Rate My Professor Pavel Castka

Pavel Castka served as Professor in Operations Management and Sustainability at UC Business School, University of Canterbury, from January 2018 to August 2024. He also held the position of Associate Dean for Research from February 2022 to August 2024 and previously served as MBA Director. Joining the University of Canterbury in February 2005, he contributed extensively to the Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship. Castka holds a PhD from Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic, awarded in 2002, a Master's degree in Process Design Engineering from the same institution in 1998, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching from the University of Canterbury in 2006.

His research specializations encompass sustainable supply chains, with a focus on assurance and verification of social and environmental claims, conformity assessment, digitalization in supply chains, food systems innovations, and remote practices. Castka has authored three books and published over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Business Ethics, Industrial Marketing Management, International Journal of Production Economics, and California Management Review. Notable publications include 'How can SMEs effectively implement the CSR agenda? A UK case study perspective' (2004, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management), 'ISO 26000 and supply chains—On the diffusion of the social responsibility standard' (2008, International Journal of Production Economics), 'Sustainability in the New Zealand wine industry: drivers, stakeholders and practices' (2009, Journal of Cleaner Production), and 'ESG and Industry 5.0: The role of technologies in enhancing ESG disclosure' (2023, Technological Forecasting and Social Change). He received the University of Canterbury New, Early & Emerging Career Researcher Award in 2008 and has secured large research grants from funding agencies in Australia and New Zealand. Castka has served on the ISO/TC 176 committee since 2006, the ISO 9001 Auditing Practices Group since 2021, and as an invited committee member for Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand from 2011 to 2024. His contributions have advanced standards development and supply chain transparency, particularly through research on technology-enhanced auditing during the COVID-19 pandemic.