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Blended program

Leading Sustainable Business Transformation

Strategize, lead, and execute successful sustainability transformations

Blended program

Leading Sustainable Business Transformation

Strategize, lead, and execute successful sustainability transformations

Length

3 days liVe virtual, 5 weeks online, 3 days on campus (Lausanne)

Fee

CHF 9,900

Next program starts

03 March 2025

Eligible for

Executive Certificate in Sustainable Business

Align head, heart, and hands for transformation

Sustainability is a business imperative, but many leaders struggle to integrate it into their organizations and capitalize on new opportunities.

On IMD’s Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program, you will understand what sustainability involves and how to embed it into your corporate strategies, operations, and culture.

To successfully inspire sustainability transformation, leaders need to combine strategic foresight (head), leadership qualities (heart), and practical action (hands). Our program’s unique approach incorporates these three dimensions.

You will explore the strategic underpinnings that guide informed, sustainable business decisions. You will also develop the leadership qualities necessary to inspire a collective commitment to sustainability. Finally, you will learn tools and practices for implementing and scaling sustainable solutions effectively.

Drawing on a compelling blend of research findings, case studies, and industry insights, several IMD faculty members will guide you through topics such as materiality, stakeholder management, and sustainability and financial reporting metrics. An executive coach will support you as you work on two impact projects, including your own sustainability challenge.

You will leave with the core skills required to lead sustainable business transformations and a workbook detailing how to apply your learnings to your context.

Build your sustainability foundations

Explore technology, business model, and organizational implications of committing to sustainability. Discover tools and strategic frameworks to embed sustainability throughout your organization.

Deep dive into best practices

Explore the sustainability landscape, understand sustainability best practices and how to apply these to inspire organizational change. Learn from top-ranked global sustainability companies, identify risks and opportunities.

Engage your stakeholders

Learn to effectively communicate your vision for change, inspiring new mindsets, and influencing across functions.

Learn in action

Apply your learnings to your own sustainability challenge and make real progress towards sustainability initiatives for your organization, supported by your peer group and an executive coach.

Enact change with confidence

Take away a comprehensive, practical workbook that will serve as your roadmap, equipping you with clear steps and strategies to systematically implement each element of your learning.

You and your class

You are a seasoned manager looking to embed sustainability at the core of your organization’s purpose, and you need the right tools, frameworks, and capabilities to drive real change. This program is ideally suited for leaders with P&L responsibility or those heading functions such as marketing, finance, supply chain, strategy, compliance, or sustainability.

Recent participants have included Chief Sustainability Officers, Global Sustainability Leads, Chief Compliance Officers, Strategy Directors, Chief Innovation Officers, Heads of Marketing and Sales, VPs of Corporate Affairs, Supply Chain Directors, and Heads of Global Procurement.

2024 class profile (average data)

years of experience

48%

senior & C-level

average age

nationalities

Assess your profile

Information Session

Join us on 8 May 2025

Interested in an IMD sustainable business program? Don’t miss this opportunity to get all your questions answered by our Program Advisors at 12:00 (CEST).

See all events

Information Session

Join us on 8 May 2025

Interested in an IMD sustainable business program? Don’t miss this opportunity to get all your questions answered by our Program Advisors at 12:00 (CEST).

See all events

Amazingly insightful

Leading Sustainable Business Transformation was amazingly insightful and led by passionate professors who are connected to reality. I built hard and soft skills and learned so much though a blend of experience-sharing, constructive feedback, and bonding activities with peers.

I recommend this program

Leading Sustainable Business Transformation combines knowledge, inspiration, leadership, and networking to bring sustainability into all types of organizations. I recommend this program because the professors, the speakers, and the participants are guaranteed to help you progress on your own personal sustainability challenges. The connections you make are diverse and invaluable.

An incredibly enriching learning experience

The Leading Sustainable Business Transformation course was an incredibly enriching learning experience that surpassed all my expectations. The insights gained on leading sustainability strategies and projects through real-world challenges were impactful and deep. Collaborating with a diverse and super-cool cohort of international change-makers and making new friends from all around the world was personally very meaningful for me. It was simply powerful to see what 25 people from a dozen or more nations that came together in a room achieved in just four days!

I got so many ideas and so much inspiration

I got so many ideas and so much inspiration, knowledge and energy from my peers and professors. The program highlighted the power of collaboration as well as the importance of having a disruptor’s mindset and understanding non-market stakeholder engagement. Among many other activities, we applied the future-back method to climate change and exercised storytelling as a powerful tool to make our messages matter. The extraordinary professors are now my heroes and my inspiration to continue the sustainable business transformation journey.

I received more than expected

I chose the program with three objectives: find a remedy to my skepticism about sustainability, strengthen my ESG expertise, and join the school’s powerful alumni communities. I completed the program receiving more than expected.

A supportive community of participants

The blend of liVe, online, and face-to-face training is fantastic. There is a supportive community of participants who are experiencing similar challenges to you. And different industry players help you understand how to address your own sustainability transformation challenges.

I’m ready to apply these learnings

I’m grateful for this collaborative journey with inspiring peers from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Special thanks to our dedicated program director Knut Haanaes and all the other IMD professors for their guidance and insights. I’m ready to apply these learnings to help drive impactful change in the world!

The case studies are inspiring

The case studies are inspiring. You learn how other companies are embracing sustainability transformation so you can incorporate what’s relevant into your own strategy. And the program structure gives big value. You get time to reflect and to share ideas back in your company and work together on your learnings.

Overview of benefits by program faculty.

Participants share program highlights.

“I gained practical tools and ideas that are relevant for me.”

“I could better choose and focus on priorities.”

“I took practical steps to achieve my objectives more effectively.”

“I took practical steps that enhance the performance of my team/organization.”

Your learning journey

Embark on an immersive learning experience designed for maximum impact on your development. Learn from cutting-edge research, real-world examples, guest lecturers, case studies, and dynamic group discussions. With the support of an executive coach, transform your newly acquired knowledge into operational success.

Explore the sustainable business practices of top-ranked sustainability companies.
Learn models and frameworks for embedding sustainability into strategy.
Grasp the economic developments influencing behaviors and their implications for organizations.
Understand sustainability measurement and reporting frameworks.

Build leadership capabilities to effectively communicate your vision.
Dive into strategies and tactics for managing key stakeholders.
Transform mindsets at CXO, top management, and functional team levels.

Connect heart-hands-heart to make change happen.
Grasp sustainability and financial reporting metrics.
Gain insights into market-driven sustainability.
Design your organization for sustainability by integrating new measurements, processes, and capabilities.
Understand the benefits of a circular economy.
Uncover effective strategies for building alliances, partnerships, and ecosystems.

Detailed schedule | March 2025 session

Module 1 (liVe)

Masterclasses & Coaching

Module 2 (online)

Module 3 (on campus)

Create a sustainability vision

Dates: 3-5 March 2025 (liVe virtual)

Start time: 3 March 2025, 10:00 CET (liVe)
End time: 5 March 2025, 15:00 CET (liVe)

Masterclass 1 (2 hours, liVe)*

Masterclass 2 (2 hours, liVe)*

Team coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

Individual coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

*Precise timing to be confirmed

Become a sustainability leader

Dates: 7 March – 6 April 2025 (self-paced online)

Inspire organizational change

Dates: 7-10 April 2025 (on campus, Lausanne)

Start time: 7 April 2025, 13:30 CEST
End time: 10 April 2025, 12:30 CEST

Detailed schedule | September 2025 session

Module 1 (liVe)

Masterclasses & Coaching

Module 2 (online)

Module 3 (on campus)

Create a sustainability vision

Dates: 3-5 September 2025 (liVe virtual)

Start time: 3 September 2025, 10:00 CET (liVe)
End time: 5 September 2025, 15:00 CET (liVe)

Masterclass 1 (2 hours, liVe)*

Masterclass 2 (2 hours, liVe)*

Team coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

Individual coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

*Precise timing to be confirmed

Become a sustainability leader

Dates: 8 September – 5 October 2025 (self-paced online)

Inspire organizational change

Dates: 6-9 October 2025 (on campus, Lausanne)

Start time: 6 October 2025, 13:30 CEST
End time: 9 October 2025, 12:30 CEST

Detailed schedule | November 2025 session

Module 1 (liVe)

Masterclasses & Coaching

Module 2 (online)

Module 3 (on campus)

Create a sustainability vision

Dates: 5-7 November 2025 (liVe virtual)

Start time: 5 November 2025, 10:00 CET (liVe)
End time: 7 November 2025, 15:00 CET (liVe)

Masterclass 1 (2 hours, liVe)*

Masterclass 2 (2 hours, liVe)*

Team coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

Individual coaching session (1 hour, liVe)*

*Precise timing to be confirmed

Become a sustainability leader

Dates: 10 November – 7 December 2025 (self-paced online)

Inspire organizational change

Dates: 8-11 December 2025 (on campus, Lausanne)

Start time: 8 December 2025, 13:30 CET
End time: 11 December 2025, 12:30 CET

Connect, reflect, be inspired

On completion of this program, you will be eligible to join IMD’s TOGETHER community, a solid network of leaders committed to creating a sustainable future. Enjoy exclusive benefits, including monthly webinar invitations, access to in-person events, and networking opportunities with thought leaders in sustainability.

Discover more

Start your application now

Interested in joining this Leading Sustainable Business Transformation program? Start your quick application now for an upcoming session.

Length: 3 days liVe virtual, 5 weeks online, and 3 days on campus.

Price: CHF 9,900

Tuition, teaching materials, and lunch are included.
All fees quoted are exclusive of any value-added or other indirect taxes that may be due in any country.
IMD reserves the right to modify the program dates, location, and fee at any time.

What program session would you like to apply to?

LSBT 1 2025 (3 Mar – 10 Apr 2025)LSBT 2 2025 (3 Sep – 9 Oct 2025)LSBT 3 2025 (5 Nov – 11 Dec 2025)

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Tell us about your learning objectives and/or business challenge:

I am happy to be contacted by IMD, receive thought leadership, program information and personal advice

Program of Interest

Honeypot

LSBT SESSION

The essence of business renewal is to be able to explore and exploit at the same time. Yet research reveals that many companies are great at innovation and others are great at efficiency, but only 2% manage to achieve both simultaneously.

Read more

Knut Haanaes Program Director

Attitude will help solve climate crisis.

Greenwashing: the biggest threat to sustainability.

David Bach

President of IMD, Nestlé Professor of Strategy and Political Economy

As President of IMD, a position he has held since September 2024, David Bach is focused on making IMD the world’s most impactful business school. Together with his leadership team and the entire IMD community, he is working to broaden and deepen IMD’s global impact through learning innovation, excellence in degree- and executive programs, and a…

Julia Binder

Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation and Director of the Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business

Julia Binder is Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation, and Program Director of IMD’s Creating Value in the Circular Economy program. She is a renowned thought leader, recognized on the 2022 Thinkers50 Radar list for her work at the intersection of sustainability and innovation. Her research and teaching delve into the intr…

Frédéric Dalsace

Professor of Marketing and Strategy

Frédéric Dalsace is Professor of Marketing and Strategy. He focuses on two distinct areas: B2B issues such as customer centricity, buyer-seller relationships, and value management, as well as sustainability strategies, including inclusive business models. He believes that companies need to rethink their approach to customer centricity. He says…

Susan Goldsworthy

Affiliate Professor of Leadership, Communications, and Organizational Change

Susan Goldsworthy OLY is Affiliate Professor of Leadership, Communications, and Organizational Change. As a former Olympic finalist, award-winning writer, executive coach, and speaker with more than 20 years of corporate experience with large multinationals, Susan Goldsworthy brings knowledge from the fields of sport, business and neuroscience to h…

Karl Schmedders

Professor of Finance

Karl Schmedders is Professor of Finance. His research and teaching focuses on sustainability and the economics of climate change. He is therefore able to provide key insights on the transition risk arising from the shift to a greener economy and help companies face up to the challenges of potential asset degradation and increasing carbon prices. …

Michael Yaziji

Professor of Strategy and Leadership

Michael Yaziji is Professor of Strategy and Leadership. With two PhDs, his expertise spans strategy, leadership, and sustainability. In the area of strategy, his current focus is on artificial intelligence, on which he lectures regularly. He leads the IMD faculty interest group on the topic and initiatives across multiple institutions (IMD, EPFL…

Florian Hoos

Professor of Sustainability and ESG Accounting

Florian Hoos is Professor of Sustainability and ESG Accounting, Program Director of Measuring and Managing Sustainability Impact, and Managing Director of the Enterprise for Society Center (E4S). He is an award-winning teacher, innovator, and writer who was selected by Poets&Quants as one of their World’s Top 40 Business School Professors Under…

Arnaud Chevallier

Professor of Strategy

Arnaud Chevallier is Professor of Strategy. He helps executives solve complex problems and make better decisions under uncertainty. His research, teaching and consulting draw on empirical findings from diverse disciplines to provide concrete tools that prepare executives to manage the strategic challenges they face in today’s dynamic global marke…

Executive Certificate in Sustainable Business

Accelerate your impact and be recognized for your mastery of sustainable business practices.

Learn more

Executive Certificate in Sustainable Business

Accelerate your impact and be recognized for your mastery of sustainable business practices.

Learn more

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