- Docente: Giuliana Caivano
- Credits: 3
- SSD: ECON-06/A
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially)
- Campus: Forli
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Economics and Commerce (cod. 6799)
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from Nov 11, 2026 to Dec 09, 2026
Learning outcomes
The course will address sustainability from an integrated perspective, combining regulatory, strategic, and operational dimensions. Its aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the main ESG topics and their implications for companies and financial institutions, complementing the theoretical and regulatory framework with the analysis of real-world experiences across different industries.
Course contents
The course will address sustainability from an integrated perspective, combining regulatory, strategic, and operational dimensions. Its aim is to provide an up-to-date overview of the main ESG topics and their implications for companies and financial institutions, complementing the theoretical and regulatory framework with the analysis of real-world experiences across different industries.
Through a series of corporate and industry guest lectures, the course will focus in particular on the following areas:
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Finance, Risk Management and ESG Ratings: the course will explore the integration of ESG factors into banking risk management processes, with a focus on the evolution of approaches to identifying, measuring, and managing sustainability-related risks. It will also examine the methodologies and processes underlying the ESG assessment of companies by rating agencies.
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Sustainability across Industries: drawing on corporate experiences from the paper, food, fashion, and luxury industries, the course will examine the pathways, priorities, and solutions adopted by companies to integrate sustainability into their business models and throughout their value chains.
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Innovation and Climate Tech: through the experience of an innovative company active in CO₂ removal and storage technologies, the course will explore the role of technological innovation in developing practical solutions to support the climate transition.
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Corporate Pathways towards Sustainability: the guest lectures will provide an opportunity to compare different approaches to the definition and implementation of ESG strategies, highlighting how priorities, tools, and operational practices may vary depending on the industry, company characteristics, and the broader ecosystem in which companies operate.
Finally, students will participate in an interactive workshop focused on the analysis of sustainability reports. Working in groups, they will examine reports published by companies operating in different industries, comparing their structure, material topics, objectives, KPIs, and approaches to communicating ESG performance. The workshop will be designed to develop students’ critical skills in reading and interpreting sustainability reporting and to highlight industry-specific differences and characteristics.
Readings/Bibliography
Material provided by teacher
Teaching methods
Teaching format: In-person / online
Assessment methods
To obtain the 3 ECTS credits, at the end of the course students will be required to take a pass/fail assessment, consisting of a written essay on one of the topics proposed during the seminars.
The assessment will last 45 minutes and will take place in person, in the classroom.
Although attendance is not compulsory, eligibility to take the final assessment and obtain the 3 ECTS credits requires attendance of at least 70% of the total course hours (i.e. 10 out of 15 hours).
Office hours
See the website of Giuliana Caivano