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Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) is a 9-month Master's-level postgraduate programme, delivered part-time for working professionals. 

The programme is designed to strengthen leadership skills, help embed sustainability in an organisation or across the supply chain to achieve positive, transformative change. 

Students can choose from two streams depending on their role and discipline, professional interests and learning needs. 

Download the postgraduate study brochure to receive further information on our postgraduate programmes. 

Organisational stream


This stream is designed for senior to mid-career professionals and managers, who are looking at embedding sustainability within an organisational context. The course provides a general overview of what it means to embed sustainability in business and attracts candidates who wish to deliver system-level change within and beyond organisational boundaries.

 

Value Chains stream


This stream is designed for all business functions and stakeholders associated with a value chain – not just procurement or specific supply chain roles. The course is relevant to upstream as well as more downstream ends of the value chain, including post-consumer sustainability challenges.

 

Organisational stream

 

Organisational 

Value chains and markets stream (formerly PCSVC) 

supply chain icon

Focus

Embedding sustainability within the context of an organisation, from strategy through to operations.

Driving sustainability across an organisation’s supply chain and the markets in which it operates by creating value across the full life cycle of a product (from its conception to its end use). 

Find out more about the definition and characteristics of a value chain.

Who's it is for

Senior to mid-career professionals and managers interested in:

  • Embedding sustainability in organisational decision-making
  • Developing or contributing to the development of sustainable strategies, policies, processes, or products
  • Engaging internal and external stakeholders to drive sustainable change

Senior to mid-career professionals and managers interested in:

  • Sustainable procurement
  • Enhancing sustainability or building resilience across their company’s supply chain
  • Engaging and influencing customers
  • Developing ‘circular’ approaches to resource use
  • Engaging peers across key sectors or regions to raise standards or address common challenges

What will you learn

  • A robust knowledge of global social, environmental and economic trends and how business can catalyse wider system-level change
  • How to develop the strategic business case for organisational change
  • How to embed sustainability into business action at an organisational level
  • How to lead organisational change
  • A robust knowledge of global social, environmental and economic trends and how business can catalyse wider system-level change
  • How to develop the strategic business case for embedding sustainability across value chains and markets
  • New approaches, tools and techniques for developing resilient and sustainable value chains
  • How to influence and engage customers, to shape the market context and embed sustainability across value chains

 

Organisational stream curriculum 

Value Chains stream curriculum

 

Organisational stream Tutors

Value Chain stream Tutors

 

Testimonials

 
 
Helen McTaggart, Senior Sustainability Manager at Amazon speak about how undertaking PCSB: value chains enabled her to strengthen her professional network. 
 
 
 
 
 
Richard Bond, Global Senior Manager Sustainability at Lavazza Professional found studying PCSB: value chains improved his communication and leadership skills. 
 
 
 
 
Ana Holden-Peters, Sustainability Lead at Bakkafrost describes how studying the PCSB led her to focus on her own purpose as a sustainability leader and change her career path.
 
 
 
 
 
Paul Cassell, Vehicle Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover talks about how the course delivered innovative insights and expanded their network with companies facing similar challenges. 
 

 

 

Accreditation and progression options


Successful completion of the PCSB results in a Postgraduate Certificate awarded by the University of Cambridge. This carries 60 CATS points at Level M and is equivalent to one-third of a Master’s degree. 

PCSB alumni who wish to continue their learning with CISL are welcome to apply for admission to the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership via either of two routes: 

Continuous route: PCSB alumni are exempted from the first (of four) workshops and gain credit for the year 1 assignments. 

Flexible route: PCSB alumni can apply to continue to the Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Business. Thereafter, PG Dip alumni can apply to continue to the final stage to achieve the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership This route is longer in duration but has a less intensive workload compared to PCSB and the continuous route. 

See here for more details on the differences between the two routes. 

 

 

 


 

Meet the Directors Webinars


Join a live webinar session hosted by the Directors of our part-time postgraduate courses as they give you an overview of our programmes and admissions process and answer your questions.



 

More information 


Certificate course overview


Who should apply?


Admission requirements


Funding opportunities


Learning approach and time commitment


Assignments


 

Value chain stream


What is a value chain?


Value chain stream: Curriculum


Value chain Supervisors


 

Organisational stream


Organisational stream: Curriculum


Organisational stream Supervisors


 

Student blogs


Employer benefits and information


Frequently asked questions


 

Email the team

If you can't find the answer to your query on the website please get in touch with the team here pcsb@cisl.cam.ac.uk