CISL Business Sustainability Management Student Testimonials

Sustainable business management practices are growing in demand from both end-consumers and regulatory bodies. Take one of the most significant contributors to global plastic usage as an example: the recyclable packaging materials market is forecast to grow by over five percent every year to almost $349 billion by 2026.¹ This growth trend is driven predominantly by environmentally-conscious consumer demand.

But it’s not only consumers pushing for green practices and sustainable trade. The UN’s 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), part of their sustainable development agenda, call businesses and individuals to strive for sustainability at all times.²

Business leaders at all levels need to incorporate sustainability into their long-term strategies, allowing them to adapt to the changing business context and use it as a competitive advantage.

Leaders have the opportunity to improve on or engage in new business sustainability practices and leadership through the Business Sustainability Management online short course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). If you participate in and complete this course, you’ll also get the chance to continue this conversation when you join the CISL network.

The eight-week course, presented in collaboration with GetSmarter and delivered entirely online, will equip you with the ability to:

• Investigate the impact of present global economic, social, and environmental pressures on business
• Create an argument for the importance of integrating sustainability across an organisation’s value chain
• Assess the opportunities from entering into partnerships to create new value
• Reflect on your personal strategies used to influence sustainability-oriented change
• Develop environmentally conscious business strategies within your organisation
• Interact with like-minded working professionals from around the world when you join the CISL Alumni Network
• Develop and implement a unique action plan for your business

The course provides an opportunity to build a fundamental understanding of how sustainability becomes native to your organisation by upskilling yourself as a leader and leading the charge for change. Take a look at what to expect:

And read on to find out what past students thought about the course:

Adam Blight, Director, Government Affairs, Bayer Asia and Africa
“CISL’s online short course provides a unique vantage point from which to understand not just what sustainability is, but why it is a necessity for businesses to survive and thrive in the decades ahead. The course turns a sprawling, misunderstood topic into a clear and compelling pathway for businesses to help transform how economies grow. The real-life case studies revealed the power of sustainability leadership to drive impressive commercial, social, and environmental progress.”

Alexandra Baier, Business Partner Manager HR, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund
“The course is very suitable for beginners on the topic of sustainability. It gives an excellent overview of the variety and breadth of the topic. Each module is comprehensive and offers a variety of learning methods. They enabled me to increase my knowledge and encouraged me to research even further about the topics. Each module incorporated access to expert knowledge and practical experiences that I could leverage from. Exchanges with my classmates were very good, as I got so many different views from various industries and focuses. I felt that the administration, online help, and tutors were very engaged. They helped as quickly as possible if any problem or question came up.”

Fariel Dif, Communication Director: Research and Innovation and Culture of Quality, Danone
“Changing a job and career orientation without having a background or solid foundation is common in my company, but not sustainable. My function is oriented on strategy, and this course allowed me to note that sustainability is at the heart of almost all the questions. I needed this training to feel empowered to proactively take initiative and take the floor about the topic. Just before the CISL course, I was contacted by a congress on sustainability to be a keynote speaker, and I declined. Today, I’m proud to have done this course, which was challenging but valuable. I was particularly impressed by the comprehensive content and the ongoing project. The case studies were also very useful as they enhanced my knowledge very efficiently. I highly recommend the CISL online courses. Thanks to the whole team and to my classmates for the great energy.”

Helena Stopher, Founder and CEO: Products of Change
“I had a basic knowledge of sustainability when I started this course. The online learning experience was extremely well-presented and easy to navigate. My understanding of sustainability across multiple areas has been vastly widened over this eight-week course. The networking was an extremely useful tool, both within the virtual classroom and externally via social media. I had extremely supportive online support and tutors who were available to advise quickly on all topics. This is a very well-run, professionally executed, and thought-provoking course that I would highly recommend.”

Ildiko Horvath, Human Resources and Communications Consultant
“The Business Sustainability Management course has well-balanced content that helps you to embed the theory into daily business practice. The knowledge shared is based on world-class research and displayed in a format that is easy to understand with great dynamics between reading materials and video and interactive learning content through group discussion forums. It has been my first online learning experience with clear structure and top-quality material. The topics had a logical flow, and through the assessment stages, we got direct feedback on our learning progress. The tutors were very friendly, with a genuine interest in their student’s advancement, and super helpful with whatever you needed help with. The experience is centred around integrative online learning, where you can network with top scientists, highly renowned business leaders, and inspiring creative minds from all walks of life.”

Lisa Boulton, Program Manager (GHG Data and Analytics), Nestlé
“I expected great things from this University of Cambridge course, and I was not disappointed! The depth and breadth of the material were impressive. One of the challenges was sticking to the material, because there were so many digressions possible, drilling down into additional material and researching more deeply on a topic. It was truly fascinating and inspiring. The tutors were very knowledgeable and supportive, the interviews and case studies were important to give real-life insights, and the discussion forums were very stimulating. The eco-building project in particular was great fun. The materials were really varied – some were drier and more difficult to get through than others – but the majority were easily accessible and interesting. I liked how the notes and materials were broken up with articles, videos, and other content. I would (and already have) recommended this course to anyone with an interest in sustainability and business.”

Lisa Codo, ESG Product Strategy, ESG Solutions, Moody’s
“I really enjoyed the content of this course. I found the reading varied and interesting coming from theorists, case studies, and business CEOs, each with different perspectives which made the learning so much richer. The mix between videos, reading, and infographics also broke up the content to make it easier to digest. The content was really practical for business, particularly the case studies. The conversations with classmates were as important and useful as the course itself, and the proportions worked well.”

Macrina Busato, E-learning Consultant/Design Consultant, Hecho X Nosotros (HXN)
“My learning experience on the Business Sustainability Management online short course has broadened my perspective in many different aspects, from finance, regulatory environments, and policy to partnership and leadership for action. Being online has been very important, allowing me to continue my work while studying in a smooth way. Indeed, I have invested many hours studying and working on exercises after work and on weekends, but it is designed to be managed alongside your current job. The platform is intuitive and very easy to manage. Group discussions are facilitated and they are part of the learning experience. You get to see different perspectives and share valuable links and experiences. The online support is also designed to help at any moment. I had to travel for a conference and had a health issue and they were very open to expanding the deadlines for deliverables. I highly recommend this course to anyone in all industries. Sustainable management literacy is something we all should have in the 21st century. I am very happy I decided to invest in this course. I look forward to participating in other Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership learning experiences.”

Madelief Verdaasdonk, Sustainability Consultant, Prodrive Technologies
“The Business Sustainability Management course not only opened my eyes [to] the necessity of switching to a circular economy, but it also gave me the tools on how to transform businesses towards a sustainability mentality. The content builds on each other and gives a holistic view of the most important concepts. The online learning platform is easy to use and makes learning fun in a new way, which was unknown to me before.”

Rosalind Brown, Marketing Director – Europe: Portfolio, Innovation, and Integration, The Coca-Cola Company
“Overall, I thought this course was excellent. I really loved it, and all that I learned. It really was an eyeopener discerning fact from fiction. The content was broad and all-encompassing, allowing you to really understand a number of aspects. My knowledge in sustainability has been massively enhanced, and I now have far greater depth and confidence when speaking on such matters, as well as thoughts for implementing new plans. Meeting and networking with my classmates was really good. I enjoyed our weekly catch-ups on the online forums; we have set up a LinkedIn group and will be meeting in London in the future. The online support was great, it’s the first time I have done an online course and found it very helpful.”

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Are you ready to drive sustainable business practices in your organisation?

Register for the University of Cambridge Business Sustainability Management online short course to learn from industry experts and global thought leaders.