Sustainability day at Karlstad Business School

Sustainability Day poster

The Sustainable Community: From Everyday Services to Resilience in Crisis

  • Venue: Lagerlöfsalen (1A305), Karlstad University
  • Date: December 8
  • Time: 13:00-16:00
  • Registration deadline: December 1, 2026
  • Language: English
  • Format: Hybrid — attend in person or online via Zoom, according to your preference
  • Register

Through keynote presentations and shared experiences, we will examine how communities can foster sustainability through everyday services while strengthening their capacity to withstand, adapt to, and recover from crises.

Sustainability Day will also feature a short case presentation from the project “Laundry Room as a Community Hub,” developed jointly by Karlstad Business School, Karlstads Bostads AB, and Karlstads Energi AB. Building on insights from the project and a thought-provoking poster exhibition will explore ethical dilemmas that arise when balancing economic, legal, social, and environmental perspectives.

In situations such as power outages, disruptions to the water supply, or other crises, important questions emerge: Which functions should be prioritized? How should scarce resources be allocated? How can limited spaces best be used to support residents with diverse needs?

– Together, students, academics, and professionals from both the public and private sectors will have the opportunity to exchange perspectives, explore solutions, and discuss practical approaches to building communities that are both sustainable and resilient, says Samuel Petros, Associate professor in Business Administration and moderator.

Thoughts on living labs as approach for research will summarize the event.

Key Note

Försvarshögskolan - Swedish Defence University

Abigail Choate - Director, Centre for Societal Security, Försvarshögskolan - Swedish Defence University

National preparedness begins long before a crisis, as the skills needed to manage everyday disruptions such as power outages and infrastructure failures are the same ones that strengthen resilience in more serious scenarios. In today’s security environment, leadership requires decision-makers to be proactive, ready to act, and capable of building preparedness across organizations and communities. At its core, resilience is about confronting difficult questions of courage, responsibility, and what we are willing to protect in order to safeguard democracy.

Karlstad Energy's Role in the Total Defence: Responsibility and Opportunity

David Bohn Stoltz, Head of Power Trading and Business Development and Anders Skoglund, Business Developer, Karlstad Energi

What role does KEAB play in strengthening society’s resilience in times of crisis or war? This presentation will highlight our responsibilities within the total defence system and explore the opportunities that come with this important role, from solar energy and battery solutions to support services and other emerging business opportunities.

Resilience as a Relational Phenomenon - What Service Research Can Teach Us About Sustainable Societies in an Age of Uncertainty

Mikael Johnson, Assistant professor in Business Administration / CTF

Resilience is often linked to robust systems and technology, but it also depends on relationships between people, organizations, and resources. This presentation explores how a service perspective can strengthen societal resilience by highlighting the roles of coordination, trust, and resource integration in building sustainable communities.

Food, Care and Resilience

Helén Williams, Associate Professor Environmental and Energy systems / CTF

How can caring for food contribute to resilience? Drawing on research on food waste, school meals, and local food, this talk explores how connections to food, people, and place can strengthen our willingness to value and care for our resources.

We look forward to welcoming you to an engaging afternoon of dialogue, knowledge sharing, and inspiration on sustainable and resilient communities.

Sustainability Day poster