Accelerate your sustainability transformation with expert-led executive education
In a world shaped by rapid environmental, social and economic change, organisations must respond with agility and foresight. The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) offers immersive, two-day Sustainability Leadership Labs in Cambridge, designed for professionals seeking to lead change and develop solutions for their organisations and beyond.
The Leadership Labs are a collaborative learning experience, where participants actively engage with leading-edge thinkers around specific and practical sustainability challenges. The programme provides a balance of knowledge sharing, action learning, and engagement with an intentionally diverse cohort.
Duration, format and location
- Our two-day Labs are delivered in person in Cambridge.
Upcoming sessions
- June 8th-9th, 2026 - Madingley Hall Cambridge
How to apply
- Submit your application or find out more about the selection criteria.
Responding to topical sustainability trends in a practical way
Business leaders are facing complex, interconnected sustainability challenges - from circular economy transitions to climate and nature risks and stakeholder engagement across value chains. Traditional approaches often fall short by trying to address seemingly isolated symptoms rather than systemic root causes risking business longevity.
Drawing on expertise from leading businesses, thought leaders and policy experts, CISL’s Labs help senior executives embrace complexity and develop transformative responses through systems thinking, innovation and collaboration.
Benefits of attending
The workshop is committed to delivering action-based learning. Participants are invited to submit a case study about their organisation which may be discussed during workshop exercises. The course will also include structured planning sessions for all participants to reflect on their learning, develop an action plan and articulate this plan to peers for constructive feedback. As a result, you will return to your organisation with a clear direction of how to create leading-edge responses to sustainability opportunities and challenges.
Participants leave the Labs with:
- A personalised action plan to drive change within their spheres of control and influence
- Enhanced ability to co-create solutions with other stakeholders across the system
- Exposure to real-life case studies and best practice from global experts and thought leaders
- A vision of the change required in their sector
- Access to CISL’s global network of over 40k leaders
- Practical tools, frameworks and advice to drive business impact
Who should attend
Those in corporate, NGO, and academic organisations looking to drive systemic change. We strive for intentionally diverse cohorts where the common denominators are interest and ambition, and where participants share their perspective and learn from the perspectives of others.
Delivery format
Delivered in person over two days in Cambridge, the Labs offer an immersive experience designed to address practical issues facing priority systems and sectors.
Each lab focuses on a key challenge in a particular system or sector. Experts speakers unpack this issue and provide provocation, and participants engage in structured activities to identify the critical unlocks, and the practical actions they can take to drive transformation.
The labs are delivered in-person over two-days in Cambridge, and include:
- Expert-led sessions to enable systemic thinking and innovative mindsets
- Workshop activities that leverage the diversity of the group to develop a holistic view of the issue, and the actions necessary for different parts of the system to enable transformation
- Opportunities for peer-learning and expert coaching
Our actionable learning approach
The workshops use a collaborative and innovative learning approach with a strong emphasis on sharing real-life experiences and best-practice case studies. Attendees are encouraged to co-create sustainability solutions using creative problem-solving techniques and develop action plans to become effective systems change agents. There will be ample opportunities for discussion and debate, building on the knowledge and expertise of peers, academics and expert practitioners.
Support Beyond the Lab
Participants join CISL’s global network of 40,000 sustainability leaders, gaining access to ongoing insights, events and collaboration opportunities.
Register your interest in future labs
How It Works
If you are interested in joining an upcoming Lab, follow the steps below:
- Apply online via CISL’s website
- Eligibility review based on experience and motivation
- Pre-course preparation – please note that optional reading and resources are sent to you periodically once your application is accepted. We advise early sign up to ensure you can access all the resources to support your learning journey.
- Two-day immersive Lab in Cambridge
- Post-course access to CISL’s global network and resources
Selection criteria
Applicants should be committed to using learning from the Labs to lead or influence change within the business context and should been proficient in the English language.
We also ask that applicants have either completed a previous programme at CISL or hold a sustainability position with significant work experience in sustainability. In some cases non-alumni who are not in sustainability roles will be accepted on a Lab at the discretion of the Lab Director and dependent on the applicant’s experience, interests and motivation for attending. If you are unsure whether you meet the entry requirements please contact us.
Fees
Corporate/ Private sector
- Standard: £2,750
- CISL alumni or Platform member: £2,200
Not-for-profit
- NGOs, public sector or academia, developing countries: £1,925
Notes
a) Includes accommodation and subsistence during the Lab, but excludes travel costs.
Visas
Candidates who do not hold a UK or Irish passport will need immigration permission in order to come to the UK and attend the Lab. Some candidates may already hold immigration permission for the UK, if not they can apply for/enter the UK on a visitor visa. Details of the relevant visitor visa can be found here. Once candidates accept an offer of a place on a Lab, and pay the course fee, CISL can provide a letter of confirmation to support a visa application, if required. Candidates must also ensure they comply with measures in place when travelling to the UK to help against the spread of coronavirus, information available here.
Register your interest in future labs
Testimonials:
"This Lab built well on the previous Lab that I completed, and has really given me much food for thought and ideas for action." Head of Sustainability, Pret A Manger
"A great two-day course that surpassed my expectations, using practical tools to challenge the way we think about our own business and challenge how bold we are being in our approach and role in tackling the sustainability issues in our own supply chains." Agriculture and Sustainability Development Manager, NSF International
"Very informative, stimulating and an excellent networking opportunity." Principal Geoscientist & Operations Geologist, Energy Geoscience
“The Sustainability Leadership Labs enabled me to gain a global perspective on material issues that are impacting businesses today. I left the Labs with practical tools and knowledge that could be used immediately when I returned to the office… Every lab is unique but also consistent in providing a learning experience with other practitioners that prepares you for the volatile and uncertain environment we all operate in.” Manager, Responsible Business, Old Mutual Emerging Markets
"The Leadership Labs at Cambridge have been a key way for me to gain direct insights from a broad range of academic and business thought leaders, on how organisations need to adapt in order to respond to the challenges and opportunities that sustainability poses. They also provided a forum to gain wide input from a range of other organisations how my company could respond to the opportunities and challenges. These insights have been crucial to allow me to more confidently influence internally, build business case and drive meaningful change… and these Labs have offered an effective and flexible way to build and maintain my knowledge." Fabrics Sustainability, W.L.Gore & Associates
FAQs
Who should attend?
Sustainability professionals, CISL alumni, and leaders with significant experience in sustainability roles.
Do I need to be a CISL alumnus?
Not necessarily. Applicants with relevant experience and motivation may be accepted at the discretion of the Lab Director.
What’s included in the fee?
Accommodation, meals, course materials. Travel costs are excluded.
Can I get visa support?
Yes. CISL provides confirmation letters for visa applications upon acceptance and payment.
Are discounts available?
Yes. Reduced fees for CISL Almuni, NGOs, developing countries, and multiple delegates from the same organisation.
