Wojtek Kulczycki, PhD (born 1986), will join the team in the Department of Management, Controlling, and Healthcare as a professor of business administration specializing in sustainability management, effective September 1, 2026. After studying business administration at the University of Mannheim, he earned his doctorate in business administration from the Technical University of Munich, focusing on corporate social responsibility. Following stays abroad at UFRJ in Rio de Janeiro (visiting scholar in 2014) and UC Berkeley (visiting scholar in 2016), he subsequently worked there as a postdoctoral researcher. He gained further professional experience as a management consultant at h&z Management Consulting before joining BASF SE as Senior Manager of Sustainability in 2021. From 2023 to 2026, he headed the Sustainability division at ADAC. Here, Wojtek Kulczycki introduces himself in more detail in an interview:
What does your new position entail?
As a professor of business administration specializing in sustainability management, I represent this field in education and research. The scope ofmy work ranges from responsible management, sustainable finance, and sustainability controlling to ESG reporting and the sustainable transformation of companies. In addition to education and research, this also includes expanding industry partnerships in the region, advising students on their theses, and the holistic advancement of the field in collaboration with colleagues at HWG.
What particularly appeals to you about this new position?
The combination of academic depth and business practice in the field of sustainability—that is exactly what I have experienced over the past 15 years at BASF, ADAC, in consulting, and in academia. I want to pass this experience on to HWG students and bring the topic of sustainability to life for them, rather than just providing pure education.
What are the first goals you’ve set for yourself?
Sustainability is currently taking a back seat politically, economically, and socially, yet it remains one of the greatest transformational challenges of our time—in all its complexity. It’s not just about climate change—whose consequences are becoming increasingly visible through heat waves and droughts—but also about social aspects such as human rights and fair supply chains. We can only overcome this challenge together, which is why I want to inspire students to understand the topic holistically and bring that understanding into the business world.
What did you do professionally before taking office in Ludwigshafen?
After completing my doctorate with a focus on CSR at the Technical University of Munich, I worked across various industries, always with a focus on sustainable corporate management and transformation—including at BASF and in management consulting. Most recently, I served as Head of Sustainability at the ADAC, which has over 22 million members, and helped make the “Yellow Angels” a bit greener.
Why did you choose HWG LU?
The name actually says it all: University of Applied Sciences for Business and Society—exactly the intersection where sustainability comes into play. On top of that, there’s a faculty that not only considers sustainability but actively drives it forward: The university is continuously and purposefully sharpening its profile in the areas of energy, technology, and sustainability. This is not just lip service, but a genuine commitment to addressing the relevant issues of the future—and that’s exactly where I want to bring my practical experience to bear and help shape the path forward.
Thank you very much!
