Center for Corporate Sustainability

The University for Continuing Education Krems stands for knowledge that seeks to shape the future. The Center for Corporate Sustainability connects this knowledge with entrepreneurial action. It understands sustainability holistically, as a multidimensional and context-sensitive field of inquiry: economic, ecological, and social aspects are considered alongside cultural, historical, and psychological dimensions of organizations—ranging from societal sustainability discourses and behavioral-economic decision-making logics to questions of entrepreneurial well-being and long-term performance. Through its research, the Center provides orientation and new perspectives for responsible entrepreneurship that creates long-term value and enables change.

The following goals are of particular focus:

Identifying fields of action and potential
Where does the business sector need support to use its sustainability leverage more effectively? Which topics are already well developed in academia and waiting to be translated into practice? Transdisciplinary research and dialogue make these fields visible, systematize them, and set priorities. This creates orientation for companies and focus for research.

Differentiated analysis of entrepreneurship
Which facets, motivations, and life realities shape entrepreneurial action? How are these diverse dimensions reflected in public and academic discourse? The Center systematically examines how people in entrepreneurial roles make decisions, which individual and contextual factors influence their actions, and how these are embedded in economic, ecological, and social contexts. In this way, it develops scientific foundations that enable a more comprehensive and context-sensitive understanding of entrepreneurship.

Research into psychological well-being as an aspect of sustainable economic activity
How do mental health, experienced strain, and individual well-being influence how entrepreneurial responsibility is perceived and how sustainable decisions are made? The Center investigates the relationships between sustainable transformation processes and individual factors such as stress regulation, motivation, and psychological well-being—particularly among leaders and entrepreneurial personalities. The aim is to make the reciprocal dynamics between individual well-being and sustainable action visible and to develop a deeper understanding of this key influencing factor.

Designing reciprocal learning processes for innovation and societal impact
How can companies and academia combine their different perspectives, resources, and strengths in ways that generate innovative and socially effective solutions? The Center promotes structured exchange, transdisciplinary cooperation, and joint knowledge production through dialogue with the business community. This gives rise to approaches that are technologically, socially, and ecologically viable—and anchors academic work where transformative power emerges: in lived business practice.