̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Polly Courtice

World-first sustainable office retrofit begins at new CISL headquarters

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 16:51:22 +0000

̽��ֱ��Entopia Building, a retrofitted 1930s Telephone Exchange at 1 Regent Street, Cambridge, will be transformed over the next 10 months into an ultra-low carbon sustainability hub, and new home for CISL as it scales up business, government and academic leadership, collaboration and innovation to accelerate the inclusive global transition.

̽��ֱ��building will house CISL’s Cambridge-based staff, currently spread across five buildings, and provide a dynamic virtual hub for its offices in Brussels and Cape Town, partner organisations in China, Australia and the UAE, its global corporate partners, alumni, fellows, associates, researchers and visiting academics.

A dedicated Accelerator and Sustainability Hub will support small businesses and start-ups via collaborations, capacity building and knowledge transfer between industry experts, researchers, and major companies.

̽��ֱ��Entopia Building is the vision of CISL Founder Director Dame Polly Courtice who has led the Institute for more than 30 years - inspiring companies, policymakers and civil society leaders to take leadership for sustainability.

Dame Polly Courtice, Founder Director, CISL said: “CISL’s new HQ at ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building will exemplify and enable our mission to support and inspire the leadership and innovation we need to transition to sustainable economy. Our aim is to create a highly collaborative and sustainable workspace to bring together Cambridge’s academic and innovation communities with our network of companies and sustainability leaders to accelerate solutions to global sustainability challenges.”

̽��ֱ��Entopia Building aims to be an international exemplar for sustainable office retrofits, demonstrating how an existing office building can be made highly energy efficient in its redevelopment and use, while supporting the enhanced wellbeing of staff and visitors. ̽��ֱ��building will also provide a base for the Institute’s digital learning programmes which reach more than 4,000 executives each year through remote learning. High tech video conferencing facilities and collaborative digital platforms will enable its network of 16,000 alumni, fellows and associates to collaborate and engage with its work remotely.

In 2019 the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge became the first university in the world to adopt a 1.5 degrees Science Based Target for carbon reduction, committing itself to reduce its energy-related carbon emissions to absolute zero by 2048, with an ambition to achieve this by 2038 - a decade early. In 2020 the ̽��ֱ�� announced it aims to divest from all direct and indirect investments in fossil fuels by 2030 as part of its ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions across its investment portfolio by 2038.

Professor Stephen Toope, Vice-Chancellor of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge said: “ ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building will become the most sustainable premises in the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge estate, marking a major contribution to our world-leading target to eliminate our emissions and putting the wellbeing of its occupants – and wider society - at its heart.”

̽��ֱ��£12.8m retrofit has been supported by a £6m donation from green tech leaders Envision Group and a £3m grant from the European Regional Development fund (ERDF), which is also funding the operation of a sustainability hub and small business and start-up accelerator for three years. ̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� has invested its own funds in the project alongside an internal grant from its internal Energy & Carbon Reduction Project.

̽��ֱ��building name references the Entopia concept developed by Envision Group to shape a future where access to clean, secure and affordable energy is available to all.

Lei Zhang, Founder and CEO, Envision Group said: “Envision Energy is pleased to support the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge in making the Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s new headquarters an exemplar sustainability retrofit of international importance. We hope this project will lead others to be bolder in pursuing the goal of net zero as they invest in upgrading the world’s buildings and infrastructure.”

Eighty percent of UK buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built, so although it is easier to develop new properties with high sustainability credentials, a major challenge for societies will be to retrofit existing building stock to meet climate change targets, and ensure they are fit for purpose in the future.

As a world-first, ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building aims to achieve multiple sustainable building certifications, including BREEAM (Outstanding), the Passivhaus ‘Enerphit’ standard, Well (Gold) certification, alongside the application of ‘circular economy’ principles to minimise the volume and impact of natural and made-made resources used in the building.

̽��ֱ��project brief was developed by CISL’s Professor John French, who previously led the design and build of the award-winning Enterprise Centre at the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, which is demonstrably one of the most sustainable office buildings in the UK. ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building aims to open to staff by the end of 2021.

Prof. John French, Senior Advisor, CISL said: “Delivering the vision of ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building project is only possible through leadership and collaboration that puts sustainability objectives top of the list of priorities, and constantly innovates to achieve it, while not compromising cost, quality or timeline. We hope this building will provide an exemplar for the built environment, as the world moves to meet its Paris Agreement ambition to limit global warming to 1.5C.”

Sustainability benchmarks for ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building:

̽��ֱ��deep green retrofit is projected to result in an 80% saving in whole-life carbon emissions (over 10,000 kg CO2e), compared to a standard office refurbishment.
̽��ֱ��retrofit will be carried out according to EnerPHit, the Passivhaus standard for refurbishment and one of the most stringent standards for energy retrofits. It will deliver 75% lower heating demand in comparison to an average office building, and airtightness at more than five times that required by building regulations.
̽��ֱ��Entopia Building is on track to gain world-leading sustainability and wellbeing certification from BREEAM (Outstanding) and the WELL Building Standard (Gold).
̽��ֱ��project is one of the first to reuse lighting from another building refurbishment, re-testing and re- warrantying more than 350 LED lights that were then reinstalled in ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building.
Leftover furniture in the building has been diverted from landfill, avoiding 21,000 kg of CO2, with 21,600 kg of chairs, tables and storage cabinets donated to local communities. A third of the building’s paint needs have been covered by a donation from Dulux of paint made from 35% recycled paint content.

̽��ֱ��project is being delivered through the ̽��ֱ��’s Estates Division by a team of leading sustainability-focused firms in the architectural, main contractor, project management and engineering disciplines, who understand the need for deep collaboration and innovation to achieve stretching sustainability targets.

CISL intends to share the case study of the exemplar high sustainability retrofit project for use in the wider building sector, both within and outside higher education. In this way, ̽��ֱ��Entopia Building will contribute to CISL’s mission to develop and provide leadership for a sustainable economy, paving the way for wider change in how buildings are commissioned, managed and delivered to align with global and local sustainability ambitions.

Alexander Reeve, Sustainable Building Advisor, Estates Division, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge said: “ ̽��ֱ��project is an exciting pathfinder project for the ̽��ֱ�� Estate, as we refine our strategy to eliminate fossil natural gas as a fuel for our many older buildings. It demonstrates that there is a way to transition to low carbon heating while conserving Cambridge’s outstanding built heritage.”

Adapted from a CISL press release.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has announced the start of works on its new visionary headquarters. This world-first for a retrofitted sustainable office building will set new standards for low energy use, carbon emissions and impact on natural resources as well as user experience and wellbeing.

Soren Kristensen

Entopia Building exterior

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Clare Shine announced as next Director of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Anonymous — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Clare is presently Vice-President and Chief Program Officer at Salzburg Global Seminar, an international non-profit, which challenges current and future leaders to shape a ‘creative, just and sustainable world’.

CISL Founder Director Dame Polly Courtice will step down after more than 30 years leading the organisation. Under her leadership, CISL has become an internationally recognised centre of excellence in sustainability leadership, working primarily with business, government and the finance sector to provide education, industry convening, research and thought leadership for thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies each year. More than 100 staff operate out of offices in Cambridge, Cape Town and Brussels, and the Institute’s work with companies and international delivery partners has expanded its impact and reach globally to build a network of over 16,000 individuals.

Clare Shine said: “As the new Director, I’m eager to work with CISL’s outstanding team to build on its distinguished 30-year legacy of collaboration with influential companies, policymakers, and networks across the world. CISL will play a pivotal role in this decade of action to inspire transformative leadership and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Dame Polly said: “Clare will make an outstanding Director of CISL. She combines strategic knowledge and expertise in sustainable development with success in policy change, business growth, and organisational innovation. In her previous role she has built high-level coalitions involving governments, business, research universities and philanthropies. I am delighted that she will bring these strengths to bear on the Institute, and take its success to new heights.”

Professor Stephen Toope, Vice-Chancellor of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge said: “I look forward to working with Clare Shine as she picks up the baton from Dame Polly, helping CISL to harness the ̽��ֱ��’s resources and contribute towards a sustainable future for everyone.”

In 2008 Polly was made a Lieutenant of the Victorian Order (LVO). In 2015 she was awarded the Stanford Bright Award for her efforts in guiding thousands of business leaders to more sustainable business practices, and in 2016 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to Sustainability Leadership.

̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales is the Royal Patron of the Institute and has supported many of its flagship initiatives, including the Prince of Wales’s Business & Sustainability Programme and the Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group. In 2018, CISL launched ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme, which is funded by a group of leading companies to foster new transdisciplinary thinking on sustainability.

Originally published on the CISL website.

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has announced Clare Shine will succeed Dame Polly Courtice as its new Director, effective April 2021.

I look forward to working with Clare Shine as she picks up the baton from Dame Polly, helping CISL to harness the ̽��ֱ��’s resources and contribute towards a sustainable future for everyone.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Toope

Clare Shine

Yes

Cambridge partners with industry leaders to fund research on global sustainability challenges

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 23:00:51 +0000

̽��ֱ��Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is launching ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme today (11 July), with the support of some of the UK’s leading companies. ̽��ֱ��programme will attract researchers from around the world to identify solutions to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a unique model for the ̽��ֱ��, up to 15 Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellows will be appointed to undertake three-year studies to mobilise global evidence on the world’s most pressing challenges, enabling companies and policymakers to build a more sustainable economy.

Founding sponsors of the Fellowship Programme include Anglian Water, Asda, AstraZeneca, ̽��ֱ��Equal Opportunities Foundation, Heathrow Airport Holdings, Paul and Michelle Gilding, Sainsbury’s, Sappi and Unilever.

As a tribute to his 70th birthday year, and in recognition of his lifetime’s dedication to environmental issues, the Fellowship Programme is named in honour of CISL’s Patron ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales.

This effort is even more urgent given the UN’s announcement last week that progress on the SDGs has been slow and not on track to reach its 2030 targets.

“Universities contribute to society through the creation of new knowledge and the development of new skills,” said Professor Stephen Toope, Vice-Chancellor of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge. “It is our aspiration to do this in ways that are relevant and purposeful. ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme, hosted by the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, will help us to do just that by allowing academics to engage productively with business, government and financial institutions for society’s benefit – both in the UK and globally.”

̽��ֱ��SDGs were launched in 2015 to provide a global framework for development with 17 Goals to be achieved by 2030, such as ending poverty, tackling inequality and climate change. Governments have cited the critical role of the private sector in delivering the Goals.

“ ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme will create a rich intellectual space for collaboration between researchers and industry as we seek breakthrough ideas and leadership actions towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” said Polly Courtice, Director of CISL.

“Sainsbury’s are proud to be founding supporters of this Fellowship Programme and to have the opportunity to assess the evidence and potential for our business to play a more active and positive role in the communities we serve and source from,” said Mike Coupe, Group Chief Executive, Sainsbury’s.

“AstraZeneca is proud to be part of the Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme, supporting research to positively impact SDG 3; Good health and wellbeing,” said Katarina Ageborg, Executive Vice-President, Sustainability and Chief Compliance Officer, AstraZeneca. “By supporting a research Fellow to review the academic evidence for non-communicable disease prevention, we look forward to understanding and sharing more about the policies, practices and innovations necessary to deliver the economic and human benefits of sustainable health.”

“Meeting the UN SDGs will require the biggest transformation the world has ever faced and it will take all stakeholders to pull it off: governments, the private sector, civil society and academia,” said Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact. “ ̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme will provide a critical meeting point for the exchange of ideas in the development of solutions, and the evidence base for the urgent action that is required.”

̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme represents a multi-million-pound commitment from the private sector to accelerate progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals.

̽��ֱ��Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship Programme will create a rich intellectual space for collaboration between researchers and industry as we seek breakthrough ideas and leadership actions towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Polly Courtice

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Yes

Cambridge people named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list 2016

pbh25 — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 21:32:00 +0000

Polly Courtice becomes a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to sustainability leadership.

Founding Director of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Dame Polly has built and led a team which has over 25 years catalysed significant action towards more sustainable practice in business and government.

In response to the announcement Dame Polly said: “This is a wonderful recognition of the work of the Institute, its brilliant and dedicated staff and associates, and its global network of over 7,000 alumni. I’m delighted to be recognised for having built an institute that in many ways has pioneered leadership efforts to tackle global sustainability challenges.”

“In recent decades there has been an important shift in the way many businesses have come to view their impact on society and the environment and we are glad to have played a small part in that.

Professor Susan Gathercole, Director of the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the Medical Research Council is appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Psychology and Education.

Gathercole is a cognitive psychologist with interests in memory and learning including the causes of specific learning difficulties in children and how they might be overcome. She has held academic posts at Lancaster, Bristol, Durham, and York. Since 2011 she has been Director of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge and holds a professorial chair at the ̽��ֱ��. Current projects examine the cognitive mechanisms of working memory and how they might be modified through training, and investigate through a new research clinic the dimensions of cognition and the brain that can be impaired in children with problems in attention, learning and memory. She is a Fellow of the British Academy.

Gathercole said: “I’m delighted and surprised in equal parts. It’s wonderful to receive this recognition of research that crosses the boundary between psychology and education. Engaging with education professionals who work on a daily basis with struggling learners has enriched the research of our excellent team immeasurably, and we will continue to build on this in coming years with the aim of improving children’s learning.”

Allen Packwood, Director of the Churchill Archives Centre at Churchill College since 2002 and a Fellow of the College is also appointed OBE for services to archives and scholarship.

Packwood, who is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, was co-curator of 'Churchill and the Great Republic' at the Library of Congress and of 'Churchill: ̽��ֱ��Power of Words' at the Morgan Library in New York. He has lectured extensively on Churchill in the United Kingdom and the United States.

He said: “Like all recipients I feel honoured, delighted and surprised in equal measure. I would certainly not be receiving this award without the support of all my wonderful colleagues in the Archives Centre, College and ̽��ֱ��”.

Fiona Duncan, Departmental Administrator at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience receives the British Empire Medal for services to higher education. Having worked in higher education since 1982, she has worked in the same department for 20 years, contributing to the merging of the Departments of Anatomy and Physiology to create the current structure.

Commenting on the award she said: “When I received the letter from the Cabinet Office I thought it was probably something about the Referendum, but I was delighted and surprised in equal measure to read its contents. This is an interesting and varied job. I am fortunate to work with academic and support staff, whom I like as people and respect as colleagues. They are committed to delivering world-class teaching and research.”

Raspberry Pi Founder Dr Eben Upton receives an CBE for services to business and education.

Several members of the ̽��ֱ�� have been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced today.

I am fortunate to work with academic and support staff, whom I like as people and respect as colleagues. They are committed to delivering world-class teaching and research.

Fiona Duncan, Departmental Administrator at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience

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Understanding the implications of climate change for business

sc604 — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:43:48 +0000

̽��ֱ��series summarises the likely impacts of climate change on agriculture, buildings, cities, defence, employment, energy, investment, fisheries, primary industries, tourism, and transport. It also looks at the capacity of these sectors to adapt to climate change and to reduce emissions.

̽��ֱ��thirteen briefings are based on the Fifth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the official climate science assessment body of the United Nations. They have been compiled by the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and Judge Business School, in partnership with the European Climate Foundation and sector-specific organisations.

̽��ֱ��publication of the briefings comes ahead of the UN Climate Change summit in New York on September 23rd, hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, which many of the world’s business and political leaders will attend.

Scientists, corporate leaders, military strategists, financial analysts, and sustainability and conservation experts have all hailed the series as a vital resource for companies wanting to plan for the future.

“I applaud this initiative,” said Rajendra K Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC. “Spelling out the implications of climate change for different sectors, on the basis of the work of the IPCC, will allow businesses to adapt to the challenges they face and understand the role they are able to play in reducing their climate impact.”

Among the findings highlighted and explained in the series are:

̽��ֱ��significant impact of climate change on agriculture, including reduced crop yields, and predicted food price rises of 37% (rice), 55% (maize), and 11% (wheat) by 2050
̽��ֱ��potential for more energy efficient buildings to play a big part in reducing emissions
̽��ֱ��particular impact on cities of climate change, and the urgency of acting to protect people in urban areas (predicted to be 64% of the world’s population by 2050)
̽��ֱ��significant potential for the energy sector to reduce emissions, including by switching to lower-carbon fuels, improving energy efficiency, and introducing carbon capture and storage
̽��ֱ��disruptive impacts climate change will have on the stability of the financial system
̽��ֱ��potential for losses to global fisheries of up to $40 billion by 2050
̽��ֱ��way climate change acts as a ‘threat multiplier’, driving involuntary migration and indirectly increasing the risks of violent conflict
̽��ֱ��need for additional energy supply investments of between $190-900 billion per year from now until 2050, in order to meet the 2°C target

“Science on climate change is key for the business community, particularly concerning climate scenarios that we will face in the medium and long term,” said Álvaro Echániz, Chief Executive Officer of Ferrovial FISA. “We cannot understand a long term business strategy without taking into consideration the findings of the IPCC, as a reliable input for identifying the risks and, of course, business opportunities behind those trends.”

“Climate change affects us all, and understanding the science is absolutely vital,” said Polly Courtice, LVO, Director of CISL “This series does a remarkable job of taking the hugely complex and technical findings of the IPCC report and translating them for business.”

A new online resource, which summarises the implications of climate change for specific sectors of the economy, has been produced and made freely available by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

This series does a remarkable job of taking the hugely complex and technical findings of the IPCC report and translating them for business

Polly Courtice

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Implications for Energy

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Putting a price on our future

lw355 — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 15:47:26 +0000

How can businesses value and manage their dependencies and impacts on the natural world? How can banks be encouraged to make clean energy investments? As sustainability moves up the agenda, the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL) is linking Cambridge academics with international businesses to help their leaders make responsible decisions for the long-term.

“Companies are starting to think about the ecological impact of their activities across their supply chain,” said Dr Bhaskar Vira, ̽��ֱ�� Senior Lecturer in the ̽��ֱ��’s Department of Geography. “We’re trying to put a real economic value on natural resources.” Production of many mass market consumables, from beer to chocolate, takes advantage of many natural resources that aren’t currently factored into operational costs.

“A global food manufacturer, for example, wants to be aware of all the ingredients that have gone into one of its flagship confectionary products, and the way in which they’ve been grown and sourced,” said Vira. “Throughout that supply chain there may be impacts on the environment that aren’t currently factored into the price of the product.” Similarly, an agribusiness giant depends on tomatoes supplied by farmers in California – a water-scarce region. Working with CPSL, we’re are asking whether there is something this company can do to encourage farmers to be more water efficient in their working practices.”

“If a company was asked to pay for the groundwater used in its factories, how much would it cost? Water use might be 10% of the overall operating budget, and that’s the kind of figure a company might start to take seriously. At the moment they don’t need to pay this cost, but if a government starts to regulate in the future they might need to. Similarly, if the government of California starts to regulate farming practices and the cost of tomatoes suddenly shoots up, certain companies need to factor this into their long-term business planning. It makes good strategic sense to anticipate some of these future changes.”

CPSL has drawn together a group of companies in the food, agriculture, and extractive industries, into a project called ‘Right Values for Externalities’, whose goal is to reflect the external costs incurred in product lifecycles on their balance sheets. “We created teams of one economist and one ecologist to work on case studies with companies, using company data to understand what its impact might be,” said Vira, who provided scientific guidance for this project, co-funded by the Natural Environment Research Council as part of the Valuing Nature Network (www.valuing-nature.net). ̽��ֱ��work has resulted in the creation of practical guidance for companies wishing to undertake an evaluation of external impacts associated with their activities, and to understand how these risks can be anticipated and prioritised in their decision-making.

̽��ֱ��project is one of many convened by CPSL, whose Director Polly Courtice said “we’re facing a perfect storm of having to provide food, energy and water for a population that’s growing from seven billion to nine billion, and the pressures this puts on society. CPSL is having a continuous series of conversations with businesses to work out how to respond to these challenges.

“We are driven by how we can help to promote change, and avert environmental and social crises that are much nearer to the present day than we used to think,” said Courtice. Vira added, “We want to use our case studies as examples of what other businesses should be thinking about. CPSL plays a key role in this as a trusted intermediary between the ̽��ֱ�� and businesses –that trust is developed through long term relationships.”

At a different level of engagement, Professor Danny Ralph, Academic Director of the Centre for Risk Studies at Cambridge Judge Business School, is involved in a CPSL project aimed at finding ways to unlock greater mainstream investment in clean energy. “ ̽��ֱ��Banking Environment Initiative is a means of tackling key sustainability issues,” he said. CPSL drew together six banks and six energy companies, and linked them with the Centre for Risk Studies, and with Dr Chi Kong Chyong and Dr David Reiner in the Judge’s Energy Policy Research Group, to investigate valuation models for clean energy investments.

“Banks want to invest in companies they believe will cope in the future. But green technologies are expensive, and energy companies making these investments are unlikely to recoup their costs. Should an institutional investor choose a company that appears to be very forward-looking in its R&D and is moving towards green technologies, but isn’t very ‘capital efficient’, over a more focused one?” asked Ralph. “A long-term investor needs to ask which companies are positioning themselves so they can adapt their basic products to a world we can’t even predict.”

Using a methodology called real options analysis, the Cambridge team showed the importance of building in a degree of flexibility, to account for decision-making around uncertain future market conditions. “In a standard banking valuation, a company would diversify its risks,” explained Ralph. “But climate change, for example, is affecting the whole world. You can’t diversify something we’re all going to face together. What we’ve done is highlight that investors need to stop thinking about diversification in terms of a portfolio where the risks are unrelated. This changes the nature of the uncertainty around investment risk.”

“Danny’s work is helping to drive a conversation in the industry about valuation methods, and is having a big impact on the thinking of these banks,” said Dr Jake Reynolds, CPSL’s Director of Business Platforms. “If we really want to effect change, we have to find a way to align sustainability with business models, and that means banks discussing this with their clients. This project has provided a brilliant platform for that - these conversations about clean energy were just not happening before.”

“We are working with people dealing with real problems that our research community may have a great deal to contribute to,” said Courtice. “We try to act as a bridge between the knowledge base in the ̽��ֱ�� and that in the business community, and create opportunities for them to interact. We’re looking for areas of mutual interest and we’re maintaining the engagement long enough for the issues to emerge.”

CPSL’s Executive Education programmes raise awareness of issues from climate change to resource scarcity to transport. Around 6,000 business leaders have now completed a programme, and on leaving have become part of CPSL’s global Sustainability Network.

A key focus of CPSL’s work now is to bring this network into closer contact with the ̽��ֱ��’s research. A series of business platforms have been set up, bringing together senior practitioners with shared interests in particular business problems from climate change and natural capital depletion, to responsible investment and product innovation. ̽��ֱ��aim is to help practitioners identify what needs to change, and to take practical action to achieve this with their peers.

“Leaders come on our Executive Education programmes and then ask what they can do to change their organisations,” said Reynolds. “They realise that even if they became the world’s most sustainable company that wouldn’t solve the problem because their peers may not be with them, or their suppliers, or their clients, or government policy might be tilting business the other way. So they start thinking about their industry and the wider influence it has over the economy. Many come to the conclusion that they have to work together on these big problems rather than go it alone.”

Helping big businesses consider their impact on the environment is leading to a re-evaluation of activities to combine profitability with sustainability.

If we really want to effect change, we have to find a way to align sustainability with business models

Jake Reynolds

Ryan Hyde on flickr

Tha'll do

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