Bridging the gap between academia and practice.

The Erb Institute’s faculty conduct research at the forefront of business and sustainability. These world-class professors are not only dynamic teachers but also top researchers focused on publishing research articles, case studies and commentary that seek to create a more sustainable world.

Andy Hoffman is the Holcim (US) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan; Erb Institute chaired faculty

Market Transformation

Hoffman explains that the previous phase, which the Erb Institute calls “enterprise integration,” has involved businesses responding to shifts in the market by integrating sustainability into what they already know how to do. But market transformation looks further forward—it involves business transforming the market to make it more sustainable.

And businesses are equipped to make it happen. “The market is the most powerful institution on earth, and business is the most powerful entity within it,” Hoffman writes. “Business transcends national boundaries, and it possesses resources that exceed those of many nation-states.”

Latest Research