University of Cambridge
Sustainability Leadership Executive
This comprehensive online programme combines three powerful CISL courses to give you a systems-level understanding of sustainable business practices. Includes live sessions.
Start date
05 November 2025
Course duration
6 months
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
6–10 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Programme overview
Duration: 6 months (excluding orientation)
This programme will equip you with the skill set you need to keep pace with evolving regulatory environments, address operational barriers to sustainable transformation, and build low carbon business models.
Through 27 weeks of expertly designed modules, live sessions with CISL subject matter experts, and knowledge sharing with other experienced professionals, you’ll cultivate a systems-level approach to sustainability initiatives. The curriculum combines three CISL online courses:
- Business Sustainability Management
- Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership
- Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions
You can expect a learning experience that helps you become a more self-aware, adaptive, and resilient leader. You’ll also learn how to use your personal strengths to enhance the effectiveness and expand the influence of your sustainability efforts.
Is this programme for you?
This programme is designed for senior executives and experienced professionals responsible for strategic decision-making and organisational transformation. If you want to lead sustainability initiatives, improve the resilience of your organisation, and strengthen your leadership capabilities in a rapidly changing world, this course is for you.
This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 260 hours of learning.
Note: should students wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon them. The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.
This is your opportunity to unleash your potential for extraordinary impact. By completing a course with CISL, you'll develop the skills, confidence, and network to lead change in your sector, organisation and sphere of influence to make significant contributions to society. Extraordinary change happens when passionate and inspired individuals share a common purpose to drive meaningful impact for the collective good.
Programme overview
Programme overview
Duration: 6 months (excluding orientation)
This programme will equip you with the skill set you need to keep pace with evolving regulatory environments, address operational barriers to sustainable transformation, and build low carbon business models.
Through 27 weeks of expertly designed modules, live sessions with CISL subject matter experts, and knowledge sharing with other experienced professionals, you’ll cultivate a systems-level approach to sustainability initiatives. The curriculum combines three CISL online courses:
- Business Sustainability Management
- Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership
- Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions
You can expect a learning experience that helps you become a more self-aware, adaptive, and resilient leader. You’ll also learn how to use your personal strengths to enhance the effectiveness and expand the influence of your sustainability efforts.
Is this programme for you?
This programme is designed for senior executives and experienced professionals responsible for strategic decision-making and organisational transformation. If you want to lead sustainability initiatives, improve the resilience of your organisation, and strengthen your leadership capabilities in a rapidly changing world, this course is for you.
This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 260 hours of learning.
Note: should students wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon them. The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.
This is your opportunity to unleash your potential for extraordinary impact. By completing a course with CISL, you'll develop the skills, confidence, and network to lead change in your sector, organisation and sphere of influence to make significant contributions to society. Extraordinary change happens when passionate and inspired individuals share a common purpose to drive meaningful impact for the collective good.
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
A high-impact leadership plan and sustainability plan tailored to your organisation.
Practical frameworks to overcome barriers to sustainable transformation.
The skills to develop resilient, low-carbon business models.
A deeper understanding of how climate-related risks impact business operations.
Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Section 1: Business Sustainability Management
This course on Business Sustainability Management equips learners with the knowledge and tools to drive meaningful change within organizations and beyond. It begins by exploring the systemic forces and sustainability challenges shaping the business landscape today, before moving on to the role of purpose-driven leadership in creating a sustainable future. Participants will learn to navigate regulatory and policy environments, critically assess current patterns of production and consumption, and explore how design, technology, and innovation can reshape business models for long-term impact. The course also emphasizes stakeholder engagement and effective communication, fostering both individual and collective leadership skills to drive transformation. Finally, learners will develop actionable plans for personal impact, ensuring they leave with practical strategies to apply sustainability principles in real-world contexts.
Section 2: Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions
The Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions section focuses on helping learners understand and lead the transition to a low-carbon economy. It begins by examining how climate change impacts businesses and explores the vision of a net zero future. Participants will learn practical strategies for planning the transition and discover the importance of collaboration and leadership in achieving decarbonization goals. Through real-world success stories, the course highlights effective approaches to reducing emissions, while modules on innovation and design showcase forward-thinking solutions for a sustainable 21st century. Finally, the program equips learners to lead change, manage disruption, and identify their personal role in driving the net zero transition, ensuring they can champion meaningful climate action in their organizations and industries.
Section 3: Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership
The Leading Sustainability: High Impact Leadership section empowers learners to become transformative leaders who can drive meaningful change in the sustainability space. It begins by defining high impact leadership and exploring the context and challenges leaders face today. Participants will examine what effective, future-focused leadership looks like and identify the capabilities needed to create lasting impact. The course emphasizes communicating for influence, cultivating the mindset and skills for innovation, and developing the resilience to navigate complex transitions. Ultimately, learners will gain practical strategies to rewire their leadership approach, align personal and organizational goals, and lead with clarity and purpose toward a sustainable future.
What past students
think
Adarsh G.
Technology Project Manager, SLB Business Sustainability Management Alumni
This course has been a truly transformative journey, offering unparalleled depth and relevance in its exploration of sustainability. The content was meticulously crafted, combining robust theoretical foundations with actionable insights, making it highly applicable to real-world challenges.
Course Convenors
Zoë Arden
Fellow and Leadership Consultant, CISL
Bruce Haase
Senior Associate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
Dimitri Zenghelis
Senior Associate, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
About the certificate
Learn about sustainability leadership and earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with your digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the programme handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the programme.
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Why choose GetSmarter?
GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.
We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.
Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
