This thesis covers with problems of business ethics on both macroeconomic and microeconomic level. It is focused firstly on specific expressions of ethical business approaches but at the same time it represents theoretical methods how one can achieve them. This thesis states that the basic principle of business ethics is a principle of long-term existing and sustainability. Similarly, it refers to modern trends in ethical business such as sustainable consumption and Fair Trade. The thesis evaluates current situation in companies' ethical manner and moreover, it describes an example of the company Marks&Spencer as a one of the leading corporation in the area of business ethics. Accordingly, it is a proof that ethics and business are not an oxymoron but they go hand in hand.

With growing concern around the fashion industry’s socio-environmental impact, the industry has come under intense scrutiny by researchers as well as stakeholders. Research on the industry’s negative impact has focused largely on large, international enterprises, failing to recognize the role of small and medium enterprises. This thesis explores drivers and barriers to the commitment to sustainability initiatives among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Swedish fashion industry. To achieve the aim of the study, semi-structured interviews with SME owner-managers from 11 Swedish small fashion brands were conducted. The data was analyzed using an extended theory of planned behaviour framework.  The study findings identified the influence of customer expectations and market opportunities as drivers while highlighting the role of pro-sustainability ethical values as the most prevalent driver to commitment to sustainability initiatives. Important barriers included lack of resources, supply chain challenges and the challenges of overcoming the dominance of fast fashion consumer behaviours. Despite these barriers, the importance of pro-sustainability ethics was underscored in its potential to overcome many of these barriers.

Zwei Kontrahenten in der Debatte um Nachhaltigkeit und die Angemessenheit von rigorosen Nachhaltigkeitsforderungen: Während der eine mit seiner Nachhaltigkeitsvision auf Freiheit, individuelle Verantwortung und technologische Innovationen setzt und weiterhin aus dem Vollen schöpfen möchte, hält der andere den ungebremsten Fortschritt und eine Zunahme der Möglichkeiten für eine Überforderung der Verantwortung und ist überzeugt von asketischen Lösungen. Im Zuge des weitläufigen, erzählerisch eingerahmten Dialogs werden anhand verschiedener Gesichtspunkte immer wieder neue Positionsgegensätze durchgespielt. Zwischen den oft kooperativen Gesprächsepisoden, die teils theoretische Vogelperspektiven erschließen und ein gemeinsames Problemverständnis anzeigen, brechen immer wieder tiefgehende Polarisierungen durch.

This master’s thesis delves into the inner dimension of Sustainability, aspiring to highlight the vitality of Human Values (HV) in creating durable societal change. Its purpose is to identify particular (individual and communal) values that can be vital in transformations, as well as to underline the role of Education in reinforcing them. Guiding questions for the research were the following: i) what sorts of character qualities are beneficial to be stimulated in individuals through pedagogical practices to facilitate Sustainability changes, and ii) how Education for Sustainability can contribute to achieving that mission? To answer the questions, both theoretical literature and a pedagogical application were examined. Firstly, through reviewing relevant texts focused on Human Values (HV), Environmental Ethics (EE) and Sustainability Ethics (SE). Secondly, a two–week ethnographical based research in ‘‘Arillas’’ outdoor pedagogical project on Corfu - Greece, to explore their pedagogical ethos and praxis. Aiming to frame a holistic view of the project’s pedagogical approaches, the ethnographic research was conducted with field–observations, dialogues, a video–stimulated recall with the teacher and official document investigation. Based on the ethnographic findings and the theory of Human Values developed by Shalom S. Schwartz, this study synthesizes and proposes the value framework of Eutopía, consisted by three core egoistic, altruistic and biospheric values: Autenérgeia, Synérgia and Symbíosis.

Yes / Corporations in the 21st play a decisive role in the future of society. Their power and influence in world affairs often seems devoid of ethics and seems to exceed the reach and the means of many nations. As a result, the strategic positions they take towards value creation and ethics affects every individual on the planet. This paper explores strategic routes that organisations could apply to facilitate economic growth while ensuring their ecological integrity and ensuring social enhancement generating benefits to a wider scope of organisational stakeholders. By conducting a critical analysis and clarifying common misconceptions between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Creating Shared Value (CSV) and Sustainability, it is possible to determine how these interrelated strategic approaches have evolved. This article argues the importance of transforming the purpose of organisations to encapsulate stakeholder value creation as the main reason for their existence.

Nous sommes devenus insoutenables. Il faut organiser une responsabilité globale pour prendre soin deseffets systémiques planétaires de l’action collective. La Responsabilité Sociale peut être le modèlepratique de cette responsabilité au niveau des organisations. Mais il faut pouvoir fonder éthiquementcette nouvelle responsabilité collective, sans auteur, prospective, et qui n’impute plus tant les actes enles attribuant à des sujets que les impacts des actes en créant des collectifs solidaires. C’est ce que nousfaisons dans cette thèse, en fondant une éthique à trois dimensions : vertu, justice, soutenabilité ; et enreformulant la Responsabilité Sociale des Sciences comme celle des Entreprises sous l’égide d’uneéthique de la discussion. Sur ces fondements éthiques, la Responsabilité Sociale ne peut plus êtreconçue comme engagement volontaire mais comme devoir à institutionnaliser par régulation hybridede notre coresponsabilité / We have become unsustainable. We have to organize a global responsibility to take care of theplanetary side-effects of human action. Social Responsibility may be the practical model of thisresponsibility for the various organizations. But we must found ethically this new collective,anonymous and prospective responsibility, which is not imputing acts to somebody any longer, butcreates united groups to take care of the impacts of people’s acts. In this philosophical thesis, we definea 3D ethic: virtue, justice, sustainability. We reformulate Corporate Social Responsibility andScientific Social Responsibility under the aegis of the discourse ethics (Apel, Habermas). Because ofthis ethical foundation, Social Responsibility can no longer be conceived as a voluntary commitmentbut as a duty that has to be institutionalized by a hybrid regulation of our shared responsibility / Nos hemos vuelto insostenibles. Hay que organizar una responsabilidad global para cuidar de losefectos sistémicos planetarios de la acción colectiva. La responsabilidad social puede ser el modelopráctico de esta responsabilidad en las organizaciones. Pero hay que poder fundamentar éticamenteesta nueva responsabilidad colectiva, sin autor, prospectiva, y que, en lugar de imputar actos a sujetos,imputa más bien impactos de los actos creando colectivos solidarios. Es lo que hacemos en esta tesis,fundamentando una ética en tres dimensiones: virtud, justicia, sostenibilidad; y reformulando laresponsabilidad social científica tanto como empresarial en términos de ética del discurso. Sobre estosfundamentos éticos, ya no se puede seguir concibiendo la responsabilidad social como compromisovoluntario facultativo, sino como deber a institucionalizar mediante una regulación híbrida de nuestracorresponsabilidad