Case studies
Since 1988, CISL has worked with global businesses across multiple sectors to develop bold, pragmatic approaches that respond to today’s volatility.
We have supported leaders to navigate disruption, manage risk, unlock opportunity and help shape markets that reward sustainable outcomes, all while positioning organisations to succeed in delivering short-term performance and investing in the long-term resilience and transformation required to remain competitive.
Business Leadership
We believe the future will be built by leaders with the ambition to go further and faster: those impatient with the status quo, determined to be part of building something better. Their ambition builds momentum for market-wide change and positions their organisations to compete and thrive in more sustainable economies. We work through education, research, innovation and dialogue with policymakers, to equip leaders to seize that opportunity and turn that ambition into action.
Informing VodafoneThree’s social impact and sustainability strategy
As Vodafone and Three combined to create a new market-leading telecoms company, VodafoneThree built a clear, purpose-led strategy for social impact and sustainability, anchored in their core strengths and commercial realities.
Tata: Developing a growth strategy in a low carbon economy
The Tata Sustainability Leadership Programme was commissioned to provide Chief Executives and Board members from across Tata Sons with a shared understanding of the risks and opportunities posed by climate change.
CHANEL and Cambridge renew partnership to accelerate sustainability
CISL and the University of Cambridge extended its partnership with CHANEL for a further three years, expanding work to accelerate sustainability transformation and build long-term organisational capability.
Jaguar Land Rover: Future-proofing business and embedding innovation
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) needed to mainstream sustainability into its operations. Together we translated this vision into clear and quantifiable business objectives for decoupling its future growth from its environmental impact.
Shaping the EU’s 2040 target
In 2025, CLG Europe mobilised over 155 leading businesses and investors, representing €5 trillion in turnover and €65 trillion in assets, to urge the EU to adopt a 90 per cent emissions reduction target by 2040.
Anglo American: Enhancing social performance in different regions
Anglo American, in partnership with CISL and the University of Queensland’s Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining and BTS, developed a unique programme specifically designed to build the leadership capabilities of senior managers.
Systemic Innovation
Achieving sustainable markets will require co-ordinated change across multiple systems – technological, political, economic, social and environmental – often involving actors beyond a single organisation, sector or place. CISL’s approach to transforming systems, sectors and places is grounded in systems thinking alongside our experience of building real-world collaborations for change in the economy. Innovation is the driving force of the economy, unlocking change, solving problems but also disrupting the status quo.
Accelerating innovation with The Crown Estate through CISL’s Living Lab
In 2025, we announced a major new partnership with The Crown Estate to accelerate sustainable innovation and nature recovery across the UK’s built environment.
Partnering with Boston Scientific to accelerate sustainable healthcare
We partnered with global medical technology corporation, Boston Scientific, to address two priorities: building sustainability capability and accelerating sustainable transformation.
L’Oréal Groupe
CISL is partnering with L’Oréal through a Sustainable Innovation Accelerator to identify, pilot and scale solutions addressing the beauty industry’s most pressing challenges – from low carbon processes and alternative ingredients to water resilience and inclusive business models.
Partnering with UNICEF to accelerate climate innovation
CISL has partnered again with UNICEF Innovation, supporting the launch of the Climate Innovation Challenge alongside India Health Fund.
Tackling solar PV waste in Europe’s energy transition with E.ON
Our report, in partnership with E.ON Group Innovation, and IfM Engage, explores the challenge of continued solar PV technology growth and outlines the circular solutions that can help us avoid creating an environmental crisis.
Supporting a global brewer to set ambitious 2030 sustainability goals
CISL was engaged at a key point in the strategy cycle to support a global brewing and beverage company. We convened 60 senior leaders from across the organisation for an in-depth strategic programme.
Supporting a major UK airport group to develop a strategic approach to decarbonisation
CISL brought together the organisation’s executive committee and expert voices on sustainable aviation, low-carbon fuels and airspace modernisation, to explore how they can influence system-wide decarbonisation.
Working to advance nature positive business practices
We partnered with Asda and Land App to pilot a biodiversity baseline and land management planning approach for farmers in Asda’s supply chain, ensuring alignment with their nature strategy.
Rewiring Finance
Our new approach to financing a sustainable economy shows that there is extraordinary opportunity for leaders: US$10.3 trillion in potential value waiting to be unlocked. A fundamental barrier to this is that the financial system is not set up to support the change and solutions required. It fails to direct capital towards sustainable investment, creating systemic risks while leaving massive opportunities on the table. At CISL, our work with financial institutions to rewire the financial system is building the momentum, evidence and partnerships to make this transformation real.
Investing in tomorrow: building climate-resilient investment portfolios
Through a practical guide for listed equity and debt portfolios, CISL’s Investment Leaders Group (ILG) embeds physical climate risk into every stage of the investment process, using tools investors already know and trust.
BNP Paribas: Financing the transformation to a sustainable economy
CISL continues its partnership with BNP Paribas to support their leadership and strategic alignment. Our work centres around capacity building, most notably through the continuation of the Positive Impact Programme.
Partnering with finance to assess nature-related financial risks
Our collaboration with the Development Bank of Singapore, the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, the United Overseas Bank and the Monetary Authority of Singapore translated theory into a practical use case.
Fidelidade advances strategic thinking on sustainability-related risks and opportunities
The insurance sector is navigating a landscape of increasing risks and opportunities. Fidelidade engaged us to support its senior leadership team to advance the organisation’s sustainability strategy.
Shaping the EU’s sustainable finance policy
We activated the community of business and finance actors engaging in EU sustainable finance policy to intervene directly with Commissioners through a collective letter, and contributed to the financing priorities in the Clean Industrial Deal manifesto.
Unlocking Islamic finance as a driver of sustainable impact
CISL has partnered with Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia to equip senior leaders from Malaysia’s leading financial institutions to translate shared values into action through an intensive four-day residential programme.
