Dr Karen Cripps

PhD

Associate Professor in Responsible Management and Leadership

Oxford Brookes Business School

Role

Karen is an Associate Professor in Responsible Management and Leadership, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She holds roles including a Subject Coordinator for the Business and Management undergraduate programme, advisor for the Senior People Professional Apprenticeship and SDG Champion for the global MBA. With a long-established academic and teaching profile in sustainability leadership and management, Karen is committed to supporting career journeys that contribute to environmental and social organisational and broader, global goals.

Her research and teaching interests focus on the intersection of sustainability, employability and related skills development. Her practice deeply aligns with the United Nations 'Principles of Responsible Management Education' (PRME). She is Secretary for PRME UK and Ireland Chapter Steering Committee, and a committee member of the Working Group on 'Climate Change and the Environment', which includes leading a mentoring programme and facilitating climate literacy sessions. On behalf of PRME UK and Ireland, she co-leads a group on 'Careers and Sustainability'.

Teaching and supervision

Courses

Modules taught

Leadership Skills and Employability - co Module Leader (BMGT7076)
Driving Excellence through Marketing and Operations (MBA7042)
Global Strategy under Uncertainty (MBA7047)
Environmentally Sustainable Business (BMGT5007

Karen has a vast range of teaching experience across a large number of subject areas embracing leadership, responsible management, sustainability, HRM, international business and research methods. She has led module delivery and dissertation supervision across undergraduate and postgraduate (MSc and Executive MBA) modules.

She is currently an academic tutor for the Senior People Professional Apprenticeships and has previously acted as academic advisor on the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship.

Supervision

CURRENT DOCTORAL SUPERVISIONS:
•   PhD - Knowledge networks for sustainability. University of Winchester (2019-)
•   EdD – Learners in Further Education (2024-)

DOCTORAL EXAMINATIONS:
•   PhD - How do relational dynamics influence public sector partnerships? A study of the Oxford Brookes Associated College Partnership (2023) – Internal examiner
•   PhD - Corporate Social Responsibility in the food industry (2022) – Internal examiner
•   DBA - Democratisation and employee ownership (2021) – Internal examiner

Research

With a PhD in Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Karen has been committed to the study of sustainable business practice her entire career. Currently, her research focuses on pedagogic approaches to responsible management education through the sustainability mindset, soft skills development for sustainability, embedding the Sustainable Development Goals in learning, and the nexus of employability and sustainability. Recent projects concern green skills development.

Research impact

Karen's research is impact focused through external engagement with the community of management educators and through diverse knowledge exchange projects concerning sustainability skills.

2025 - Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Collaborative Enhancement - ‘Green Skills for Green Jobs: Advancing Green Skills Acquisition in Higher Education’. Lead institution Co-Investigator £7,882
2024 - Oxford Brookes University – Centre for Academic Enhancement and Development Academic Collaboration and Transformation Fund: ‘Business, Management and Placement student engagement in sustainability-related roles and responsibilities’, Principal Investigator £1200
2023 - Movetia - ‘Collaborative Community for Sustainability Mindset Education’ (led by Université de Neuchâtel) Principal Investigator at Brookes £8,759
2023 - The Association of Commonwealth Universities SDG Challenge Grant - 'Food waste and behaviour change competition' Principal Investigator £2,500
2022 - PRME UK and Ireland Seed Funding Competition for Innovative Pedagogic Approaches and Teaching Practices - ‘Career Building for the Sustainable Development Goals: a co-created masterclass’ Principal Investigator £1500

Projects as Principal Investigator, or Lead Academic if project is led by another Institution

Collaborative Community for Sustainability Mindset Education (led by Université de Neuchâtel) (01/10/2023 - 30/09/2025), funded by: Movetia, funding amount received by Brookes: £8,759
'Food waste and behaviour change competition' (05/09/2023 - 05/05/2024), funded by: The Association of Commonwealth Universities, funding amount received by Brookes: £1,250

Publications

Cripps K, Bobeva M, Career and Employability Learning through Storytelling for the Sustainable Development Goals
International Journal of Management Education 23 (3) (2025) ISSN: 1472-8117 eISSN: 2352-3565 Career and Employability Learning through Storytelling for the Sustainable Development Goals Open Access version on RADAR
Ehrlich C, Cripps K, Ehrlich S, Self-Concordance Theory and the Goal-Striving Reasons Framework and their Distinct Relationships with Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being"
Psychological Reports [online first] (2024) ISSN: 0033-2941 eISSN: 1558-691X Self-Concordance Theory and the Goal-Striving Reasons Framework and their Distinct Relationships with Hedonic and Eudaimonic Well-Being" Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, Smith SM, Embedding a sustainability mindset in responsible management education
International Journal of Organizational Analysis Online first (2023) ISSN: 1934-8835 eISSN: 1934-8835 Embedding a sustainability mindset in responsible management education Open Access version on RADAR
Smith SM, Cripps K, Stokes P, Séraphin H, The Principles for (Ir)Responsible Management Education: An Exploration of the Dynamics of Paradox, the Hidden Curriculum, Competencies and Symbolization
Management Learning 54 (3) (2023) pp.384-395 ISSN: 1350-5076 eISSN: 1461-7307 The Principles for (Ir)Responsible Management Education: An Exploration of the Dynamics of Paradox, the Hidden Curriculum, Competencies and Symbolization Open Access version on RADAR
Walmsley A, Cripps K, Hine C, Generation Z and Hospitality Careers in the UK
Hospitality & Society 10 (2) (2020) pp.173-195 ISSN: 2042-7913 eISSN: 2042-7921
Schwartz K, Tapper R, Font X , A Framework for Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Tour Operations
Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16 (3) (2008) pp.298-314 ISSN: 0966-9582 eISSN: 1747-7646
Tapper R, Font X, Schwartz K, Kornilaki M, The Challenges of Sustainable Supply Chain Management in a Service Sector: The Tourism Experience
Business Strategy and the Environment 17 (4) (2008) pp.260-271 ISSN: 0964-4733 eISSN: 1099-0836

Cripps K, Ho C, (ed.), An Organisational Guide to Skills for Green Workforce Transformation,
Routledge Taylor and Francis (2026)
Cripps K, Thondre PS, (ed.), SDG2 Zero Hunger in Higher Education ,
Emerald Publishing (2024)

Cripps K, Rimanoczy I, Sustainability Mindset
in Matthews, L. Bianchi, L. Ingram, C. (ed.), Concise Encyclopedia of Corporate Social Responsibility, Edward Elgar Publishing (2024) ISBN: 9781800880337 eISBN: 9781800880344
Rosenthal A, Cripps K, Lvovich S , The attitudes and approaches to food waste management of hospitality businesses in Oxford, UK
in Singh A, Pyagi TK, and Garg A (ed.), Sustainable disposal methods of food wastes in hospitality operations, IGI Global (2024) ISBN: 9798369321812 eISBN: 9798369321829
Séraphin H, Cripps K, Smith SM, Educating Tourists at the Pre-Visit Stage
in Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Tourism, Apple Academic Publishing (2023) ISBN: 9781774913505 eISBN: 9781003387930 Educating Tourists at the Pre-Visit Stage Open Access version on RADAR
Séraphin H, Cripps K, Smith SM, Global Branding Strategy and Framework
in Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Tourism, Apple Academic Publishing (2023) ISBN: 9781774913505 eISBN: 9781003387930 Global Branding Strategy and Framework Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, Sustainable Supply Chain Management in tour operations – a tool for travelling with confidence in Troubled Times
in Korstanje M, Séraphin H, Gowreeskunar V (ed.), Post-Disaster and Post-Conflict Tourism: Toward a New Management Approach, Apple Academic Publishing (2023) ISBN: 9781774913505 eISBN: 9781003387930
Cripps K, Velasquez-Hoque S , Addressing the Employability-Sustainability Gap: A Masterclass Case Study
in William Donald (ed.), Establishing and Maintaining Sustainable Career Ecosystems for University Students and Graduates, IGI Global (2023) ISBN: 9781668474426 eISBN: 9781668474433
Cripps K, University sustainability-related career information events for future leaders
in Seraphin, H. (ed.), Events Management for the Infant and Youth Market’. Bingley: Emerald Publishing, Emerald (2023) ISBN: 9781804556917 University sustainability-related career information events for future leaders Open Access version on RADAR
Smith SM, Séraphin H, Cripps K, The responsible management education paradox: Applying the conceptual lens of organizational ambidexterity
in Moratis L, Melissen F (ed.), Business Schools, Leadership and Sustainable Development Goals, Routledge (2022) ISBN: 9781032156026 eISBN: 9781003244905 The responsible management education paradox: Applying the conceptual lens of organizational ambidexterity Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, Children as eco-literate tourists: the contribution of Outdoor Residential Centres in the UK
in Séraphin H (ed.), Children in Sustainable and Responsible Tourism, Emerald (2022) ISBN: 9781801176576 eISBN: 9781801176569

Cripps K, Manolchev C, Reuter E, Dao Q, Smith S, Rimanoczy I, Klingenberg B , The Sustainability Mindset: Managing the Unforeseen Paradox of Knowledge
(2025) pp.63-67 The Sustainability Mindset: Managing the Unforeseen Paradox of Knowledge Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, Hewlett D, Applying the sustainability mindset indicator tool through research-based teaching: a tool for student-centred and planetary success
(2022) ISSN: 2340-1079 ISBN: 9788409377589

Cripps K, review of Rimanoczy, I. (2022) ‘Sustainability – We Need to Talk’. https://www.amazon.com/Sustainability-need-talk-Isabel-Rimanoczy-ebook/dp/B0BP41F64N.
Journal of General Management (2023) ISSN: 0306-3070 eISSN: 1759-6106
Cripps K, review of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development: An Integrative Perspective / by Rayman-Bacchus, L. and Walsh, P.R. (2021) Oxon: Routledge
Journal of General Management 47 (3) (2022) ISSN: 0306-3070 eISSN: 1759-6106
Cripps K, review of Leading with Love: Rehumanising the Workplace
Leadership 18 (2) (2021) pp.328-331 ISSN: 1742-7150 eISSN: 1742-7169 Leading with Love: Rehumanising the Workplace Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, review of Tourism, Terrorism and Security: Tourism Security-safety and Post Conflict Destinations / by Korstanje, M. and Séraphin, H. (eds) (2020). Bingley: Emerald Publishing Limited
Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing 7 (2) (2021) pp.74-76 ISSN: 2529-1947 eISSN: 2529-1947

Cripps K, Billionaires and climate change ,
(2025)
Cripps K, Louw J, Sustainability in early careers ,
(2025) Sustainability in early careers Open Access version on RADAR
Cripps K, Holding back climate progress: sustainability's critical skills gap ,
(2024)

Other:

Cripps, K. (2021) ‘How Covid-19 has affected overnight school trips and why this matters’. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/how-covid-19-has-affected-overnight-school-trips-and-why-this-matters-159300

Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

Affiliate Member of the Institute of Environmental management and Assessment (IEMA) (2025-)
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2023-)

Conferences

Cripps, K. et al. (2025) The Sustainability Mindset: Managing the Unforeseen Paradox of Knowledge. PRME UK and Ireland 11th Annual Conference. Queen’s University Belfast.
Cripps, K. (2024) ‘Soft skills for the green transition: organisational learning and educational implications’. PRME UK and Ireland 10th Annual Conference. University of Exeter
Louw, J. and Cripps, K. (2024) ‘Workshop – PRME UKI Interest Group Sustainability, employability and jobs of the future’. PRME UK and Ireland 10th Annual Conference. University of Exeter
Cripps, K. and Louw, J. (2023) ‘Workshop – PRME UKI Interest Group Sustainability, employability and jobs of the future’. PRME UK and Ireland 9th Annual Conference. Aston University

Consultancy

CONSULTANCY - RESEARCH

Cripps, K. and Climate Change Coaches (2024) ‘Holding back climate progress: sustainability’s critical skills gap.’ A report in collaboration with Climate Change Coaches https://climatechangecoaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Holding-back-climate-progress-sustainabilitys-critical-skills-gap.pdf

CONSULTANCY – COURSE EVALUATION

An Impact Evaluation by Oxford Brookes University Business School of the Climate. Change Coaching Mastery Programme (2025) – https://climatechangecoaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/An-Impact-Evaluation-by-Oxford-Brookes-University-Business-School-of-the-Climate-Change-Coaches-Climate-Change-Coaching-Mastery-Programme.pdf
An Impact Evaluation by Oxford Brookes University Business School of the Climate.Change Coaches’ Green Transition Coach Programme (2024) – https://climatechangecoaches.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/An-Impact-Evaluation-by-Oxford-Brookes-University-Business-School-of-the-Climate-Change-Coaches-Green-Transition-Coach-Programme.pdf?mc_cid=3763b35a5f&mc_eid=UNIQID

Further details

Carbon Literacy Trust - Certified Facilitator