Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing the course, students will be able to:

  • Identify and critically assess different strategic approaches to and rationales behind sustainability and CSR communication
  • Identify and analyze some narrative and rhetorical strategies that contemporary organizations use in their sustainability and CSR communication
  • Carry out stakeholder analysis for sustainability and CSR communication.
  • Create audience-centered communication initiatives and strategies for sustainability and CSR management.

Credits: 6

Schedule: 16.01.2024 - 15.02.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Johanna Moisander, Laura Kangas-Muller

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

Laura Kangas-Müller & Sofia Villo

laura.kangas-muller@aalto.fi

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Corporate Responsibility Communication provides students with knowledge and capabilities that sustainability managers and CSR communication specialists need to analyze and respond to changing stakeholder expectations about corporate responsibility, accountability, transparency, and responsiveness. The course offers conceptual tools, analytical techniques, and best practices for (1) managing stakeholder engagement as a communicative process, and (2) developing effective sustainability and CSR communication initiatives and strategies for diverse organizations. Topics covered include sustainability and CSR reporting; corporate integrity; stakeholder dialogue; stakeholder analysis; rhetorical stratetegies for CSR communication; CSR storytelling; and challenges of CSR communication.

Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Students will be assessed based on their course work on a scale of 0-5.

    The final grade will be a weighted average of the following separately graded course work:

    • A randomly selected learning assignment (20%) 
    • Final course paper (50%)
    • Oral presentation of the final course paper (30%)

Workload
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Workload 160 h (6 cr)

    • Independent learning module  20 h
    • Class meetings 20h
    • Learning assignments and group work for presentation and final report 120h

     

DETAILS

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language : English

    Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring III
    2023-2024 Spring III

    Enrollment :

    Maximum number of students: 70. Students are admitted to the course in the following priority order: 1) Creative Sustainability / Management and International Business students, 2) Students of the MSc programs of the Department of management studies, 3) BIZ exchange students / CEMS students / Other BIZ Master's students, 4) Other students.