Businesses are central to the global sustainability transition. At the same time, the role, the contributions and impact of businesses in society are coming under growing scrutiny.
Despite attempts to extend the life of unsustainable business-as-usual products and services, current approaches often lack the necessary mindsets, tools and mechanisms to enable businesses to respond to intensifying systemic shocks and pressures. As a result, even ambitious organisations that seek to lead are unclear on how best to deliver effective, sustainable solutions across markets and supply chains.
There is an urgent need to address this challenge. Over the next decade, companies will need to align their purpose, governance, culture, leadership and strategy with long-term value creation for society to motivate their people and thrive commercially as sustainable businesses. To achieve this, they will have to adopt transformational practices and organisational innovations and implement ambitious strategies and programmes for change. As well as transforming internal practices and mindsets, businesses will also need to engage externally to create the enabling conditions that scale sustainable value propositions.
What we do
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has played a key role in shaping the principles and practices businesses need to make this transformation. We will provide you with the knowledge, skills and tools to enable you to deliver transformational change and impact.
Business Transformation in Principle
Read our ‘Unleashing the sustainable business’ paper series to understand the foundational principles of a purpose-led
sustainable business that delivers long-term wellbeing of all
people and planet. These reports informed CISL’s contribution to
the first ever standard for a sustainable purpose-led organisation.
Business Transformation in Practice
Try our practical Business Transformation Framework to assess your organisation’s progress towards a sustainable purpose led organisation and inform your goals and transformation journey. This is informed by leading practice from across our business network and Leading with a sustainable purpose report.
Business Transformation in Action for Climate
Check out our Net Zero Strategic Framework if you are just
starting out to decarbonise your business operations and, for
those already on the journey, our Net Zero Business Transformation Framework to accelerate change in an era of turbulence and complexity.
Business Transformation in Action for Nature
Use our nature strategy diagnostic tool to understand nature-based solutions and inform your decision-making to operate in a nature positive world. Our other resources and case studies highlight examples of actions and approaches to regenerate and restore nature.
Business Transformation in Action for People
Read our ‘Business, justice and the new global economy’ report to help your business incorporate considerations of justice into
decision-making. Many of our Fellows research topics that explore how businesses can benefit people.
Upskilling leaders to deliver business transformation
With a deep understanding of the changing global context and access to a wealth of world-leading research into sustainable business, our programmes draw upon leading academics, practitioners and innovators to help inform business strategy and inspire action.
Short online courses for business
Governance for a Sustainable
Future
For professionals seeking to unleash transformative change by leading with sustainability-aligned decision-making.
Find out more
Business and Social Justice
For business owners, individuals, and professionals wanting to deepen their understanding of the structural roots
of social injustice and how business can
lead the way to transformational change..
Find out more
Business and Climate Change
For professionals looking to combat climate change and build business models that are resilient to, and profitable in, the low
carbon, resource-efficient economy of the twenty-first century.
Find out more
Business Sustainability
Management
For professionals wanting to act as an
agent for positive change and lead sustainability across an organisation.
Find out more
How we work with businesses
Our work with businesses over the last 30 years indicates that in many instances, even when leadership teams are enthusiastic and energised about their role in delivering a sustainable future, it is unclear what they need to do, how they should prioritise tasks, and which stakeholders they need to engage in order to be most effective.
We help individual organisations to find specific answers, develop scalable solutions to common business challenges that push the boundaries of leading practice, and help companies measure and optimise their impact and value to society.
- Diagnose where they are on their transition, where they need to get to and how they can accelerate change.
- Support companies integrate sustainability in their strategies in order to align with a net zero carbon transition, address inequalities and social justice, and protect and restore nature.
- Design and implement sustainable business transformation programmes to leverage strategy, people and technology towards becoming a sustainable business.
- Develop and pilot innovative commercial approaches and solutions across value chains to address specific risks and opportunities.
Find out more about how we work with businesses
Resources and reports
Enhancing Biodiversity in Europe’s Oilseed and Cereal Industries
27 July 2021
August 2021 - A new report from University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Biodiversify examines what private sector actors in the oilseed and cereal industry can do to conserve biodiversity on arable farmland in Europe to ultimately inspire them to take action towards best practice. The aim of this work funded by an ADM Cares grant to the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability leadership was to examine the question: What can private sector actors in the oilseed and cereal industries do to conserve biodiversity on arable farmland in Europe?
Targeting Net Zero: A strategic framework for business action
5 July 2021
Introduction A net zero emission economy will be essential to maintain a stable global climate. The private sector has a critical role in delivering this and there is a growing body of evidence to demonstrate that it makes good business sense to act. Business action on climate change can inform...
25 November 2020
November 2020 – This report from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) distils shared insights into how four leading multinational companies developed, aligned and integrated a purpose and strategy to transition to a sustainable economy.
Briefing on EU Biodiversity Strategy
21 April 2020
20 April 2020 - The European Commission is soon to publish the EU’s new Biodiversity Strategy, one of the key elements of the flagship ‘European Green Deal’ (EGD) package of economic and environmental policies.
Developing a corporate biodiversity strategy: A primer for the fashion sector
28 January 2020
30 January 2020 – Nature is declining at a rate unprecedented in human history, with one million species now threatened with extinction. This degradation of nature affects society as a whole, including businesses that rely on natural resources, like the fashion sector. This report sets out how companies can create strategies to address their impacts on biodiversity.
8 January 2019
January 2019 – Incorporating the Planetary Boundary framework into business decision-making can help companies understand the consequences of their environmental impacts at a global level and provide a critical new perspective on how to tackle their impact.
The pollination deficit: Towards supply chain resilience in the face of pollinator decline
9 April 2018
April 2018 – Companies face potential shortages of raw materials, a fall in crop quality and challenges around security of supply because of an emerging pollination deficit, according to a report authored by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the University of East Anglia (UEA).
21 September 2017
September 2017 – The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a global strategy for achieving economic growth that is consistent with the planet’s carrying capacity, society’s basic needs and priorities, and the capabilities and stability of the economy. In this report, leading companies from the newly formed Rewiring the Economy Inquiry Group call for a compelling business narrative and a systemic approach to maximise the chances of delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
