RTG doctoral student at the NAMA 2025 in Chemnitz

Sustainability research meets European culture

The annual NAMA conference, organized by the Association of University Professors of Business Administration (VHB), once again brought together researchers and practitioners from across the region to share insights on the topic of sustainability management. This year, the event took place in Chemnitz on September 25 and 26. The European Capital of Culture not only offered a stimulating academic environment, but also a varied cultural program. As one of the central platforms for dialog in the German-speaking sustainability management community, NAMA particularly promotes the discussion of the latest research developments and their relevance for science and practice.

Doctoral student Varun Bharadwaj Gurugubelli (sub-project F5) of the Boysen-TUD-RTG also presented his research work entitled "Decision Making after Sustainability Assessment: Case Study Research on Sustainability-Oriented Innovation" with the aim of presenting preliminary results and receiving constructive feedback from the community on methodological decisions and research design and incorporating them into his work. The subsequent feedback and Q&A session resulted in very positive feedback on both the relevance and the approach of the doctroal student's research work. This year's NAMA conference made it clear that sustainability audits, integrated evaluations and non-financial reporting are increasingly coming to the fore, underlining the relevance and importance of Mr. Gurugubelli's core research areas within the broader discourse.

The conference offered a rich program highlighting sustainability research from different perspectives. Participants presented work that utilized diverse and modern methodologies and demonstrated how sustainability is being integrated into key areas of business and management such as accounting, reporting, supply chain management, operations, entrepreneurship and legal framework conditions. The program combined both research- and practice-oriented aspects, e.g. with a stimulating panel discussion from an academic perspective and a keynote from industry that bridged theory and practice. A highlight of the event was the keynote speech by Lutz Am Ende, Head of Sustainability at the Hassia Group, entitled "Thinking strategically and applying sustainability systematically". His presentation and the subsequent discussion on water management provided valuable insights into corporate approaches to sustainability.

In addition to the academic sessions, the conference offered a variety of opportunities for networking and exchange. There were opportunities for interaction, for example, at the doctoral colloquium, which promoted dialog between early-career researchers, as well as during guided laboratory tours, which provided practical insights into sustainability applications. For doctoral student Varun Gurugubelli and the numerous other participants, new contact opportunities opened up to deepen their own research, combined with the anticipation of a continuation of NAMA in Düsseldorf in 2026.