Building practical capabilities to lead your organisation towards sustainability.

Innovative. Practical. Impactful.

Sustainability is no longer an option; it is a requirement for every organisation to lead sustainability, protecting our planet and ensuring future generations can thrive.

Sustainability is a complex and multidimensional issue. Individuals and organisations require a deeper knowledge of how to make progress within the economic, social, and political dynamics that impact sustainability initiatives, if they’re to realise their future aspirations and competitive advantage.

The Leading Sustainability programme is designed to equip you with skills and confidence to lead sustainability with impact, accelerating positive change in your organisation and with business partners. Redefine your understanding of sustainability, deepen your capabilities to address this, and learn how to lead others to join the sustainable leadership journey.

Lead with Impact

Help you to gain a comprehensive understanding of where sustainability is an opportunity or threat for your organisation, and to develop a dynamic action plan that will inspire and mobilise the transformation required.

Sustainability Knowledge

Establish a strong working knowledge of sustainability-related topics that allows you to influence effectively and lead well-informed change across your organisation.

Leadership and Management

Improve your leadership and management capabilities, with practical tools and frameworks enabling you to operate effectively in the complex landscape of sustainability, engaging key stakeholders with authority.

 

Programme information – Face-to-face

  • Dates
    • 16 - 18 Jun 2025
    • 03 - 05 Nov 2025
  • Duration3 days, residential
  • LocationCranfield campus
  • CostLimited time offer: £3,950 + VAT, including accommodation Concessions available


Who should attend?

This programme is suitable for all of those who are looking to drive sustainable change in an organisation. This is relevant for professionals in SMEs, large corporations and charities.

This programme is aimed at, but not limited to:

Senior leaders involved in the delivery of sustainable changes within an organisation.

Sustainability champions who wish to deepen their knowledge and understanding of how to implement sustainability.

Innovators and change makers who need to gain clarity and knowledge about the future of sustainable business.

We also welcome groups or teams from the same organisation to maximise impact. Please to discuss group bookings.

Programme outcomes

Leading your organisation's sustainability strategy.

Lead your organisation in sustainability to make a lasting impact on the future. You will gain the knowledge and skills to implement sustainable practices, reduce environmental impact, and create a more socially responsible organisation. You will become a leader in sustainability, who inspires others to follow..

For you:

  • A greater knowledge of sustainability as it applies to your organisation and stakeholders.
  • Practical skills to tackle complex sustainability challenges which are affecting your organisation.
  • Proven techniques allowing sustainability challenges to be understood, prioritised, built into strategy, and acted upon effectively.
  • A suite of management tools and skills to effectively inspire and influence change across all aspects of your operations.

For your organisation:

  • Knowledge of the social and environmental issues which need to be reconciled with financial performance.
  • Professional skills in:

    • Leading in addressing social and environmental issues within your organisation.
    • Approaching sustainability as both risk and opportunity for competitive advantage and growth.
    • Mobilising solutions to these complex, sustainability challenges.
  • Greater value delivered to your team, your organisation, and society.

What you'll learn

Empowering the leaders of tomorrow to change your organisation’s future.

Leading Sustainability is a three-day programme that gives you depth, time and space you need to refine how you lead sustainability in your organisation, that makes real change.

During the programme you will develop:

  • Knowledge and awareness of sustainability.
  • Skills needed for sustainability leadership.
  • Your capabilities to collaborate with stakeholders and understand their needs.
  • Your skills to identify sources of financial and non-financial value.
  • The skills to integrate financial strategies with sustainability.
  • Your innovation in products, services, and business models.
  • An understanding of three key sustainability themes – net zero, circular economy, inclusion & diversity.
  • The confidence to embed your learnings back in your organisation with a unique action plan.

Programme structure 

Leading Sustainability Course structure

What you'll experience

 

Prework – Online introduction to sustainability

You will be supplied with pre work to complete ahead of this programme.

Day one – Immersion in our future

Immerse yourself in Cranfield’s , where you’ll travel forward to 2050, then return to plan actions in the present day, working with colleagues from multiple sectors of the economy.

You’ll reflect on the journey the game has taken you on and what this means for your role and organisation.

Day two – Building capabilities (1)

Enrich your understanding and knowledge of key sustainability themes, developing key capabilities, skills and plans for your own leadership priorities as well as organisationally.

Key themes covered are:

  • Connecting sustainability to financial results on your organisation.
  • Explore your sustainability priorities and where to focus your energy for impact.
  • Climate change and Net Zero.
  • Sustainable value.
  • Citizenship.

Explore these challenges as they may affect your organisation – which are most important, where are the greatest opportunities?

Day three – Building capabilities (2) and action planning

Continue to explore and enhance your understanding and knowledge of further key sustainability theme, developing key capabilities skills and plans that support you in your sustainable leadership journey.

Key themes covered are:

  • Global Supply Chains.
  • Circular Economy.
  • Developing practical, innovative ideas which will transform social and environmental outcomes for your organisation.
  • Leadership and your ability to mobilise sustainability in your organisation. You’ll gain a vocabulary to help articulate issues that are relevant to key stakeholders for encourage change.

You’ll also work on a personalised action plan for you and your organisation to become pioneers in leading the sustainability agenda.

Certificate

Upon completion of our Leading Sustainability programme you will be awarded with a digital certificate from Cranfield Executive Development.

Unique and practical programme features

  • Cranfield’s world-class subject matter expertise – drawing on their research and leading capabilities both in organisational management, and in the scientific and engineering disciplines associated with sustainability.
  • Learn from our faculty, many of whom are experienced business leaders, passionate about the sustainability challenge.
  • Experience Cranfield’s unique virtual experience – the , that empowers, inspires, challenges and educates individuals.
  • Peer-to-peer learning.
  • Highly interactive experience, that allows delegates to participate in practical exercises to embed learning and ideas, to take back to their organisations.

Programme Directors

Dr Rosina Watson

Sandy Rodger

Concessions

20% discount (tuition fee only) for Cranfield School of Management Alumni who have attended one of our eligible leadership programmes.

Accommodation and Location



How to apply

Next steps

Our team of executive development experts will be happy to talk to you about your development needs, please email us or call +44 (0)1234 754500.

This course is provided by Cranfield Management Development Ltd a wholly owned subsidiary of SWAGºÏ¼¯