Road to Net Zero: Strategic Pathways for Sustainability-Driven Business Transformation

With this open access book, delve into the insights of respected leaders from academia and industry as they unravel the intricacies of sustainability-driven business transformation. This meticulously curated edited volume reflects on The Road To Net Zero, underscoring the need for pioneering pathways. Embark on a collaborative learning journey and explore key issues along the road to transformation, such as crafting corporate sustainability strategies, new forms of corporate disclosure, transforming value chains, and harnessing the power of technological innovation. Packed with guiding questions and distilled findings from research, this book is a must-read for all decision-makers, strategists, engaged citizens, educators, and learners committed to driving change and shaping a more sustainable future.

About the Author

Oliver Zipse is Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG since 2019. He joined BMW AG in 1991 and has held various responsibilities within the company in development, technical planning, and production in Munich, South Africa, and the UK. He holds a Dipl. Ing. Degree from the Technical University of Darmstadt and an Executive MBA from the WHU Koblenz and the Kellogg School of Management Evanston/USA. In addition, he is an honorary professor at the Technical University of Munich.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Joachim Hornegger is President of the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Germany, and former Chair of Pattern Recognition at the Faculty of Engineering (FAU). During his professional career he was a guest researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Computer Science Department at Stanford University. In addition to his research activities, he held various positions in the medical technology industry at Siemens Medical Solutions.

Dr. Thomas Becker is Vice President of Sustainability and Mobility at BMW AG, Germany. After studying business administration at the University of Cologne (Germany), he completed his doctorate at the University of Witten/Herdecke (Germany) before working as an environmental policy officer at the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and later as Deputy Managing Director of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).

Prof. Dr. Markus Beckmann holds the Chair for Corporate Sustainability Management at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Prior to his appointment at FAU, he worked as an assistant professor of social entrepreneurship at the Centre for Sustainability Management, Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Germany). His research focuses on sustainability management and social entrepreneurship, as well as business ethics and corporate social responsibility.

Michael Bengsch works in the Corporate Strategy Department for Sustainability and Mobility at BMW AG, Germany. He studied electrical and computer engineering at the Technical University of Munich (Germany).

Dr. Irene Feige is Head of Climate Strategy and Circular Economy at BMW AG, Germany. After studying economics at Vienna University of Economics and Business, she completed her doctorate in economics at the University of Innsbruck, while also taking part in research stays in Cambridge (US), Beijing and Shanghai. During her career at BMW, she has taken on several positions in corporate strategy, communication, and research.

Markus Schober works in strategy consulting for the automotive industry and is a start-up entrepreneur. Previously, he worked for several years as university-industry relations manager at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. He studied Industrial Engineering& Management at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg and East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai.