Jessica Thomas, MBA
Director, Business Sustainability Collaborative & Lecturer, Department of Managment, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Sustainability Approach
“I see business sustainability as a strategy to drive innovation and competitive advantage. In my teaching, research and project engagement, I look for opportunities to make the business case for sustainability, to demonstrate how business sustainability can be a strategy that is good for people, good for the planet and good for the bottom line.”
Research Specialties
- Business ethics
- Corporate social responsibility
- Sustainable business strategy
- Social innovation
Sustainability Related Courses Taught
- MIE 306 – Managing Ethics in Organizations – This course helps students understand the relationships between ethics, social responsibility, and sustainability in the firm and how to addresses the challenges and leadership requirements in developing and implementing ethical and sustainable business strategies.
Contact Information
Key Research Publications
Anne-Claire Broughton and Jessica Thomas, “Embracing Open-Book Management to Fuel Employee Engagement and Corporate Sustainability,” Chapel Hill, NC: UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, 2012.
Lisa Jones Christensen and Jessica Thomas, “Procter & Gamble’s PuR Water Purifier: The Hunt for a Sustainable Business Model,” featured in Hamschmidt, J. and Pirson, M. (2011) Case Studies in Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability: The Oikos Collection, Vol. 2, Shefield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing.
Lisa Jones Christensen and Jessica Thomas, “Jamii Bora and Kaputei Town: Affordable and Sustainable Housing for Urban Slumdwellers,” Chapel Hill, NC: UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, 2008.