Sustainable Business Strategy

Course Introduction

The aim of this OXFORD training Course is to develop understanding of Sustainable Business Strategy by exploring changing relationships between businesses, communities and the environment around the world.  The course aims to investigate the impact of sustainability on management practice through critical evaluation of corporate activity, drawing on a range of case study examples.  It aims to encourage sustainability thinking, challenging delegates to articulate creative ideas for how companies might align resource allocation with environmental and social responsibilities, building a positive climate for engaging people in organisations with sustainability issues.

This training course explores the meaning and role of Business Sustainability from a management perspective.  It will discuss the emergence of, and rationale for, employee engagement, encouraging delegates to reflect on how sustainability challenges are affecting, and being affected by, business activity.  The course will consider how management’s responsibility to shareholders for delivering financial returns might be balanced with meeting wider stakeholder expectations, highlighting mutual benefits to people, organisations and economies. The course will invite delegates to reflect on how sustainability policies might be integrated with business strategy and operations, and how this may link with competitiveness and brand integrity.

This training Course will highlight:

• The sustainable vision
• Sustainability in the business context
• What is a sustainable strategy?
• Sustainable operations
• The pillars of social responsibility: people, profit and planet
• Sustainable procurement and supplier management
• Sustainable quality
• Measurements of sustainability

Objectives

• Critically evaluate the meaning and role of Sustainable Business Strategy
• Demonstrate innovative thinking for overcoming sustainability challenges from a management and organisational perspective
• Examine the links between sustainability and corporate activity
• Identify creative solutions to embed sustainability in different organisations
• Analyse the role of sustainability in corporate strategy, organisational culture and operations

Training Methodology

This training course will utilise a variety of proven online learning techniques to ensure maximum understanding, comprehension, retention of the information presented. The principles and approaches to performance management will be illustrated by reference to real-life organisations. The Course will seek to integrate theory with practice and will draw upon participants’ own backgrounds, experiences and views and encourage them to relate them to theory.

Organisational Impact

By sending delegates to this OXFORD training Course, the organisation will gain the following benefits:

• Better decision-making and time / resource allocation - leading to improved long-term organisational performance
• Introduction of sustainability into all levels of the organisation
• Improved efficiency at strategic and operational levels
• Lower levels of operating costs
• Better relationships with suppliers
• More effective programme and project implementation by managers

Personal Impact

By attending this training Course, delegates will acquire the following skills and competencies:

• Improved career flexibility and prospects
• Accelerated thinking speed and problem resolution
• Higher self-esteem
• Improved appreciation by your local community
• Higher levels of efficiency and consistency in performance

Who Should Attend?

This course is suitable to a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Business leaders
• Managers
• Supervisors
• Entrepreneurs
• Anyone who wants to have a greater understanding of sustainable business strategy

Course Outline

Day 1

The Sustainable Vision

• The meaning of sustainability in business
• How perspectives on strategy influence sustainability
• The history and challenges of sustainability
• The pillars of corporate social responsibility
  • People
  • Profit
  • Planet

Day 2

Developing a Sustainable Strategy

• Sustainability leadership: challenges and responsibilities
• Identifying the corporate ambition
• Understand how sustainability issues are considered as part of strategic planning and product development.
• Identify the opportunities and challenges posed by sustainability issues
• Engagement with key stakeholders
• Sustainability as part of competitive positioning

Day 3

Sustainable Operations 

• Operational functions for sustainability
• Sustainable entrepreneurship
• Sustainable procurement
• Sustainable supplier management
• Sustainability across the supply chain

Day 4

The Role of Innovation in Addressing Sustainability Challenges

• The role of technology in a sustainable business
• Sustainability and the future of energy
• Sustainable quality
• Sustainable design
• The sustainable marketing mix

Day 5

Sustainable finance

• The importance of sustainable finance
• Measuring sustainability
• Sustainable business risks
• Investments and corporate performance
• Green and socially responsible investment opportunities