Since launching our book Net Positive, we’ve been truly encouraged by the response. We’re in touch with readers from around the world, and your stories about your own sustainability journeys are further proof that the movement is building for a more responsible way of doing business. Often it’s the people in the middle of the organization showing the greatest leadership – or trying to.
Collectively, however, we’re still not moving fast enough. Our big, shared challenges, including climate change and inequality, are moving faster than we can apply solutions. Many companies have sustainability targets, to reduce their carbon emissions, improve diversity, help communities in their supply chains and so on, but they don’t know how to actually deliver them.
A critical piece of this puzzle is skills. A report from Microsoft and BCG, Closing the Sustainability Skills Gap, describes the “formidable sustainability skilling challenge” facing our economies. The authors point out that, just as the world needed science education during the space age, and computer science in the digital age, building a sustainable world and net zero planet will, “require that sustainability spreads into every sector of the economy”.
The opportunities are tremendous. Companies filled with people with robust sustainability skills will be much better positioned to take part in new, multi-trillion-dollar markets, lower their risk of being left behind, and build flexible organizations for fast-changing times. Individuals who embrace continual learning in these areas will build more resilient personal brands and careers.
We have great partners in Thinkers 50 and Exec Online, and we hope you’ll enjoy taking the classes as much as we have enjoyed putting them together. No one gets their sustainability education from just one place, and these classes should be a great addition for those already on their journey, and a kickstart for those just setting off.
What is it?
Two online courses, each between 2.5 – 3 hours long, developed with Thinkers 50 and Exec Online. Companies typically subscribe to Exec Online’s full catalogue, but they’re offering the opportunity to sign up for the Net Positive courses without a full subscription.
Who is it for?
Sustainability thinking is needed across all organizations, but Exec Online classes are generally targeting middle and senior management. The first class is for a broad audience, while the second leans into deeper transformation, which is a topic for more senior leaders (or those aspiring to be).
What will I learn?
The first course, Unlocking Growth with Net Positive Purpose, explores what it means to be a Net Positive organization and courageous leader (and leaders are found at all levels). Learners will discover a new way of viewing environmental and social issues and how those issues drive business value. They will assess their own leadership style, identify sustainability goals for their company or function, and develop a plan to get there. They will be more ready to lead from a place of purpose.
The other class, Driving Net Positive Transformation, helps leaders create an inspiring vision for the organization and elevate their influence. Learners will diagnose their team, department, and organization’s stance on sustainability. They will start to identify targeted interventions to accelerate their company’s sustainability efforts, as well as craft a Net Positive Transformation plan with strategic milestones.
What do I do next?
Anyone can sign up for the classes, taking one or both. Find out more by clicking the button below.
