Sustainable Business Strategy

Strategy and Strategic Planning October 25, 2025
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Introduction

The pressure to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into core business strategy is no longer optional; it is a critical driver of long-term value and competitive advantage. This course provides a comprehensive roadmap for developing and embedding a truly sustainable business strategy. Participants will learn how to move beyond compliance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) to identify strategic opportunities that create both economic value and positive societal impact. The program covers frameworks for impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, and measuring the financial returns of sustainability initiatives, positioning sustainability as an engine for innovation and growth.

Objectives

To equip leaders with the knowledge and tools to develop, implement, and measure a core strategy centered on environmental, social, and economic sustainability:

Target Audience

  • Sustainability Officers and ESG Leads.
  • Senior Managers in Strategy, Innovation, and Business Development.
  • Executives responsible for Risk Management and Corporate Reporting.
  • Investment Professionals focused on Responsible/Impact Investing.
  • Leaders responsible for supply chain and operations.
  • Professionals seeking to future-proof their business model.

Methodology

  • Case studies of corporate sustainability failures and successes.
  • Group exercise in performing a materiality assessment.
  • Role-playing stakeholder negotiation and engagement scenarios.
  • Workshop on mapping a business model to the UN SDGs.
  • Individual assignment on drafting a sustainable value proposition.

Personal Impact

  • Ability to frame sustainability as a source of competitive advantage.
  • Mastery of key ESG frameworks and reporting standards.
  • Enhanced capability to lead multi-stakeholder collaboration.
  • Develop strategic approaches to manage climate and social risks.
  • Skill in quantifying and communicating the financial returns of ESG.

Organizational Impact

  • Increased resilience through robust risk management (e.g., climate, supply chain).
  • Enhanced brand reputation and trust among consumers and investors.
  • Attraction and retention of top talent motivated by purpose.
  • Identification of new, profitable market opportunities through innovation.
  • Improved access to capital via ESG-focused investment funds.
  • Reduced operational costs through resource efficiency and waste reduction.

Course Outline

Unit 1: The Strategic Imperative for Sustainability

From CSR to Core Strategy
  • Understanding the transition from corporate philanthropy to strategic sustainability.
  • The business case: Risk mitigation, value creation, and competitive advantage.
  • Identifying the macro-trends driving sustainability (climate change, inequality, consumer demand).
  • Defining the principles of a circular economy and its business model implications.
Strategic Sustainability Frameworks
  • Introducing the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, Profit).
  • Mapping the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to business activities.
  • The concept of Creating Shared Value (CSV) by Michael Porter and Mark Kramer.
  • Analyzing the risks and opportunities associated with ESG factors.

Unit 2: Analysis and Strategy Formulation

Materiality Assessment
  • Conducting a structured materiality assessment to prioritize ESG issues.
  • Identifying issues that are most relevant to both the business and stakeholders.
  • Translating material issues into strategic objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).
  • Benchmarking against industry peers on sustainability performance.
Sustainable Business Model Innovation
  • Strategies for integrating sustainability into product design and service delivery.
  • Exploring business models for resource efficiency and waste reduction.
  • Developing closed-loop supply chains and industrial ecology.
  • Identifying new market opportunities in the "green" and "ethical" sectors.

Unit 3: Governance and Stakeholder Engagement

Sustainability Governance Structure
  • The role of the Board of Directors and executive leadership in ESG.
  • Establishing a clear governance framework and accountability structure.
  • Integrating sustainability into executive compensation and incentive structures.
Engaging the Ecosystem
  • Advanced stakeholder mapping and engagement techniques.
  • Collaborative strategies with suppliers, customers, and NGOs.
  • Managing activism and reputational risk.
  • Building strategic alliances for collective impact.

Unit 4: Measurement and Reporting

Metrics and Targets
  • Setting science-based targets (e.g., for carbon emissions).
  • Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for social and environmental performance.
  • Understanding carbon accounting and life cycle assessment (LCA).
  • Methods for quantifying the financial value of sustainability initiatives.
ESG Reporting and Disclosure
  • Overview of major reporting standards (e.g., GRI, SASB, TCFD).
  • Ensuring data integrity and preparing for third-party assurance.
  • Communicating sustainability performance to investors and the public.
  • Avoiding "greenwashing" through transparent and honest reporting.

Unit 5: Leading and Embedding Change

Culture and Leadership
  • Developing a culture of sustainability and ethical behavior.
  • Strategies for internal communication and employee empowerment.
  • Overcoming internal resistance to sustainable change.
  • Best practices in leading large-scale sustainable transformation.

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