What is the Economy for the Common Good?
When we think of Business Studies, most people probably think of large companies, profits and competition. The Economy for the Common Good wants to change that. Its aim is to anchor values such as solidarity, responsibility and exchange, which we live by every day in our interpersonal relationships, as fundamental values in Business Studies too. The Economy for the Common Good is therefore an alternative economic system. It is no longer primarily about profits, but the common good is at the forefront of this form of Business Studies. Companies and organizations that actively do something for the common good and strive to preserve nature are rewarded.
What is a common good balance sheet?
In an economy for the common good, the common good balance sheet is the main balance sheet. It is a form of sustainability report. It measures the extent to which a company - in our case Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts - contributes to the common good. The balance sheet indicates, for example, the extent to which the UAS enables employees to combine work and family life, whether ecologically sustainable products are used in purchasing or whether barrier-free studying is possible. The common good balance sheet thus provides answers to the question of whether and how social and ecological sustainability is actually practiced at the UAS and where there is still a need for action.
Economy for the common good at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts
How is the common good balance sheet drawn up at the University of Applied Sciences?
Under the guidance of the CSR Office and external public value consultants, the public value balance sheet is drawn up by the employees and students of the UAS themselves. It is therefore a participatory process in which all interested members of the UAS can take part. Workshops are offered to familiarize yourself with the common good balance sheet and to work out together what we want to include in the report. The workshops can also be used to develop concrete ideas on how things can be done better in certain areas of activity. The aim of the whole process is to engage in an exchange with as many people as possible about how we can shape our university for a sustainable future. At the end of the process, the UAS will also receive a certificate confirming that it has drawn up a common good balance sheet. This would make it one of only a few universities in Germany with a common good balance sheet. It would even be a pioneer for NRW.
Who can register where?
All interested parties who work or study at the UAS are cordially invited to participate. Everyone can decide for themselves which events to attend depending on their interests. The only request is that people who take part in one of the topic-specific workshops in March also take part in the corresponding workshop in June. Please register at csr-officefh-dortmundde or on 0231 9112 8986. When registering, please state your name, role (e.g. administrative employee, computer science student or professor of architecture) and the date(s) you would like to attend.
