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​The Centre for Sustainability Leadership is a globally influential centre for developing leadership and solutions

Our aim is to develop leadership and creative solutions to accelerate a just, peaceful, and humanitarian transformation to sustainable development. Our executive education programmes offer actionable insight into innovative, commercially relevant ways to address the convergent global megatrends that impact business such as climate change, sustainability, and the disruptions of the fourth industrial revolution. We help leaders and decision-makers build the leadership capacity and skills to identify systemic risks and opportunities, formulate effective responses and inspire them to take action to lead transformational change.

What we do

Build the leadership capacity of individuals to create the future we need through executive and post-graduate education.

Our work is underpinned by multidisciplinary research, systems thinking, and grounded in practitioner insights from exceptional people from
business, policy, civil society and academia.

Catalyse innovation and solutions through our business and policy leaders groups, and working with individual organisations.

Develop the capability of organisations and regions to lead this transformation through our advisory services and customised programmes.

​Facilitate collaboration and dialogue across conventional boundaries through our business and policy leaders groups.

Whom we work with

We work with business, government and finance leaders in over 250 organisations including consumer brands, global banks and national governments, attracting more than 1,200 delegates into our programmes. The RBC Young Entrepreneurs Awards, delivered by the Royal Bank of Canada and CSL, help young sustainability entrepreneurs achieve scale for impact.

​The magnitude and speed of human activities are altering the planet in unprecedented ways. We are crossing critical planetary boundaries beyond which we risk the future of economic development and the ecosystems we all depend on. At the same time, advancements in technology, policy and science bring unprecedented opportunities to change direction. The decisions we make over the next few years will determine the future of many generations to come.

Systems thinking clarifies what these interconnected changes mean for your organisation, and highlights opportunities that also bring social and environmental benefits. In this executive programme, you will meet top scholars of resilience thinking and sustainability science, and thought leaders within business. Together, we will unleash the potential of your organisation to thrive in a period of transformation.

We connect science to business, to accelerate the transformation towards sustainability. The programme is tailor-made for business leaders to take a deep dive into the megatrends shaping our planet and global economy. You will join world-leading scientists, thought leaders and innovators to explore how to develop your business and lead the way to a sustainable future.

To advance its mission, the University for Sustainability has a critical role to play to help the world respond to a singular challenge: how to provide for as many as nine billion people by 2050 within a finite envelope of land, water and natural resources, whilst adapting to a warmer, less predictable climate.

The Centre for Sustainability Leadership (CSL) brings together business, government and academia to find solutions to critical sustainable development challenges.

Capitalising on the world-class, multidisciplinary strengths of the University CSL deepens leaders’ insight and understanding through its executive programmes; builds deep, strategic engagement with leadership companies; and creates opportunities for collaborativeinquiry and action through its Business and Policy Leaders Groups.

The CSL offers an international leadership programmes for senior executives in leadership roles. Our programmes equip leaders with the knowledge, commitment, inspiration and access to a global network, to turn sustainability trends into strategic business decisions. It gives leaders the confidence to respond to key social, economic and environmental priorities by providing a safe space for sharing, innovation and collaboration.

Objectives:
Businesses can unlock significant commercial opportunities by helping to address social, economic and environmental challenges.
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Our programmes focus on the successful management of change. It is designed to help businesses reconcile profitability and sustainability. Participants are encouraged to review their business models to set a vision for what success looks like in the future, and help create an enabling framework.

Interactive learning model:
Each seminar takes place across three and a half days with approximately 35 senior executives. Participants begin their engagement in advance of the seminar through tailored conversations, a sustainable business survey and an online introductory course, CSL Online.

The seminars encourage participants to test their assumptions and learn from peers whilst making the most of the experts in the room. Seminars use a combination of lectures, case-study presentations, group discussions, individual reflections, networking and external activities. A series of lightly facilitated small-group conversations help participants reflect on their leadership journey, share challenges and co-create responses.

Key themes:

• The need for effective business leadership, in the context of global trends, such as food, water and energy security, social equity, consumption and the circular economy, supply chain resilience, sustainable finance and investment, and climate change.
• The framework for sustainable outcomes, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the wider regulatory market and technological shifts and disruptions and the business risks and opportunities they create.
• The case for a sustainable business approach, touching the organisational purpose, its role in working with customers, investors, and policymakers, and the commercial case for sustainability.
• The way to operationalise sustainability, setting strategies, exploring new business models, and building capacity to create shared value.
• The role of individual leadership, framing a vision for a sustainable business, the priorities for change and bringing others on board.​​

​Learning outcomes:
Our programmes foster a new kind of high-impact sustainability leadership for driving sustainability into the core of your business and mission while improving organisational performance.

Participants will develop leadership capabilities designed to:

• Position sustainability as a driver of innovation, agility and change capability
• Unleash human potential through purpose-driven engagement
• Create clear pathways for good ideas to come from anywhere and to take root
• Tap the power of biomimicry and systems thinking to inform your leadership practice
• Leverage positive social dynamics and social learning to increase idea flow
• Expand the sustainability business case and align finance and accounting for innovation
• Improve decision-making agility to allow for good ideas to be scaled up quickly
• Develop change leadership approaches that reduce risk and instability
• Learn a powerful new conceptual framework for organisational transformation

Our programmes are for organisations and individual leaders who seek to better understand and explore the opportunity of sustainability. Through our programmes, participants:

• Gain strategic insights from the latest science on global change and planetary boundaries
  
• Gain a critical understanding of the key social, economic, environmental and market trends and identify implications for their business
• Analyse how your company influences and is influenced by global megatrends
  
• Learn with leaders across different sectors from around the world in a safe space
• Access a best-in-class program in sustainability leadership, designed and delivered by faculty with a proven track record for delivering value
• ​Leave inspired, with the knowledge and confidence to drive change for sustainable business and a plan for action

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• Identify opportunities for your organisation to thrive in a period of transformation
• Improve your long-term strategy for creating sustainable business value
• Learn new frameworks and skills to revolutionise your leadership practice and position sustainability as the ultimate driver of innovation, engagement and organisational effectiveness
• Engage with the latest evidence and thought leadership from the University for Sustainability and influential experts
• Strengthen leadership skills for a changing context and a sustainable economy
• ​Join a valuable network of international leaders from business, government and civil society

The CSL Network:
Participants of the programme join the CSL’s global network of leaders and leading practitioners from across all sectors and regions. 

As part of the global CSL Network, you will have access to:

• CSL liaison: regular touchpoints to support progress and networking.
• Alumni events: CSL and its international Ambassadors organise educational and social events worldwide including keynote lectures and Gala Dinners.
• LinkedIn: join our exclusive LinkedIn group and contribute to discussions and network online.
• CSL’s latest insights: regular updates on international sustainability developments intended to reinforce and update your knowledge. Alumni will also have the unique opportunity to be involved and contribute to innovative research such as Rewiring the Economy.
• Business platforms: an opportunity for executives to convene around key sustainability issues, identify solutions and advocate  change.
• Access to regional and thematic groups: connect with alumni and members of the global CSL Network who share your interest in sustainability leadership, a specific theme or live or work in your region.

For more information click here to contact your programme director