{"id":83931,"date":"2026-08-11T07:38:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T05:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazin.tu-braunschweig.de\/?post_type=kb_magazin&p=83931"},"modified":"2026-08-14T00:27:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T22:27:23","slug":"because-transformation-can-only-succeed-with-people","status":"publish","type":"kb_magazin","link":"https:\/\/magazin.tu-braunschweig.de\/en\/m-post\/because-transformation-can-only-succeed-with-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Because transformation can only succeed with people"},"content":{"rendered":"

What can business informatics do in the field of sustainability? Professor Susanne Robra-Bissantz, Head of the Service Information Systems Department at the Institute of Business Informatics at Technische Universit\u00e4t Braunschweig, has explored this question in depth. Her answer is that business informatics cannot plant trees, but it can make a significant difference in the field of social sustainability. In this interview, Professor Susanne Robra-Bissantz explains how the idea for the \u2018Social Sustainability Ecosystem\u2019 project arose as part of the Ecoversity Initiative, what the project team has planned, and how interested parties can get involved.<\/p>\n

Could you summarise in a few sentences how the \u2018Social Sustainability Ecosystem\u2019 project came about?<\/h3>\n

The issue of sustainability is very close to my heart. That is why I have often thought about how I could integrate this topic into business informatics. Our discipline is not naturally suited to planting trees. But we can make a difference in the realm of social sustainability. I fully agree with transformation researcher Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneidewind, who favours research in real-world laboratories and in collaboration with civil society, because transformation can only succeed through people, not through politics or technology. I\u2019d been mulling over these ideas for quite some time, but the decisive factor in launching the project was a call for proposals as part of the Ecoversity Initiative. Through \u2018Spaces for Collaboration\u2019, TU Braunschweig supports formats within the Ecoversity framework that establish and expand scientific and science-supporting collaborations with external partners from research institutions, business, politics, culture and society. Once our application was successful, we had the funding to organise our first workshops. We had the opportunity to bring our ideas to life.<\/p>\n

How do you define \u2018social sustainability\u2019 in the context of your ecosystem?<\/h3>\n

We also put this question to the participants at our first workshop. The outcome of the discussion was to improve everyone\u2019s quality of life and to always place people at the centre of our actions, planning and decision-making. This also gave rise to a word cloud that very clearly expresses what social sustainability encompasses: inclusion, participation, community, solidarity, justice, tolerance, human dignity, the common good. For us, all of this constitutes social sustainability and is always taken into account in the formats we develop and implement as part of our project.<\/p>\n

What are your objectives for the project, and what is the vision behind it?<\/h3>\n

Here, too, I would like to refer once again to Schneidewind, who adapted the Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi\u2019s concept of \u2018learning with head, heart and hand\u2019 for transformational processes: we must first understand that trying to live together better holds more opportunities than risks (head). Once we have understood this, it is our task to firmly embed this in our value system (heart). And finally, everyone should be empowered to take action (hands). This is the foundation of the vision behind our project: a region that leaves no one behind. My project team and I would like to start here in our region to make the world a better place. We aim to do this by empowering people to make a difference in the field of social sustainability. We see ourselves as a service ecosystem in which stakeholders network in such a way that everyone benefits whilst also contributing something.<\/p>\n

What were the first steps and what have you achieved so far?<\/h3>\n

We began by holding an initial workshop with researchers in the field of social sustainability at TU Braunschweig to discuss what each of us understands by social sustainability. In a second workshop with other interested parties, including those from outside TU Braunschweig, we used this shared definition to form groups that would explore different aspects of the topic and plan their own event formats. These groups also presented themselves and their concepts during our first \u2018Werkstatt der Mutigen\u2019 (Workshop of the Brave) on 19 February 2026 at the DenkRaum. We were really surprised by how many interested people came from TU Braunschweig, the wider community and even the political sphere, and that so many participants were also willing to spontaneously share their stories on the topic of social sustainability with us. This was a wonderful and motivating confirmation that we are striking a chord with our topic and are on the right track.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

There was a great deal of interest in the first \u2018Werkstatt der Mutigen\u2019 at the DenkRaum. Photo credits: Benjamin Roeloffs \/ TU Braunschweig<\/p><\/div>\n

Following the \u2018Werkstatt der Mutigen\u2019, we have established regular event formats, such as the \u2018Macher-Mittag\u2019 (Makers\u2019 Lunch), where the various groups talk about their current work. For senior citizens, we offer the \u2018Gemeinsam Digital\u2019 (Digital Together) programme every semester in collaboration with the Community Foundation, taking the form of open Q&A sessions and workshops on the topic of \u2018digital literacy\u2019, which has been incredibly well received. Alongside these events, we are currently developing, amongst other things, an app that allows people to learn about digitalisation in a playful way.<\/p>\n

What events or formats are planned as part of the project in the near future?<\/h3>\n

Within our project team, researchers are constantly working alongside me to further develop our concept. Among other things, we have established the \u2018Konzept-Kaffee\u2019 (Concept Coffee) format for discussion and reflection with external partners. I always like to call myself the \u2018Workshop Queen\u2019. I simply enjoy thinking about how to design structures in such a way that the set goals can be achieved whilst involving everyone who is interested. We\u2019ll be developing further formats based on this. We\u2019re currently launching a sort of digital consultation hour for people who aren\u2019t quite sure yet how they can get involved. But various events and formats are also being organised by the individual groups themselves. The Inclusion & Participation group, for example, is currently planning a barbershop for homeless people at DenkRaum.<\/p>\n

In addition, we offer a range of services to anyone committed to social sustainability. We\u2019ve found that the existing groups have a very strong need to network more effectively in order to exchange ideas and support one another. We\u2019re making the DenkRaum available for this purpose too, and we\u2019re handling the communication to raise awareness of the groups and formats that already exist in the field of social sustainability. To ensure long-term reliability here too, we would like to make the DenkRaum a permanent fixture and, in parallel with the ecosystem, transform it into a co-operative.<\/p>\n

How can anyone interested get involved in the project?<\/h3>\n

I recommend that anyone interested follows the DenkRaum on social media and signs up for the newsletter. That\u2019s the best way to stay informed about upcoming events. We\u2019re also currently planning a low-threshold format aimed specifically at people who simply want to do some good and get involved. The aim is to match these people with existing groups and initiatives. As soon as a date has been set, we\u2019ll announce it via the DenkRaum newsletter. The next \u2018Werkstatt der Mutigen\u2019<\/a> will take place on 3 September 2026. This event is about how interested individuals can get involved and take on responsibility. Our aim for the day is to lay the groundwork for concrete, regional pilot projects.<\/p>\n

Is there a message on the topic of \u2018social sustainability\u2019 that you\u2019d like to share with all TU members?<\/h3>\n

I am convinced that we must cultivate and promote community, solidarity and everything that constitutes social sustainability. It is our mission to help ensure that our society can stabilise once again. To this end, networking with citizens and their active participation are essential. With the Ecoversity Initiative, we have the perfect starting point for this at TU Braunschweig: a scientific ecosystem in which we combine research and practice to tackle current challenges together. I would urge all members of the TU to seize this opportunity and, in particular, to seek dialogue with members of the public. It\u2019s fun and it\u2019s meaningful. Because when it comes to social issues, too, our old motto from the sandpit still applies: \u2018Doing is like wanting, only more powerful\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What can business informatics do in the field of sustainability? … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":79,"featured_media":83872,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","class_list":["post-83931","kb_magazin","type-kb_magazin","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","kb_cat_magazin-personalities","kb_tags-computer-science","kb_tags-ecoversity-en","kb_tags-engagement-en","kb_tags-society","kb_tags-sustainability"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBecause transformation can only succeed with people - TU Braunschweig | Blogs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What can business informatics do in the field of sustainability? 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