
Why Boards Must LeadWe see boards as stewards of the future. Armed with both experience and their authority at the helm of the organisation, boards must direct, oversee and be accountable for the achievement of the purpose of the organisation in a responsible and ethical fashion. They need to set the strategy and then ask the right questions of their executives to ensure that the organization makes a positive contribution to fixing a broken world. By defining the purpose and the strategic direction of the organisation boards can help resolve any tension between profitability and sustainability. As Professor Richard Calland, who leads our work on boards, says: “ Boards must be more ambitious and smart, equipping themselves with the right information and with diverse perspectives so that they can navigate an increasingly complex and treacherous context. The law is imposing an increasingly heavy responsibility on directors. Board members have the experience to rise to this challenge, but my impression is that some directors are either ‘diligently coasting’ or are unable to escape a ‘business as usual’ approach, while others see the urgency of the crisis and have the courage to confront it. This is the gauntlet we throw down to boards - to reset their own mission and rewire their approach to leadership, so as to fundamentally rethink the role of business in society and the economy.” |
What we do
Our experience from working with leaders over 30 years shows that with the right leadership, organisational culture and knowledge, boards can lead with purpose, driving long term value creation for the societies and economies in which they operate, and engaging strategically to address systemic barriers to aligning purpose and profit.
Our global leadership programmes are designed to help boards understand the complexity and urgency of the current context – whether in terms of a climate and environmental, or a social and economic, dimension – and to then grasp the implications for the purpose and strategy of the organisation. Our programmes also cover the growing legal responsibilities that face directors, as well as the significance of reporting duties. Lastly, we enable boards to confront the obstacles to the board playing a strong leadership and governance role.
Our thought leadership and research focus not only on what boards and good governance will need to look like in future, but on identifying that it will take to achieve change at individual, organisational and systemic levels so that businesses of the future are led in ways that profitably deliver benefits to people and protect our nature and climate.
Research: Future of Boards
This two-year collaboration between the CISL and DLA Piper seeks to bring increased insight and rigour to mapping barriers to board performance that is fit for the future, as well as to identifying the most promising solutions and enablers of progress. You can find out more about the research aims here.

Phase 1: exploring the evolving and emerging trends in board practices and capabilities, and the related legislative contexts.
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Phase 2: helping boards align corporate success with sustainable outcomes and transform sustainability data into a driver of meaningful business decision-making.
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Board Education
Our Board Programmes are designed to enable Board directors to think critically about their role and responsibilities, so that they can provide the strategic leadership that the external context urgently requires of them. We combine deep insight into material social, economic and environmental systemic trends, and clarity about the pace and scale of transformation required across key sectors, markets and regions, with an understanding of commercial imperatives, evolving drivers and enablers of change, and leading practice and thinking.

Customised Board programmes; designing a bespoke offering for your Board
We enable your Board to develop skills and mindset to enable it to provide the direction and oversight that the company needs to secure its long-term resilience, while contributing purposefully to human well-being and a thriving economy, with support through diagnostics, programme design, action planning and longer term support.
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Non-Executive Director programme; welcoming applications from individuals or groups working at Board level.
The seminars, delivered in Melbourne, Australia, equip attendees to challenge and guide management, form strategic responses for your company, and establish priority actions for the board, in relation to sustainability trends. Please note the Melbourne board programme is aimed specifically for Non-executive directors.
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CISL’s Business and Sustainability Programme; welcoming applications from C-Suite and Board Directors.
These residential programmes, delivered in 4 locations globally, equip leaders with the knowledge, commitment and inspiration to turn sustainability trends into strategic business decisions.
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