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Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

The economic landscape is transforming – and fast. Today’s economic models are unsustainable. They are being disrupted by climate and nature risks, new technologies and shifting geopolitics. The human, economic and commercial consequences unfolding all around us show that we are collectively failing to address the challenge.

And business – which can play a critical role in solving this problem by deploying its talent, assets, reach and capacity for innovation – continues to be economically incentivised to act in ways that damage the planet and exacerbate social challenges. It is in businesses' own interests to both accelerate the transition and to innovate and position themselves to compete within it. 

The challenge is one of pace – of driving change within market structures that are often a barrier to, rather than an enabler of, innovation and investment. 

Below we highlight some of the ways we work with leaders and innovators in business, government and finance to accelerate action and market wide transition to support resilience and value creation for the long-term. For those wishing to discuss strategic partnership and other ways to engage, please get in touch.

 

How we work with businesses


No business can thrive long-term in an unsustainable world. We help leaders grasp critical sustainability challenges, craft competitive and responsible strategies, build the leadership and credibility to drive change, and collaborate to drive the system-wide shifts a sustainable future demands.

 Advisory services

We work with clients to diagnose and develop impactful organisational strategies, co-owned across leadership teams and build the internal capacity to deliver them.

Find out more Get in touch

Customised education and tailored learning pathways

We design tailored learning to meet clients' specific organisational needs, from bringing leadership together to develop strategic responses to pressing challenges, to implementing organisational strategy across teams.

Find out more Get in touch

 

Communities for impact

Our membership groups provide opportunities for leaders to
change systems and markets, contribute to evidence-based ideas and discussions between policymakers and businesses.

Corporate Leaders Groups Centre for Sustainable Finance

Innovation partnerships

We work with corporate partners, innovators, startups and SMEs, systems change experts and industry leaders to develop and scale innovation solutions that enable market shifts. 

Find out more The Canopy

 

 

Hear from CISL clients leading work towards sustainable business models, and building these strategies into commercial success metrics


 

Hear from some of CISL's previous clients who have been leading the transition to long-term success. 

Find out more

 

Additional resources


2024 Impact Report

CISL’s priority impact areas for systemic transformation – Future Place, Future Economy and Future Lives - connect our strategic expertise and global networks. Together, they pave the way for bold action and regenerative leadership for people, nature and climate. 

Read more

 

 

CISL Conversations

Hear from global professionals tackling real-world sustainability challenges across business, policy and finance. CISL Conversations brings you thought leadership from across industries, sectors, and continents.

Listen now

 

 

For more information on our work, get in touch with a member of the team

Who we work with and why

Our multi-stakeholder approach engages influential individuals alongside businesses, governments, financial institutions and civil society representatives, focusing on their shared potential to rewire economic, social and environmental systems.

Read more

Competing in the Age of Disruption

In this report, CISL Interim CEO Lindsay Hooper and CISL Fellow Paul Gilding set out a pathway for the private sector to proactively respond to the current volatile geopolitical context while continuing sustainability efforts.

Read the report

Survival of the Fittest: From ESG to Competitive Sustainability

It is time to move on from trying to put ‘sustainability thinking’ into business and instead start putting ‘business thinking’ into sustainability. In this report, Lindsay Hooper and Paul Gilding argue for the need to shift to an agenda of competitive sustainability.

Hear from Lindsay

Transforming businesses through online learning

Discover how CISL's digital learning pathways enable learning and transformation across your organisation. Course formats include 6-8 week self-paced short courses, 8-week tutor assisted programmes and customised and blended education.

Find out more