HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment

What HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment does

The HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG), established in 1992, was an academic research and teaching institute within the University of St. Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland. The institute operated within the broader RISE-HSG framework (Institute of Responsible Innovation, Sustainability and Energy) and was located at Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 6/8 in St. Gallen. According to available data, IWÖ-HSG was merged with other sustainability-related institutes to form RISE-HSG, the combined Institute of Responsible Innovation, Sustainability and Energy, which now serves as the operating entity.

The institute's activities were organized around three primary research pillars: Management of Renewable Energies, Responsible Innovation, and Sustainability Management. Its product portfolio included educational programs — the bachelor certificate programme in Integrative Sustainability Management (SuM), the master certificate programme in Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS), and the CEMS Model UNFCCC climate negotiation simulation — alongside executive education in Renewable Energy Management and thesis supervision services. Distribution was primarily through the University of St. Gallen's degree programs, certificate programs, and executive education channels, targeting students and professionals primarily in the DACH region (with research supervision extending globally).

As a non-profit academic institute, IWÖ-HSG did not operate on a commercial revenue model. Its funding flowed through University of St. Gallen budgets and public research grants, with no independently disclosed revenue, pricing, or commercial customer base. The entity is classified as a private non-profit organization domiciled in Switzerland, fully owned and governed by its parent institution, the University of St. Gallen.

Name

HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment

Legal name

University of St. Gallen (HSG) - Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG)

Website

https://iwoe.unisg.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG) is a Switzerland-based academic research institute within the University of St. Gallen, focused on sustainability, renewable energy management, and responsible innovation through teaching, research, and executive education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Gallen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Academic research and teaching institute within the University of St. Gallen offering educational programs (bachelor and master certificate programs in sustainability management and climate solutions), executive education in renewable energy management, thesis supervision, and research in renewable energies, responsible innovation, and sustainability management.

Product overview

The HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment (IWÖ-HSG) operates as an academic research and teaching institute within the University of St. Gallen. It is part of the larger RISE (Institute of Responsible Innovation, Sustainability and Energy) umbrella. The institute offers a portfolio of educational programs including bachelor's and master's certificate programs (Integrative Sustainability Management and Managing Climate Solutions), executive education in Renewable Energy Management, and thesis supervision services. Research activities are organized around three main pillars: Management of Renewable Energies, Responsible Innovation, and Sustainability Management. The institute also facilitates academic publications and engages in university-wide sustainability initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE: Institute of Responsible Innovation, Sustainability and Energy - the combined entity formed from the merger of IWÖ-HSG and related institutes

Products and services

• Integrative Sustainability Management (SuM) Certificate Programme
• Managing Climate Solutions (MaCS) Certificate Programme
• Renewable Energy Management Executive Education

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Climate-KIC: EU-backed climate innovation community operating education, accelerator, and applied research programs across Europe. Emerging peer focused on the same climate-solutions domain with significant program scale and EU funding.

Others

• Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag): Swiss federal research institute focused on water and environmental systems. Thematically adjacent — Swiss public research institute conducting applied sustainability/environmental research with overlapping academic ecosystem.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): CEO-led organization of companies working on sustainability. Adjacent rather than competitive — WBCSD convenes corporate members on ESG/sustainability and could be a partner or competitor for advisory-style engagements.

Direct peers

• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL): University-based sustainability leadership institute offering executive education, applied research, and corporate programs. Highly comparable as an academic sustainability institute combining research with executive learning in a European university setting.
• Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (University of Oxford): Oxford's institute focused on enterprise and the environment, conducting research and graduate/executive teaching on sustainability, climate, and energy. Direct peer given the parallel research-plus-education model in a top European university.
• ETH Zurich — Department of Environmental Systems Science: ETH Zurich's department combining environmental research and education on sustainability, energy, and ecosystems. Comparable as a Swiss technical university institute conducting sustainability research and graduate teaching.
• WU Vienna — Institute for Ecological Economics: Vienna University of Economics and Business institute focused on ecological economics and sustainability research. Direct regional peer with overlapping sustainability research themes and similar DACH/German-speaking university context.

Broad incumbents

• Hult International Business School — Sustainability Programs: Global business school with sustainability-focused MBA concentrations and executive programs. Adjacent incumbent offering overlapping sustainability executive education to a similar professional audience.
• IMD Business School: Swiss-based business school with sustainability and climate leadership offerings in its MBA and executive education portfolio. Broader incumbent — overlapping sustainability executive education but as one stream within a full business school.
• INSEAD — Hoffmann Institute: INSEAD's sustainability and circular economy research and teaching arm. Broader incumbent with a global footprint that competes for the same executive learner audience in sustainability programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iwoe-hsg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HSG Institute for Economy and the Environment