Thomas Thissens
University of Maastricht
t.thijssens (at) aim.unimaas.nl
After my graduation in Business Economics in 1994, I gradually became aware of the width of my own interests (some might call this a wavering mind, though…) through various occupations, such as: singer in a band, outdoor instructor, headhunter and research analyst in the sustainable banking sector (Triodos Bank). During the latter my inherent interests in both research and sustainability became apparent. As a consequence I decided to change business for academia, ultimately resulting in my current position as PhD candidate at the department of accounting and information management of Maastricht University. Given my education in business economics and my working experience, my research interest is centred round the role of companies in sustainability. This role is expressed in the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Particularly I'm interested in whether -and if so: how and why- companies show accountability toward their stakeholders. That is why the topic of my PhD thesis is broadly stated: 'CSR disclosure'.
Next to research, there is plenty to enjoy: movies, music, hiking, cycling, good food, nice drinks, and hanging around with my three kids.