Business Sustainability Essentials
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Funding available for eligible applicants through PEACEPLUS INNOVATE+
The Business Sustainability Essentials programme features as the final step in the Leading Change and Transition series, part of the PEACEPLUS INNOVATE+ project. The series of high calibre leadership courses accelerates a high-performance culture, promoting productivity improvements and driving sustainable growth through innovation.
INNOVATE+ is a cross-border project funded through the PEACEPLUS Programme and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It is supported by the European Union, the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government. The project supports small and medium-sized businesses across Northern Ireland and the border counties to strengthen competitiveness, improve sustainability and plan for the future.
Our INNOVATE+ recruitment partners, Catalyst, are on hand to guide your business through the Innovate+ opportunity for your organisation. Their specialist innovation officers shall support your application to avail of the INNOVATE+ opportunity, commencing with a free business innovation audit.
This programme is free to join and is open to SMEs from all sectors, located anywhere in Northern Ireland or the border counties of Ireland (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth).
Due to high demand you are advised to apply as early as possible.
Business Sustainability Essentials focuses on the core aspects of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic dimensions, equipping managers with the knowledge, expertise, skills and tools necessary to foster a sustainable business model. Crafted by Queen’s Business School executive education experts, the course focuses on the core aspects of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic dimensions, equipping managers with the knowledge, expertise, skills and tools necessary to foster a sustainable business model.
To effectively adopt, practice, and manage sustainability within business operations, organisations must strategically allocate, manage, and reorchestrate resources. Additionally, companies need to reinvent their institutional frameworks (i.e., re-institutionalise), embedding sustainability into the fabric of their business practices. This transformation involves not only revising existing procedures and standards but also fostering a culture of innovation and creativity that prioritises long-term environmental, social, and economic health of business outcomes over immediate gains. Companies adopt these measures not only to comply with regulatory standards but also to enhance their brand reputation, secure long-term profitability, and respond to the increasing consumer demand for responsible business conduct.
Through a combination of theoretical frameworks, case-studies and practical applications, participants will learn to develop and implement effective sustainability strategies, ensure operational integration, and enhance corporate reporting and communication.
Key Takeaways and Benefits
The Business Sustainability Essentials programme prepares managers to lead in a resource-constrained world. It promotes innovation and responsiveness to emerging sustainability trends, making it invaluable for forward-thinking business leaders. The programme unpacks the critical aspects of business sustainability and equips you with the practical skills and insights to implement these concepts effectively.
On this programme you will;
- Define sustainability in the context of business, covering its economic, environmental, and social pillars, and analyse the regional sustainability challenges and evaluate their impact on businesses.
- Comprehend and develop strategies that incorporate sustainability in a way that aligns with the company’s mission and objectives. In this context, enhance skills necessary for promoting and implementing sustainability initiatives effectively within the organisation and among stakeholders.
- Apply techniques for integrating sustainability practices across various business functions, including supply chain management, production, and marketing. In this context, examine case studies from leading companies to understand the application of successful sustainability practices (such as circular economy and regenerative economy).
- Identify best practices for building an inclusive green environment and encourage employee green behaviors. Participants will learn to craft effective communication strategies to convey the company’s sustainability efforts to various stakeholders.
- Explore role of digital technology within sustainability landscape to prepare for future sustainability trends and anticipate potential regulatory changes to stay ahead in sustainability efforts.
Participant Profile
This course is suited to personnel at all levels who are keen on understanding the fundamentals of sustainability and integrating sustainable practices into their organisation and corporate strategies.
This programme is expertly delivered online from our live, interactive classroom by our expert faculty Professor Shuang Ren.
Our Clinton Leadership Institute Learning Management System will support your learning throughout with videos, podcasts and reading materials.
May Programme Dates |
Time |
Module |
Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/05/2026 | 09:30-13:00 |
Module 1: Sustainability Fundamentals |
Online |
|
19/05/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 2: Sustainability Practices – Resource Orchestration and Re-institutionalisation |
Online |
|
26/05/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 3: Greening the Workforce |
Online |
|
02/06/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 4: Digital Sustainability - Role of Emerging Technologies |
Online |
June Programme Dates |
Time |
Module |
Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/06/2026 | 09:30-13:00 |
Module 1: Sustainability Fundamentals |
Online |
|
09/06/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 2: Sustainability Practices – Resource Orchestration and Re-institutionalisation |
Online |
|
16/06/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 3: Greening the Workforce |
Online |
|
23/06/2026 |
09:30-13:00 |
Module 4: Digital Sustainability - Role of Emerging Technologies |
Online |
Professor Ren is a Professor and researcher at Queen’s Business School, where she is the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. She gained her PhD at the University of Melbourne.
Shuang’s research is at the intersection of sustainability, human resource management and leadership. She takes a multi-level multi-stakeholder approach in investigating how to transform organisations towards sustainability.
She undertakes qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research. She has taught her research fields to both undergraduates and postgraduates and as part of executive education programmes. Shuang is a keynote speaker and authority on sustainability, green workforces, digital transformation and their impact on people management.
Professor Ren is the Editor in Chief, British Journal of Management; Associate Editor, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology; Editorial Board Member, European Management Journal; Editorial Board Member, Asia Pacific Journal of Management; Editorial Board Member, Journal of Vocational Behaviour.
We have a range of package options to support your Senior Executive experience with executive coaching and mentoring. Please contact us directly to discuss your requirements. Please email: Sue.Burns@qub.ac.uk
QUB Executive Coaching Brochure