Business and the challenges of the Anthropocene

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Sybille Mertens de Wilmars

Substitute(s)

Antoine Huberland

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The Anthropocene is a term used to describe a new period in Earth's history in which human activities have profoundly changed the natural environment. Humans have become the main force influencing living conditions on the planet.

In public debate, this term refers to a very serious and multifaceted ecological crisis: species extinction, global warming, pollution, etc. These problems also have significant social consequences, such as conflicts, migration, epidemics and the rise of extremism, especially in a world already marked by significant inequalities.

Faced with this situation, one thing is clear: our survival will depend on our ability to profoundly transform our lifestyles, production and consumption patterns. This is referred to as transition, or even radical change (bifurcation).

This course examines the Anthropocene from a business perspective. The Anthropocene threatens business models and production chains. However, firms also have a key role to play in the transition, working in partnership with public policy makers and citizens.

Drawing on scientific research and concrete examples, this course takes an in-depth look at current business practices and explores how, in a new, complex and uncertain context, firms can reinvent themselves in all dimensions: purpose, monitoring, business model, financing, value chain, human resources management, leadership.

The programme is ambitious: it aims to set intelligent and clear guidelines to replace 'business as usual' and explore new possibilities.

 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• describe the Anthropocene and translate this context into challenges (threats and opportunities) for firms
• develop a critical view of business practices in terms of their impact on people and the planet
• analyse and imagine innovative and robust business practices and their potential to contribute to a just transition towards a society in harmony with planetary boundaries.

• understand the political, societal and economic context of a complex situation and identify the constraints that apply to it
• understand the societal, economic, political and environmental issues involved in a complex situation.
• adopt a systemic approach when analysing a complex management problem.
• demonstrate critical thinking, curiosity and scientific rigour at university level.
• take a critical and ethical look at their managerial practices.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

• Students must have completed a basic course in economics and an introductory course in business.
  Students must be able to express themselves in French or English and must be able to read French and English fluently.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The planned learning activities include:

• Lectures (conceptual and theoretical presentations by teachers)
• Workshops to co-create certain lectures with groups of students
• Preparation (reading, watching documentaries prior to sessions and discussing them in class)
• A cultural experience

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

This course is not podcasted.

Part 1 - Context and challenges of the Anthropocene

• The Anthropocene
• Challenges for businesses
• A desirable society, guidelines for a just transition to a world in harmony with planetary boundaries
• The limits of the economic system
• The need to rethink business

• Rethinking purpose and governance
• Rethinking financing
• Rethinking business models
• Rethinking sales and marketing
• Rethinking value chains
• Rethinking HRM and leadership

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- LOL@


Further information:

• A bibliography will be suggested for each topic covered. These documents will be posted on Lol@.
• A notebook for noting down surprising discoveries will be distributed during the first class and will be used during each session.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

Continuous assessment


Further information:

Assessment includes continuous assessment and a written examination during the session.

The first part of the written examination consists of closed questions. Please note that passing this 'closed questions' section is a prerequisite for passing the course overall.

If the student fails this part (mark <50%), the mark obtained for this part automatically becomes the sole component of the overall mark.

If the student passes this part (mark > or = 50%), their overall mark will be composed of their mark for the 'closed-ended questions' part of the written exam (50%), their mark for the 'open-ended questions' part of the written exam (30%), and their continuous assessment mark based on active participation (assignments, participation in the co-construction of a session, attendance at sessions) (20%).

Examples:

I get 8/20 in the 'closed questions' section, I obtain 8/20 for my overall assessment

I get 10/20 for the 'closed questions' section, 12/20 for the open questions section and 15/20 for the continuous assessment, I get (5/10 + 3.6/6 + 3/4 = 11.6/20 -> 12/20)

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The course is held in Q1 every Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. (N1A, room 0/59).

First class: 26 September 2025, last class: 5 December 2025


Please note that in order to protect students' ability to concentrate and encourage interaction within the audience, the use of phones, tablets and computers will be prohibited during lectures. It will be only allowed during workshops.

Students are asked to make arrangements from the first class onwards and to bring the necessary equipment to take notes without digital aids (notepads, pens).

Students who are unable to attend a class session must adopt a professional attitude and notify the teachers by email, stating in the subject line 'ABSENCE from the class "Businesses facing the challenges of the Anthropocene" + date of the session'.

Contacts

Antoine Huberland - antoine.huberland@uliege.be

Sybille Mertens - smertens@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs