University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
CISL's online courses are designed to meet business and stakeholders' needs, enabling them to develop the skills and competencies necessary to apply their learning directly to their roles. Learners will develop an action plan that will support sustainable, measurable outcomes.
Education offering
CISL offers a flexible suite of online courses designed to enable a response to urgent sustainability challenges whilst increasing business resilience. Our self-paced courses build foundational knowledge across roles and teams. Our tutor-led courses support learners in developing a personalised action plan to improve business impact. The Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business (PCSB) is a 10-14-month, part-time, Master's level postgraduate programme that strengthens leadership to embed sustainable business practices. Upon successful completion, our open online courses are CPD certified. Our PCSB awards 60 CATS points at level M, and progression routes are available to achieve a full Master's qualification.
CEO for the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
There is a very real risk that as social and environmental challenges escalate, leaders become trapped in firefighting the symptoms of unsustainable practices, unable to get upstream to tackle the root causes. Education has a valuable role to play here, providing an opportunity to broaden leaders’ understanding and perspective, and find confidence to ask bigger questions and make decisions in an era defined by disruption. This allows leaders to see the bigger, longer-range picture, to identify emerging risks and seize opportunities.
Gain insight into how to embed purpose in your organisation using impactful communication, storytelling and other techniques to overcome barriers and influence change.
Start date:4 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:7-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Sustainable Marketing, Communications and Brand Management
Intermediate
Tutor-led online
Gain an understanding of greenwashing, the physical impacts of advertising, and develop a plan that places marketing, communications and your brand at the service of people, nature, and the climate.
Start date:4 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:8-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
This course is designed to address the growing need and prevalence of sustainability practices in business – giving you the tools to pioneer meaningful change throughout your organisation
Start date:4 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:8-12 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Learn to optimise logistics and procurement management; identify opportunities for long-term value creation and address the challenges of modern business practices to drive sustainable change.
Start date:4 Feb 2026
Duration:16 weeks
Commitment:8-12 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Sustainable Marketing and Communication Strategy Bundle
Intermediate
Tutor-led online
Transform business operations, marketing practices and communication strategies – minimise environmental and social impact while maximising positive transformation.
Start date:4 Feb 2026
Duration:24 weeks
Commitment:8-12 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions
Intermediate
Tutor-led online
Lead the net-zero transition with confidence. Build a resilient, profitable business model for the net‑zero transition, and leave with a tailored action plan to lead organisational transformation.
Start date:11 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:7-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Harness analytics, technology, and lifecycle thinking to secure resources responsibly, strengthen adaptability, and deliver organisational and societal value.
Start date:11 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:6-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Learn to align personal and organisational purpose, foster collaboration, and inspire change, culminating in a leadership roadmap for sustainable impact across stakeholders and systems.
Start date:11 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:8-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
This online course delivers hands‑on frameworks to build resilience, steer capital towards long‑term value, and equip your team with actionable tools to mobilise finance as a driver of change.
Start date:18 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:8-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Sustainable Real Estate: Creating a Better Built Environment
Intermediate
Tutor-led online
Gain an understanding of the ecological, social and governance aspects that make the real estate sector sustainable. Examine how it can contribute to creating a more resilient and inclusive society.
Start date:25 Feb 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:7-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Engage with the fundamental question of business' role in a sustainable future and develop a plan to enhance efficiency through decision-making that places sustainability at the core of operations.
Start date:4 Mar 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:8-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Explore innovative business models, technologies, and processes for integrating sustainability into food supply chains. Devise practical strategies to drive this transformation within your context.
Start date:18 Mar 2026
Duration:8 weeks
Commitment:7-10 hours per week
Certification:Digital Certificate of Completion CPD accredited
Gain the knowledge and tools to navigate global sustainability trends, assess risks and opportunities, and integrate sustainable thinking into business strategy for long-term success.
Sustainable Finance Foundations: Banking, Investment and Insurance
Foundational
Self-paced online
Gain the insights needed to align financial decisions with sustainability, manage risk, unlock opportunities and position your business for resilience in a changing world.
The world is at a tipping point. Gain the skills and knowledge to navigate the renewable energy landscape and confidently lead, drive change, and seize new opportunities in your workplace.
Sustainability Innovation Strategy for Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Foundational
Self-paced online
Learn to embed sustainable innovation within your business practices, creating strategies that align profitability with positive environmental and societal impact.
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