About

A large group of people in business attire networking in a bright, modern indoor space with tall windows, plants, and refreshments.

CISL’s Corporate Leaders Groups bring together business leaders committed to supporting the transformation to competitive, sustainable, inclusive economies that will deliver net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

Through exchange of evidence-based ideas and influential discussions with policymakers and peers, the Corporate Leaders Groups advocate for robust business and policy solutions to the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our planet.

 

Our goals

The Corporate Leaders Groups’ members seek to share experiences with policymakers and business to promote ambitious and practical outcomes which.

  • help achieve the goal of net zero emissions in the UK and Europe by 2050 at the latest
  • ensure cumulative global carbon emissions do not exceed one trillion tonnes
  • limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C
  • build an economy that supports and enables the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Who we are

The Corporate Leaders Groups’ members are progressive industry leaders, coming from a range of sectors including energy, transport, retail and consumer goods, communication, finance, infrastructure and the built environment. Together we have headquarters across the UK and EU member states but with influence and presence in every region of the world.

Because the Corporate Leaders Groups are committed to the phase out of fossil fuels and the transition to a sustainable economy, dedicated fossil fuel companies (ie. companies focused on the extraction and processing of fossil fuels with the majority of their activities in this area) are not eligible to join.

We are made up of some of the most significant global business talent, with millions of employees and suppliers, guiding sustained commercial success through interesting times. Our collective perspective is informed by that success and our ability to innovate, adapt and thrive in a volatile economic and political context.

Our groups are convened by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), and their work is defined by targeted engagement with policy audiences in the UK and the EU, aligned with members’ strategic priorities. 

 

What we do

The Corporate Leaders Groups’ members are committed to playing a leadership role in securing a smooth, equitable and positive transition to a sustainable economy. This means both changing our businesses, and advocating for action in the wider economic and political context.

The Corporate Leaders Groups’ membership is defined by a willingness to share experience and lead from the front. Through high-level convening, quality research, and new partnerships, the Corporate Leaders Groups inform public policy and leads the wider business community by example.