The Chair "Management & Sustainability" was established at the University of Hamburg in 2013. In addition to Prof. Busch and Team Assistant Sarah Wendt (currently covered by Alexandra Herter), the chair consists of two postdoctoral researchers, Dr. Brigitte Bernard-Rau and Dr. Matthew Johnson, and more than ten research and student assistants.
In terms of research, the chair focuses on two main fields: sustainable finance and climate stewardship.
Our research in the field of sustainable finance addresses questions concerned with the "business case for sustainability", i.e. how global sustainability challenges can be aligned with economic interests and become an integral part of investment decisions in capital markets.
Prof. Busch is a founding member of the Research Group on Sustainable Finance as well as the Science Platform Sustainable Finance and the Sustainable Finance Research Group (SFRG). His Chair "Management & Sustainability" is among the initiators of the Susdtainable Finance Roundtable Hamburg, where members from academia, finance, the real economy, and the public sector meet twice a year to jointly develop solutions for sustainable finance in the metropolitan region. Since 2018, the chair is responsible for the audit process of the Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen (FNG) Siegel , a leading European label for sustainable investment funds. In addition, the chair is a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) Academic Network, a GABV initiative that aims to promote research, teaching, and knowledge exchange in the field of values-based banking. The GABV Academic Network is led by a Steering Committee, which includes Dr. Brigitte Bernard-Rau, whose research focuses on sustainable finance, particularly ESG and impact investing.
Our research in the realm of climate stewardship focuses on questions dealing with how firms incorporate climate mitigation and adaptation practices. Prof. Busch is a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence project Climate, Climatic Change, and Society (CLICCS) and was a member of the steering committee on the Science Platform Climate Protection, which advises the German government.
Research at the Chair of Management & Sustainability – Sustainable Finance – also covers other topics, including: strategic sustainability management, circular economy, industrial ecology and systems thinking, sustainable finance and ESG performance, as well as sustainable business models and sustainable entrepreneurship.
In terms of teaching, you will find on our website information about lectures for bachelor and master programs, as well as office hours and rooms of the team members. Furthermore, we offer particular guidelines on writing term papers and bachelor/master theses at our chair.
In addition to his research and teaching activities, Prof. Busch is founding member of the Group for Research on Organizations and the Natural Environment (GRONEN). Between 2019 and 2023 Prof. Busch was a member of the Science Platform Climate Protection (WPKS), which advised the German government on climate issues.
