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Every single social and global issue of our day is a business opportunity in disguise


Peter Drucker

Professor and author

Sustainability Leadership Education

The sustainability landscape is changing month by month. First the addition of  Net Zero, now the ESG reporting frenzy, accompanied always by emerging new regulation. 

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The sustainability market and educational space is evolving too. Consultancines are stepping up their services. Finally, new educational programs are emerging, creating a new complexity. And, newly appointed sustainability directors have little time to assess strategic relevance given the current operational reporting demands. 

 

At the IBS, we are adopting to these new needs and requirements, pausing our Diploma in Advanced Sustainability (DAS) for one year, having successfully tested and fine-tuned an existing short and comprehensive Certificate in Business Sustainability (CAS), which modules that can be booked individually.  

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Feel free to reach out to Katrin Muff, in case you have questions about the DAS. For the CAS, online courses and single modules, just read on: 

The Certificate in Business Sustainability (CAS)

Sustainability leadership education focused on impact

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The Certificate in Business Sustainability is a focused and purpose-driven program for busy professionals who seek to clarfiy their personal positive impact. It is a part-time program for engaged changemakers in business and beyond. 

 

The program has been designed by and is jointly directed by Thomas Dyllick and Katrin Muff. It is endorsed by:

UN Global Compact Network Switzerland
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WBCSD

Designed for the coming decade 

 

The program is designed for the era we live in. We built on what was most valued so far and added what is most needed until 2030.

 

The program is short and rich, safeguarding your work-life balance. It is based on 5 essential modules resulting in a 10 ECTS CAS. Starting any time you want, follow a module about every 6-8 weeks.

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Here are the key program elements in brief: 

  • Five 2-day modules

  • Thursdays and Fridays

  • Around Zurich or online

  • Powerfully designed, applied learning

  • Great faculty of expert professionals

  • No final exam, thesis, or project work

 

The Program Fee is Fr. 9’000 and includes course material, lunch and refreshments.

It is possible to book single modules at Fr. 2’000, potentially adding them up to a CAS.

 

Optionally, you can sign up to personal career coaching (price on request).

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Image source: Southpole

This makes the Program Unique

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Adding purpose to your career

Future-relevant knowhow and expertise to add strategic sustainability competencies into your professional portfolio.

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New regulations require a strategic oversight

Emerging national and EU regulations create pressure and confusion for any organization. This program brings strategic clarity and focus.

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Join our strong network of changemakers

Our alumni join the class on a monthly basis to discuss relevant sustainability topics, providing you access to their network.

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Business badly needs sustainability expertise

According to a recent survey, 91% of Swiss CEOs admit that they don’t know how to define or implement a Net Zero strategy.*

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Endorsements by leading sustainability organizations

The program is endorsed by three relevant sustainability organizations, the WBCSD, the UNGC Switzerland, and WWF Switzerland.

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The reputation of Thomas Dyllick and Katrin Muff as international sustainability experts stands for an unparalleled educational quality.

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* PwC CEO-Survey 2022

The exceptional faculty, the diversity and energy of the participants and the amazing support of the program team made the real difference.                    Karla Beer-Espinosa

Participants Profile

14

years

WORK EXPERIENCE

40

years

AVERAGE AGE

53

% of participants

PREVIOUS SUSTAINABILITY EXPERIENCE

This Program is for You!

This program is designed for participants who

 

  • need to figure out the complexity of sustainability in their job

  • seek to understand the strategic innovation opportunity of sustainability

  • wish to integrate sustainability into their future professional activities.

  • want to clarify their positive impact given their experience and passion

 

If you look for a network of like-minded professionals, this program is for you!

Our executive programs are directed by Katrin Muff and Thomas Dyllick, world-class sustainability experts, together with an incredible faculty of thought leaders in all fields of sustainability and transformation.

Certificate Program

Our business sustainability leadership program builds on leading-edge research in the trans-disciplinary fields of business sustainability, corporate responsibility, social innovation and transformation.

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In their form, it is unique. 

Sustainability Leadership in 5 Modules

 

The program consists of the following five two-day modules: 

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The Positive Impact Mindset: from Risk to Opportunity

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  • Prioritize environmental, social and economic challenges in this decade

  • Discover the success factors of positive impact organizations

  • Understand how to see sustainability as a risk and an opportunity

  • Explore business opportunities that arise from global challenges

  • Unpack the transformation from a traditional to a positive impact mindset

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Prof. Dr. Katrin Muff and Prof. Dr. Thomas Dyllick (Program Directors, the IBS)

ESG Measurement and Reporting: the necessary Basics

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  • Understand sustainability reporting tools, standards and ratings

  • Learn how to measure and assure a consistent sustainability performance

  • Assess and account for sustainability performance and impact

  • Benchmark and evaluate harmonization approaches among reporting tools

  • Review sustainability reporting for a consistent communication strategy

Dr. Barbara Dubach (CEO, engeability)

Emerging Regulations: Source for Impact Innovation

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  • Understand the impact of regulations, from a national and EU perspective

  • Assess consequences of regulations for business strategy

  • Explore case studies of truly sustainable product innovation

  • Review implementation challenges of business model innovation

  • Discuss the challenges that business faces when integrating sustainability

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​Thomas Dyllick (Director, the IBS) and Dr. Antonios Koumbarakis (Head of Sustainability & Strategic Regulatory, PwC Switzerland)

Social Entrepreneurship: Empowering your Purpose

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  • Experience social entrepreneurship and (social) intrapreneurship

  • Work on an applied project to think and act as an entrepreneur

  • Differentiate between organizational implementation approaches

  • Identify pitfalls and successes for driving positive change in business

  • Experience personal pathfinding and craft future projects

Christoph Inauen (Co-Founder of Choba Choba chocolate)

SDG Innovation: from Net Zero to Net Positive

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  • Identify strategic drivers for sustainability within a company

  • Understand key frameworks and tools to implement sustainability

  • Experience stakeholder dynamics and learn to manage these

  • Understand when to use which innovation tools for sustainability

  • Use best practice SDG strategy assessment & reporting tools

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Prof. Dr. Katrin Muff and Dr. Barbara Dubach (CEO, engeability)

Optional: personal career coaching

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  • Define your own values, purpose and future ambition

  • Clarify and overcome obstacles that may prevent success

  • Translate your experience and strengths into an attractive CV

  • Benefit from a partner holding a transformative space for you

Claudia Kranefuss (Leadership Coach and Co-founder, the How Company)

I learned to live my values, to dare and explore my strengths and „tame“ my weaknesses.        Eglantine Eeckhout

Master classes

Master Classes

Do you prefer completing your portfolio of skills with sustainability knowledge at your own pace and online? 

We are building a small library of online Master Classes just for this. The following courses are currently available:

The Positive Impact Company

Let's co-create the world we want!

The online course that goes  with

the book by Katrin Muff.

5 Superpowers
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