Educating for Change: A Decade of Sustainability Leadership with Kevin Chu
21 November 2025 - Kevin Chu, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Metropolitan University and alum of the Master’s in Sustainability Leadership reflects on his journey since graduating in 2016.
Kevin Chu, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hong Kong Metropolitan University and alum of the Master’s in Sustainability Leadership, reflects on his journey since graduating in 2016.
As I approach the ten-year mark since graduating from the Master’s (MSt) in Sustainability Leadership programme at CISL, I find it essential to reflect on my journey and the impact of my education on my career in sustainability.
When I applied for the MSt in Sustainability Leadership, I was asked to articulate my reasons for pursuing the degree. At that time, my primary aspiration was to embed sustainability into business education. Thanks to the knowledge and skills I gained at CISL, I was able to turn this aspiration into a reality.
Shaping the Future through Education
The university I work for aligns with my vision that curricula should evolve toward responsible business education. With the credentials I earned at CISL, I was entrusted with leading the development and redevelopment of courses focused on business sustainability.
This effort resulted in the creation of the module "Business Sustainability: Theory and Practice," which has become a compulsory subject for senior year Bachelor of Business Administration students at my university. I am also proud to have developed a core course "Entrepreneurial Mindsets and Leadership for Sustainability". This course has been delivered annually to over 2,500 senior undergraduates across various disciplines, from sciences to creative arts and healthcare to education and aims to instil a mindset that embraces sustainability as a core value, encouraging students to propose entrepreneurial ideas and changes that address sustainability challenges.
Rebuilding Trust: Addressing Public Skcepticism
My dissertation explored how young people consider sustainability when making high-involvement purchases. A key finding revealed a deep-rooted belief that businesses prioritise shareholders over stakeholders, leading to widespread scepticism about business sustainability. This scepticism is often justified; media expose various scams where businesses misrepresent their practices, mislead consumers, and exaggerate their environmental achievements.
Such revelations erode trust and diminish consumers' willingness to engage in sustainable consumption. Even more concerning is the shift from greenwashing to greenhushing, where companies refrain from discussing their sustainability initiatives altogether. This loss of hope fosters a sense of helplessness among the public, demotivating individuals from participating in sustainability efforts as they feel their actions are insignificant.
Recognising this, I actively engaged in radio programs and contributed to online media to discuss sustainability issues and shift public perceptions, my time studying at CISL has helped build my confidence in discussing sustainability issues on radio programs and in other media. One of my most significant projects was serving as the Advisor and Scriptwriter for the "Sustainability in Action" TV Programme Series,
produced by HKMU. This 10-episode series examines sustainability across eight key aspects of daily life—clothing, food choices, transportation, energy, buildings, leisure, lifestyles, and investment—showcasing the business sector’s commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through in-depth interviews with over 30 business leaders.
The global economy is gradually—but unevenly—shifting toward more sustainable forms of capitalism, where long-term value relies on environmental stewardship, social inclusion, and resilient business models. Many businesses are driving real progress, from incremental improvements to transformative change, though this shift is far from uniform and significant barriers remain. While companies can profitably address societal and environmental challenges, fully realising this potential will require stronger collaboration among governments, investors, civil society, and consumers. It is therefore essential that all of us play an active role in shaping a more equitable and sustainable economic future.
Advancing Research and Collaboration
My time at CISL also equipped me with invaluable research skills. I developed a research proposal that secured a HK$429,000 grant for the project "Investigating Impacts of Problem Ownership and Ascription of Responsibility on Sustainable Consumption Behaviour." Additionally, I published several papers, including extended versions of my Strategic Action Plan for the MSt assignment.
Recognising that sustainability research should inform industry practices, I organised discussion panels at our annual Academia-Industry Exchange, focusing on how businesses can integrate sustainability into their operations and overcome related challenges.
Looking back, I am immensely grateful to CISL for illuminating the complexities of sustainability and teaching me the importance of being a lifelong learner. Unlike many other professionals, sustainability practitioners often discover that the more we learn, the more we realise how much there is still to explore in order to create meaningful impacts in our roles. Continuing to collaborate with other CISL alumni to build the strategies, capabilities and partnerships that will enable us to shape and succeed in the sustainable markets of the future.