21st Century leadership - how can leaders develop a sustainable business in 2024?
We need leadership with the ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity. To establish the right conditions for individuals, teams, and organisations to take accountability and innovate to create value through sustainable solutions. To deliver for the long-term whilst producing the returns required in the short term.
Leadership needs to understand what actions are most critical to deliver a sustainable future (CISL’s Rewiring the Economy and Business Transformation Framework cover key areas). Leadership also needs to embrace the inner capabilities and capacity required to influence and progress these actions individually and collectively across systems. Our work shows that some leading organisations are successfully rethinking their leadership development strategy to meet this changing context, but many organisations are yet to recognise the scale of change required for long-term business success
Organisations need a new form of leadership development which helps them to reframe their values and purpose, strategy and culture – enabling them to innovate and change their fundamental approach to value creation.
CISL Insights for Leaders
Leadership for a sustainable future Framework
CISL have developed a framework that embraces the ultimate purpose of leadership - to deliver a sustainable future, with business/organisational success being an essential means to deliver this goal.
CISL’s Business Transformation Framework
This practical diagnostic tool sets out 12 key enablers presented onto four organisational typologies, distinguished by different levels of alignment to sustainability and purpose, against which businesses can self-assess.
Future of Boards Research Phase 1
The Future of Boards research has identified key trends influencing board practice, provides practical, evidence-based, internationally relevant insights and recommendations. They are designed to support boards and the business they lead to strategically navigate the multiplying risks and opportunities and respond appropriately.
How we work with you
Developing the right leadership skills and capabilities across an organisation is not easy, but a growing body of work indicates that organisations that cultivate learning and innovation to develop these capabilities are better able to anticipate and mitigate risk and enhance productivity. More importantly, they are better able to shape their own futures and seize the opportunities inherent in aligning their activities with society’s needs and priorities.
Our leadership programmes work with organisations and individuals to allow them to thrive in the changing business context and to support them to develop the leadership that we need to transform our economies and deliver benefits to people, and protect our nature and climate. You can find more about CISL's position on leadership here.
Leadership capabilities for the 21st Century
The leadership lab taking place in October 2024 is a chance for
you to explore leadership within and beyond your organisation to develop the mindsets and practices for a sustainable future.
Register your interest
Open application programmes for leaders
We build the leadership capacity of individuals and organisations across disciplines to catalyse and accelerate change to deliver value within and beyond their own context.
Find out more about our courses
Executive coaching to support you to deliver impact
Our team of executive coaches are experienced to support you as you lead change to transition and transform your board, your leadership, your team or your organisation.
Submit an enquiry
Research
We invite you to engage with us to stress test the leadership framework in your organisation as part of our research.
Find out how to engage
Transforming organisations
We challenge and support organisations to raise ambition and address the challenges and opportunities of sustainability.
Customise leadership and strategy programmes
Accelerating solutions
We foster new enterprises, business models, technologies, products and services that promote a sustainable future.
Innovation for small businesses
Short online courses in leadership
Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership
For professionals seeking to build skills in values driven, high impact leadership.
Find out more
Communicating for Influence and Impact
For professionals seeking to build the communication skills to achieve meaningful change.
Find out more
Women Leading Change: Shaping
Our Future
For current and aspiring leaders who are ready to lead change in organisations and society through systemic transformation.
Find out more
Watch a recording of the Women Leading Change webinar
Alumni stories
"With the credentials of CISL, this could well be the most successfully designed programme in the world that delivers sustainability to business management in a nutshell."
Lu-Ann Ong, Singapore Co-founder and Managing Partner, Independent Consultants 1920 LLP
"The course gave me a firm foundation on sustainability, equipped me with up-to-date trends on how it is practised across the globe, and gave me the chance to meet passionate practitioners of sustainability and be inspired by the work they do."
Harris Albert Guevarra, Philippines President and CEO, Drink
Resources and research
27 February 2018
5 March 2018 – Businesses need to develop leadership to respond to the unprecedented changes brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, according to a new report from the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL). Highlighting the important role of HR and L&D teams, the report sets out a framework for leadership development that delivers value for business, society and the environment.
Rewiring leadership: The future we want, the leadership we need
16 February 2018
March 2018 – Businesses face unprecedented change from social and environmental challenges, technical innovation and business model innovation. There is growing public expectation and a commercial case for businesses to shape and lead the change we need for a better future – not just adapt to it. This report outlines the Cambridge Impact Leadership Model, informed by CISL’s work with over 9,000 leaders. It describes how to develop the leadership we need to deliver value for business, society and the environment.
Vector: taking leadership, taking action and not just talking about it
1 February 2018
1 February 2018 – Simon Mackenzie, Group CEO of Vector, New Zealand's largest distributor of electricity and gas, describes how CISL has helped to build leadership and embed sustainability across his organisation – from deepening the understanding of its leaders on the sustainability agenda to helping its board set a strategy to help Vector become a long-term, sustainable business that all staff understand and subscribe to.
How to develop leadership for the new global economy
30 January 2018
5 March 2018 – Lindsay Hooper, CISL’s Executive Director, Education, reflects on the need for businesses to make social value the benchmark for performance. In order for companies to respond to increasing existential challenges and economic shifts driven by the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution', Lindsay makes the case for purpose-driven leadership to deliver the ambitious transformation we need if our global economy – and planet – are to survive and thrive.
8 business and sustainability trends that will define 2018
26 January 2018
January 2018 – In this trends briefing, you’ll find the condensed views and predictions of more than 40 Directors, Fellows, and Senior Associates affiliated to the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), supported by a survey of the wider CISL global Network of over 8,000 senior leaders and leading practitioners representing every industry on every continent.
Cambridge Impact Leadership Model
25 January 2018
The Cambridge Impact Leadership Model describes the leadership we need to deliver value for business, society and the environment.
Building leaders for long-term business performance
21 December 2017
December 2017 – This report examines how multinational companies are equipping employees with the skills, knowledge and values to grow businesses for the long term. It deepens our understanding of how companies are defining and developing their leadership and talent pipelines in order to thrive in an increasingly complex business environment, while simultaneously contributing to long-term social, environmental and economic goals.
It makes business sense to understand sustainability
29 November 2017
29 November 2017 – Over the past two years, Hammerson Plc has sent seven of its senior management team on The Prince of Wales’s Business & Sustainability Programme, run by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Louise Ellison, Group Head of Sustainability, explains how the course helps its leaders understand and respond to current sustainability challenges, and stresses the importance for all senior teams to understand the implications of sustainability for their business.
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.
