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Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Stefan Schaltegger

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C11.311
Fon +49.4131.677-2180, stefan.schaltegger@leuphana.de
Professor, Professorship of Sustainability Management
Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM)

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Vita

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Stefan Schaltegger is full professor of sustainability management. He founded the Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM) and introduced the world's first MBA programme in Sustainability Management in 2003. From 2006 to 2010, he was Vice President Research of Leuphana University Lüneburg. According to the Stanford World Scientist Ranking, Prof. Schaltegger is among the 2% most cited researchers worldwide. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the scientific management journal "Organization & Environment" (together with Prof. Minna Halme, Aalto university), has more than 500 publications and has received various scientific awards.

Professor Schaltegger's research interests include topics of corporate sustainability management, in particular measurement, accounting and management control of corporate sustainability (incl. the sustainability balanced scorecard), sustainability transformation of companies, fundamental concepts and methods of sustainability management (operationalization of corporate sustainability, biodiversity management, etc.), sustainable business models and management of stakeholder relationships.

Academic Career

  • 2020 - 2025: among the top 2% in the World Scientist Ranking (https://www.adscientificindex.com/top-lists/?c=99)
  • 2022 - 2023: Dean, School of Sustainability, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • 2006 - 2010: Vice President for Research, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • Since 1999: Professor for Sustainability Management, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • 1996 - 1998: Assistant Professor of Economics at the Center of Economics and Business Administration (WWZ), University of Basel, Switzerland and Deputy Head of the Department of Public Economics and Policy
  • 1994 - 1996: Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Economics of the WWZ, Basel, Switzerland
  • 1992 - 1993: Visiting Research Fellow at the School of Business Administration, University of Washington, Seattle, USA

 

Memberships

  • Founder of the Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM) and the MBA Sustainability Management (www.sustainament.de).
  • Co-Editor-in-Chief of the scientific management journal "Organization & Environment" (together with Prof. Minna Halme, Aalto university Helsinki).
  • Member of international editorial boards of scientific journals (selection): Business Strategy and the Environment (since 1998; 2022-2025 associate editor), Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management (since 1998), Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal (SAMPJ) (since 2009, 2011-2024 deputy editor), Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (since 2011), Meditari Accountancy Research (since 2012), Journal of Corporate Citizenship (since 2013), Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship (since 2014), Supply Chain Management. An International Journal (since 2016), Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change (associate editor 2016-2024), Journal of Business Ethics (associate section editor until 2025), Organization & Environment (associate editor 2019-2025; Co-Editor-in-Chief since 2025).
  • Honorary doctorate from Danubius University, Galati, Romania (2017).
  • Member of steering committees of the framework research program "Research for Sustainability" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (2004-2008), the BMBF research program "Sustainable Biotechnology" (2003-2007), the research program "Sustainable Infrastructure Development" of the Swiss National Science Foundation (2004-2011), and the High-Tech Forum for the implementation and further development of the High-Tech Strategy of the Federal Government (2015-2017).
  • Jury and methodology partner of the Next Economy Award and member of the jury of the German Sustainability Award (since 2010), member of the steering committee of EMAN (Environmental and Sustainability Management Accounting Network; since 2001, 2005-2020 Chairman); member of various corporate sustainability advisory boards.

Awards/Prizes (Selection)

  • 2025 Hall of Fame Award of the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ) for Interdisciplinary Accounting Research
  • 2020 - 2025: Ranked in Stanford's top 2% of scientists worldwide
  • 2023: Mary Parker Follett award for Outstanding Paper (Max Baker, Rob Gray and Stefan Schaltegger: Debating accounting and sustainability: from incompatibility to rapprochement in the pursuit of corporate sustainability, AAAJ, 36(2), 591-619).
  • 2019: Karl-Leitl-Partnership-award (together with Erik Hansen) for the article "The sustainability balanced scoregard: A systematic review of architectures" (journal of business ethics, 133, 193-221).
  • 2011: Outstanding reviewer: Award for Excellence 2011
  • 2007: Environmental award in the category "Science" by Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management (B.A.U.M.) e.V.
  • 2003: Research award ("article of merit") by the Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) together with Roger Burritt and Tobias Hahn
  • 1992: Best Paper award of the Academy of Management (1992) together with Ann Ilinitch
  • Various awards for publications as "top-downloaded" and "top-cited" in different journals

 

Teaching

Sustainability management

Research Interests

  • Concepts and methods of sustainability management (strategic sustainability management, operationalisation of corporate sustainability, biodiversity management)
  • Sustainable entrepreneurship
  • Measurement and management of corporate sustainability performance (environmental and sustainability accounting and reporting, sustainability management control, Sustainability Balanced Scorecard, etc.)
  • Management of stakeholder relationships

Projects

  1. KuNaH-T - Realexperimente transformativer Lern- und Forschungsprozesse für eine Kultur der Nachhaltigkeit an Hochschulen - Transferphase. Teilprojekt: Guideline für informelle Prozesse zwischen Change Agents und Governance
    Stefan Schaltegger (Project manager, academic)
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    Project: Research

  2. Innovationsnetzwerk Zukunftsfaktor Nachhaltigkeit
    Stefan Schaltegger (Project manager, academic)
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    Project: Research

  3. Embracing Transformation: Companies as Drivers of Sustainability Transformations
    Stefan Schaltegger (Project manager, academic) , Hannah Trittin-Ulbrich (Project manager, academic) , Jacob Hörisch (Project manager, academic) , Michael Gielnik (Project manager, academic) , Sara Dahlman (Coordination) , Laura Christina Hetzler (Project staff)
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    Project: Research

  4. Research Consortium ‘Sustainability governance of global value chains’
    Jens Newig (Project manager, academic) , (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Franca Bülow (Coordination) , Barbara Ehbauer (Project staff) , Jelto Makris (Project staff) , Jelena Bäumler (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Elke Schüßler (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Stefan Schaltegger (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Patrick Velte (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , Alexander Schall (Co-Projectmanager, academic) , (Project manager, academic) , (Project manager, academic) , (Project manager, academic) , (Project staff) , Kathleen Evers (Project staff) , Nora Große (Project staff) , Finn Jonas Bongert (Project staff) , (Project staff) , (Project staff) , (Project staff) , (Project staff) , (Project staff) , (Project staff) , Saumya Satishbhai Raval (Project staff)
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    Project: Research

  5. TrICo Subproject: Community Sustainable Production
    Noomane Ben Khalifa (Project manager, academic) , Jens Heger (Project manager, academic) , Benjamin Klusemann (Project manager, academic) , Stefan Schaltegger (Project manager, academic) , Matthias Schmidt (Project manager, academic) , Jonah Schulz (Project staff) , (Partner) , (Partner) , Paul Zeise (Project staff) , Leo Hendriok (Project staff) , Roman Krämer (Project staff)
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    Project: Transfer (Scientific Services)

View all projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Special issue: Frameworks for Sustainability Management
    Jacob Hörisch (Editor) , Stefan Schaltegger (Editor) , Ilka Weissbrod (Editor) , Philipp Schreck (Editor) , 2023 Berlin

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  2. Special Issue on Impact Investing – Critical Examinations of Motivations, Processes and Results
    Kai Hockerts (Editor) , Lisa Hehenberger (Editor) , Stefan Schaltegger (Editor) , Vanina Farber (Editor) , 2022 Dordrecht , 180 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  3. Special issue on Responsible Management Learning:: Change and Innovation for Sustainability, Responsibility, Ethics
    Oliver Laasch (Editor) , Dirk C. Moosmayer (Editor) , Stefan Schaltegger (Editor) , Elena Antonacopoulou (Editor) , 2020 Dordrecht

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  4. Journal of Public Affairs, Special issue: “The marketing and public affairs of sustainability”
    Tim Breitbarth (Editor) , Stefan Schaltegger (Editor) , John Mahon (Editor) , 2018

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  5. Accounting for Sustainability: Asia Pacific Perspectives
    Ki-Hoon Lee (Editor) , Stefan Schaltegger (Editor) , 2018 Cham , 305 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Collected editions and anthologies › Research

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Measuring Stakeholder Theory Mindsets: Development and Validation of a Measurement Scale
    Jacob Hörisch (Author) , Laura Ackermann (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , Bidhan L. Parmar (Author) , R. Edward Freeman (Author) , 24.04.2026 , in: Journal of Management , 32 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  2. Werden Unternehmen durch verpflichtende Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung nachhaltiger?: Warum mehr Nachhaltigkeitsberichte allein nicht automatisch zu mehr unternehmerischer Nachhaltigkeit führen
    Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , Benjamin Sachs (Author) , 05.02.2026 , in: NWB Nachhaltigkeit und Reporting, 2026, 2 , p. 42-49 , 8 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review

  3. Managing Organizations in the Natural Environment: Envisaging New Research Journeys
    Minna Halme (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 01.12.2025 , in: Organization and Environment, 38, 4 , p. 475-480 , 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

  4. Management Responses to Climate Change: An Analysis of Scholarly Recommendations
    Jean Pierre Imbrogiano (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , Olivier Boiral (Author) , 01.10.2025 , in: Sustainable Development, 33, 5 , p. 6680-6692 , 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research

  5. An Exploration of the Practical Relevance of Inquiries into Management Responses to Climate Change
    Jean Pierre Imbrogiano (Author) , Stefano Ghinoi (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 17.06.2025 , in: Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings, 2025, 1 , 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Conference article in journal › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Welche Dienstleistungen benötigt die (große) Nachhaltigkeitstransformation
    Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 01.01.2024 , p. 239-252 , 14 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  2. Sustainability-oriented technology exploration: managerial values, ambidextrous design, and separation drift
    Erik Gunnar Hansen (Author) , Samuel Wicki (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 31.03.2023 , p. 351-377 , 27 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  3. Business Model Innovation for Sustainability
    Florian Lüdeke-Freund (Author) , Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 30.03.2023 Second Edition ed. Cambridge , p. 388-411 , 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research › peer-review

  4. Wer gewinnt? Steigendes (DNP-)Anspruchsniveau an das Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement
    Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , 28.03.2023 Düsseldorf , p. 48-49 , 2 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Other › Transfer

  5. Environmental management accounting: development, context, contribution and outlook
    Stefan Schaltegger (Author) , Roger Burritt (Author) , Katherine Leanne Christ (Author) , 04.08.2022 Cheltenham , p. 260-278 , 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research

View all publications

Activities

  1. Connecting Digital Sustainability to Sustainable Supply Chain Management - A systematic review
    Stefan Schaltegger (Speaker) , Barbara Ehbauer (Speaker) , Chamath Ekanayake (Speaker) , Ki-Hoon Lee (Speaker)
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    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  2. Generating Ideas & Collaborations for O&E Debates and O&E Viewpoints
    Stefan Schaltegger (Speaker) , Eva Niesten (Speaker) , Natalie Slawinski (Speaker) , Lucrezia Nava (Speaker) , Minna Halme (Speaker) , Erik G. Hansen (Speaker)
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    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  3. Visual representations of sustainability frameworks. Their roles in education for sustainability accounting
    Stefan Schaltegger (Speaker) , Katherine Leanne Christ (Speaker) , Roger Burritt (Speaker)
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    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  4. Sustainability Management. Revisiting 20 Years of Research and Practice. The AI Era. Innovation, Criticalities and Challenges. - Keynote
    Stefan Schaltegger (Speaker)
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    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  5. Artificial Intelligencies for Sustainable Business Model Innovations
    Stefan Schaltegger (Speaker) , Götz Römer (Speaker)
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    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

View all activities

Press / Media

  1. Wie wird Krieg Teil von Lieferketten?
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  2. Gastkommentar: Regenerative Energien für Frieden, Freiheit und Umwelt
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  3. Podcast bei AUFWIND ZUKUNFT
    1 participation

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  4. Bleibt Nachhaltigkeit ein ewiger Traum?
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  5. Interview Consulting.de: "Wie nachhaltig ein Unternehmen ist, bemisst sich nicht daran, wie es sein Geld verteilt – sondern daran, wie es sein Geld verdient"
    1 Media contribution

    Press/Media: Press/Media

View all press/media coverage

Prizes

  1. Hall of Fame Award 2025 of the AAAJ for Interdisciplinary Accounting Research
    Stefan Schaltegger (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  2. Ranked in Stanford study of the world´s top 2% scientists 2025
    Stefan Schaltegger (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  3. Ranked in Stanford study of the world´s top 2% scientists 2024
    Stefan Schaltegger (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  4. AAAJ Mary Parker Follett award for the most outstanding paper 2023
    Stefan Schaltegger (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  5. Ranked in Stanford study of the world´s top 2% scientists 2023
    Stefan Schaltegger (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

View all prizes

Courses

Concepts and tools of sustainability management
Stefan Schaltegger
Concepts and Tools for Sustainability Management (Seminar in English):
This seminar provides an overview of concepts and tools that support management in meeting challenges of corporate sustainability. Key sustainability management tools are presented individually and according to their application in a range of business functions (e.g. production, marketing, strategic management, etc.). Benchmarking, quality circles, scenario analysis and stakeholder dialogue are examples of instruments, which are more narrowly defined and aim to achieve a specific objective of sustainability management. Concepts represent broader approaches that coordinate and integrate specific instruments to achieve a group of objectives in multiple business functions. Important concepts are for instance the sustainability balanced scorecard and environmental management systems. On the other hand, systems involve multiple stages in the management process and serve the structural designing of sustainability management, such as a sustainability-oriented incentive system.
The aim of this seminar is not only to gain an understanding of such tools but also to become aware of their application throughout a range of business functions. Each week, a different business function will be discussed. The course work includes presentations and slide decks that analyse the sustainability management tools based on their strengths and weaknesses to meet sustainability management challenges as well as their application in various functional areas.
Next appointment:
Tuesday, 2026-06-30 at 10:15
Room: C 11.308 Seminarraum
Doctoral Colloquium CSM
Julia Benkert, Stefan Schaltegger
In diesem Kolloquium werden die Promotionsvorhaben der Promotionsstudenten /-Stipendiaten des CSM vorgestellt und zusammen mit den Professor*innen und anderen Betreuer*innen diskutiert.
Next appointment:
Lectures for this semester ended.
For SEAL and SRMC students: Development of strategies for water reuse using blue-green infrastructures in the Lüneburg area
Oliver Olsson, Stefan Schaltegger
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-06-29 at 14:15
Room: C 11.308 Seminarraum
Masterforum SEAL
Jacob Hörisch, Stefan Schaltegger, Maureen Schulze
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-07-01 at 14:15
Room: C 12.010 Seminarraum
Radical sustainability transformations. From a literature analysis to analysing corporate practice
Stefan Schaltegger, Jakob Matthias Strobel
Dieses Seminar geht der Frage nach, was unter einer radikalen Nachhaltigkeitstransformation verstanden werden kann und welche Bedeutung dies für ein Unternehmen hat. Dabei werden Fragen erörtert wie, wo enden inkrementelle und wo starten disruptive Nachhaltigkeitstransformationen? Wer initiiert, wer treibt und wer organisiert Nachhaltigkeitstransformationen? Welche Stufen und Methoden können in so einem Transformationsprozess unterschieden werden?

Im ersten Teil des Seminars wird anhand von einschlägiger und zu recherchierender Literatur ein Überblick über unterschiedliche Verständnisse von Nachhaltigkeitstransformationen entwickelt und präsentiert. Im zweiten Teil des Seminars werden die besprochenen Theorien und Konzepte auf Praxisbeispiele von Unternehmen übertragen, die eine radikale Nachhaltigkeitstransformation durchlebt haben oder sich in ihr befinden. Aus den Analysen sollen Folgerungen für das Management von Unternehmen gezogen werden, denen eine Nachhaltigkeitstransformation noch bevorsteht.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-07-01 at 10:15
Room: C 11.320 Seminarraum