Outline

Overview

This unit provides students with the opportunity to integrate and apply their learning by conceptualising a business that addresses a sustainability challenge or creates positive social impact. Drawing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students explore principles of responsible business design, including stakeholder engagement, circular economy models, impact measurement, and environmental and social governance (ESG). Through project-based learning and design thinking, students gain experience in building business models that balance purpose, profit, and long-term sustainability.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Management Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	MMGT6016 and MMGT6110
Corequisites ?	MMGT6012
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Carlos Vazquez Hernandez, carlos.vazquezhernandez@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 May 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Build the Concept Written analysis with supporting visuals	30%	Week 02 Due date: 01 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 10 May 2026	Up to 1,500 words (~5 pages)	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Experimental design	Test the Concept Proof of Concept with evidence pack, and internal pitch document	35%	Week 04 Due date: 11 May 2026 at 23:59 Closing date: 20 May 2026	Up to 1,800 words (~6-pages, incl. PoC)	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Creative work	Deploy the Concept 1 digital prototype and related supporting documentation of no more than 1,000 words	35%	Week 05 Due date: 20 May 2026 at 13:30 Closing date: 30 May 2026	1 Digital Prototype & Documentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

1. Build the Concept (30%). Individual Assessment: Assess students’ ability to diagnose a sustainability challenge within a real business system and design a responsible business concept grounded in behavioural and systems thinking. This assessment evaluates students’ capacity to identify unsustainable behaviours/events, articulate critical behavioural and systems assumptions, and propose plausible interventions under real organisational constraints. It establishes the conceptual and analytical foundation for subsequent empirical testing, and deployment.

2. Test the Concept (35%). Individual Assessment: Assess students’ ability to empirically test a sustainability intervention by observing what people actually do under constraint. This assessment focuses on experimental reasoning, measurement, ethical judgment, and evidence-based iteration. Students must validate or disconfirm their critical assumption using a proof-of-concept that involves real choices, trade-offs, or effort costs, mirroring how sustainability initiatives succeed or fail in practice.

3. Deploy the Concept (35%). Group Assessment: Assess students’ ability to translate validated insights into a scalable and ethically defensible business solution. Working in teams with shortlisted concepts, students develop a functional prototype, impact strategy, and scaling logic that demonstrate how a sustainability transformation could be implemented within a large organisation. This assessment emphasises integration across behavioural evidence, systems constraints, commercial viability, ESG impact, and governance.

Please refer to the Canvas site for further details.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties will be applied subject to the University's Simple Extension and Special Consideration provisions.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 09	Module 1: Introduction and The Sustainability Mandate	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 09	Module 2: Problem Framing	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 10	Module 3: Behavioural Mapping and Levers	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 10	Module 4: Build the Transformation	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 11	Module 5: Foundations for Testing the Transformation	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 11	Module 6: Designing the Test for Transformation	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 12	Module 7: Solution Framing & Build Plan	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 12	Module 8: Begin Technical Development	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 13	Module 9: Finalise Transformation & Storytelling	Seminar (4 hr)
Week 13	Module 10: Showcase & Close	Seminar (3 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. explain the role of business in contributing to sustainable development
LO2. critically assess the alignment between business models and social/environmental outcomes
LO3. evaluate trade-offs in balancing financial, social, and ecological priorities
LO4. develop a responsible business model that addresses a sustainability challenge
LO5. communicate and justify design decisions using ethical, strategic, and impact-based reasoning.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit is being offered for the first time in 2026.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

MMGT6120: Transforming Business for Sustainability

Semester 1b, 2026 [Block mode] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links