets, but also foundational principles to guide meaningful action to their achievement by 2030. Most multinational companies have signed up to the SDGs as the world’s long-term business plan. Realizing the SDGs provides a yearly $12 trillion investment and growth opportunity, while creating hundreds of millions of jobs in the process. But progress is too slow – witnessing society’s inability to deal with pressing human, ecological, economic and health crises – whilst the vast potential for societal value creation remains underutilized. But implementation proves difficult. The presentation will discuss the systemic, strategic and operational challenges that need to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of corporate involvement in society, by using the SDGs as the leading principles-based framework for actionable, powerful and transformative change.

The seminar will consider how the SDGs can be integrated into teaching and research at a business school. The seminar will discuss how the Rotterdam School of Management has been able to integrate the SDGs into its curriculum at three levels of understanding:: the macro level, to assess whether the SDGs present wicked problems or opportunities for companies; the micro level, to develop and operationalize innovative sustainable business models, design new business cases and navigate organizational transition trajectories; and at the meso level, to develop fit-for-purpose cross-sector partnering strategies. For each level of analysis, RSM has developed innovative teaching and research techniques.

About Rob van Tulder

Rob van Tulder, PhD is emeritus full Professor of International Business-Society Management at RSM Erasmus University Rotterdam and Academic Director of the Partnerships Resource Centre.  He is co-founder of the department of Business-Society Management, one of the leading departments in the world organizing research and education on the way business can create value for society either alone or through cross-sector partnerships. He advises international organizations, governments, multinational enterprises and international NGOs on issues of sustainability and strategy. He supports the creation of other expert centres around the world that try to help companies improve their sustainability strategy together with other societal stakeholders. His recent initiative has been the creation – together with the University of the Philippines – of an expert centre around ‘inclusive value chains’ (the C4C centre in Manila). His academic work has appeared in journals like California Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of International Business Policy, Research Policy, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of World Business, World Development, Transnational Corporations, European Management Journal.

He made scientific knowledge practical in a variety of directions, for instance: (1) to help managers assess the transition stage they are in (www.betterbusinessscan.org), (2) to help societal parties and students assess and address wicked problems (wicked problems plaza), (3) to help partnerships identify relevant intervention points and theories of change (www.rsm/prc), (4) to help students apply analytical frameworks to corporate cases and their personal leadership ambitions (posters, checklists and profilers).  His latest books include: Principles of Sustainable Business. Frameworks for Corporate Action on the SDGs (2023); Getting all the motives right (2018); Skill Sheets: an integrated approach to research, study and management, (2018).

More information: www.principlesofsustainablebusiness.nl or www.robvantulder.nl

Email: rtulder@rsm.nl