Sustain­ability Gov­ernance Group (SGG)

About 
The Sustainability Governance Group (SGG) develops and supports interdisciplinary research on the governance of sustainability across global contexts. In addition to research and publication, the group engages in sustainability education, policy outreach, fundraising, and collaboration with practitioners to strengthen sustainability governance in practice.

Purpose
SGG aims to generate knowledge on how sustainability is governed and organised. The group examines the institutional contexts, power relations, ethical considerations, and governance mechanisms that shape sustainability outcomes, contributing to both academic understanding and practical solutions.

Areas of Expertise
Private Authority and Public Policy 
Global Value Chains MSIs, Partnerships, Standards 
Regulation 
Corporate Citizenship 
Political CSR 
Sustainability 
Sustainable Development Goals 
Sustainable Development 
Global Production Network 
International Supply Chains and International Trade 
Human Rights 
Labour 
Environment 
Tax and Finance 
Anti-corruption 
International Business

Research
Reflecting the imperatives for interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability, the group’s research spans a broad range of fields from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to international development.

SGG’s shared interests lie at the intersection of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Particular strengths include governance and sustainability as related to global value chains, CSR, development, public and private regulation, human rights, power and justice, human development and capabilities, international business, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Within these areas, the research explores different approaches to governance, tensions and trade-offs, intended and unintended impacts, and multi-level interactions (micro–meso–macro) between governance processes.

By sustainability, the group refers to economic, environmental, and social criteria of well-being and justice. The SDGs provide a broad thematic framework, with particular emphasis on SDGs 16 and 17.

By governance, the group refers to how sustainability is governed and organised. This includes attention to:

• Institutions and institutional contexts that shape sustainability governance (e.g. international organisations, governments, and private authorities in business and civil society)
• The normative foundations of sustainability governance (power dynamics, societal morals, organisational ethics, legal norms, principles of justice, inequality)
• The mechanisms deployed (rules, incentives, standards, principles, “smart-mix” regulation, technological solutions)

SGG also engages with policymakers and practitioners to share insights, disseminate knowledge, and nurture collaborative endeavours that strengthen sustainability governance in practice.