Sustainable Business Foundations

In partnership with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Sustainable Business Foundations

Level Specialist Duration 8 hours

Available to book: On-demand elearning Book now

Course options:

This course is suitable for individual learners and organizational-wide programmes. Contact us for more details.

There has never been a more urgent time for businesses to understand sustainable practices and how they can be achieved, to enable them to understand, grasp and navigate the world in which they must now operate.

Developing the right skills and capabilities across an organization is not easy. But organizations that cultivate learning and innovation to develop these capabilities are better able to anticipate and mitigate risk and enhance productivity.

This business course provides a foundational understanding of global sustainability trends, including risks, opportunities, and actionable insights. It supports professional development at an organizational level, by equipping your teams with introductory understanding of essential themes. With this knowledge, you can collectively unleash sustainable business practices to innovate, collaborate and lead for the future.

How will I benefit?

The benefits for you and your organization of developing sustainable business skills:

Clarifying and aligning your personal purpose and goals and knowing you are contributing towards a sustainable future.
Finding sustainable purpose in your role, project, department or organization, enhancing your professional position.
Creating natural pathways for career transitions and helping you find opportunities for creating new forms of value in your business.
Cultivating a holistic rather than top-down approach to leadership, with different perspectives feeding ideas into how to improve the business model and innovate for the future.
Getting the best out of employees who are better prepared to navigate the deep transformations ahead.

This course enables learners to:
- Understand the impact of current global economic, social, and environmental pressures on their business sector.
- Apply systems thinking to determine the ways in which systems shape societal outcomes.
- Appraise the value of integrating sustainability across their organization, operations and supply chains.
- Evaluate how best to manage the risks and opportunities relating to their organisation’s impacts on, and dependencies on, society and the environment.
Whether you already have some understanding of sustainable business or are completely new to the topic, this course equips you with the latest insights from industry experts and practical solutions to drive sustainability in your organization.

The learning is rooted in the latest sustainability thinking and can benefit employees across all levels, functions and industries within the business ecosystem.

The knowledge and skills it develops will benefit individuals in all roles and sizes of organizations, who wish to gain a critical foundational understanding of global sustainability trends and the urgent, purpose-driven action needed.
- Learners looking to start their sustainability journey or refresh their knowledge with the latest insights into sustainable business practices; to deliver impact within and beyond their business.
- Organizations and individuals looking to deliver impact through skills development.
- Organizations looking to build a foundational understanding of sustainable business practices in specific teams or across their organisation.
The 5 modules of the course are delivered by experts from industry and academia and equip you with introductory understanding of essential sustainability themes. With this knowledge, you can unleash sustainable practices to innovate, collaborate and lead for the future.

The course is assessed through in-learning quizzes, activities and submission of final assignment. The learners are also required to complete an end-of-course survey. Learners can retake all assessments as required throughout the 12-month licence period.
- Module 1 - Sustainability challenges: systems pressures and trends
  Understand the impact of current global economic, social, and environmental pressures on your business sector.
- Module 2 - The impact on business: risk and opportunities and the business case
  Apply systems thinking to determine the ways in which systems shape societal outcomes.
- Module 3 - The role of business in rethinking and rewiring economies
  Appraise the value of integrating sustainability across your organisation, operations and supply chains.
- Module 4 - What 'good' looks like: examples of best practice
  Evaluate how best to manage the risks and opportunities relating to your organisation’s impacts on, and dependencies on, society and the environment.
- Module 5 - Your personal action plan
  How to drive sustainability in your organisation Create a personal action plan to contribute to the necessary change in your organisation or sphere of influence.
The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is an institution within the University of Cambridge. Its mission is to empower individuals and organisations to take the lead in tackling critical global challenges. By offering supported, interactive online short courses, CISL is able to share its knowledge and purpose with a worldwide audience.

Let's shape your organization's future together

Reach out and see how we can help guide you on your path to sustainable operational success.

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