Sustainability Leadership Programme

The Sustainability Leadership Programme gives you the skills, confidence and connections for your organisation, community and planet to thrive now and into the future.

Sustainability challenges are high stake and complex and require a special set of skills, including the ability to think systemically and to collaborate and influence across a diverse range of stakeholders and interests. The Sustainability Leadership Programme (SLP) not only gives you the tools to meet your challenges but provides an ongoing network of peers you can lean on for advice and support.

Australasia’s most comprehensive sustainability leadership programme is designed and delivered by Catapult in partnership with the Sustainable Business Council (SBC). The SBC is a member organisation made up of organisations committed to making significant progress on environmental, social, and economic sustainability issues. SBC members account for over 60% of New Zealand’s GDP. Your organisation does not need to be a member of the SBC for you to participate in the Sustainability Leadership Programme.

Taster Session

Watch the recording of an online taster session we held in February.

Key Benefits

1.

Learn how to diagnose complex sustainability challenges

2.

Build your collaboration skills to engage stakeholders

3.

Learn how to influence key decision-makers

4.

Build fellowship with other senior sustainability change agents

5.

Leave inspired with confidence and courage to drive progress on sustainability

Who is SLP for?

SLP is for organisational leaders in a position to influence their organisation’s progress on environmental, social or economic sustainability.

Past participants have held a range of senior accountabilities including CEOs, heads of environmental and social responsibility, sustainability managers, health and safety managers, corporate responsibility managers, programme managers, directors, business operations managers, marketing and communications managers.

SLP is a leadership programme. It is not about learning technical skills (e.g. measuring carbon emissions) for addressing sustainability.

You will bring a real sustainability challenge facing your organisation or community into the programme.

Programme Dates

Online Workshops: 10:00am – 12:00pm

May 17 and 31; June 14 and 28; August 23; September 6 and 20.

Two-Day Workshop in Wellington

July 26: 8:30am registration; 9:00am – 7:00pm including networking event and refreshments
July 27: 8:30am registration; 9:00am – 5:00pm

Download the SLP Brochure

'Fast-paced concentrated boost of learning. It’s had a significant positive impact on how I work and what I have been able to achieve.'

Alison Howard Head of Sustainability, Meridian Energy

'The material, delivered, with excellence by Catapult, kept me constantly thinking, reflecting, and engaged.'

Leon Jarden Countdown

'It's given me greater self-awareness to my sustainability leadership and tools I could apply straight away, and which I continue to use well after the programme.'

Sam Bridgman, Sustainability Specialist NZ Post

Programme Overview

Blended Format: The programme is a combination of 7 x 2 hour Zoom online workshops, a two-day workshop in Wellington, and small group work (LeaderLabs).

Online Sessions: May 17 and 31; June 14 and 28; August 23; September 6 and 20.

Two-Day Workshop in Wellington: July 26 and 27

LeaderLabs: You will be part of a peer learning group called a LeaderLab. There are approximately 13 hours of Leaderlab meetings (online or in person) between workshop sessions.

Time will also be involved applying your learning to a real sustainability challenge facing your organisation. In this way, programme work is real work and complements your day job. Hours required will vary according to the project.

Early bird discount ends 25 February 2022

– Applications close 31 March 2022 –

Getting Started

Secure organisational support before applying
Applications close 31 March 2022
Selection and notification by 8 April
LeaderScope 360-degree feedback (optional) April-May
Forming LeaderLabs with the first session before the 17 May online workshop.
Completing pre-work April-May

Online Workshops: Sensemaking

What is sustainability leadership?
Seeing context and challenges
Leadership backbone, styles and resilience
Diagnosing sustainability challenges
Embedding sustainability approaches
Storytelling
Celebrating accomplishments

Two Day Workshop:
Influencing

Connecting
Collaborating
Co-creating purpose and vision
Sustainability strategies
Systems change
Strategic influencing
Networking event

Online Workshops: Embedding

Embedding sustainability approaches
Storytelling
Celebrating accomplishments

Download the SLP Brochure

Percent of graduates endorse the programme

Percent of participants formed valuable connections with other sustainability leaders

Percent of participants planned a new approach to their sustainability project

Percent of participants are more equipped to advance the sustainability agenda of their organisation

Percent of participants are more able to diagnose sustainability challenges

Read Case Studies About SLP’s Impact

Reducing Carbon Emissions

How did Roger Robson-Williams at Plant and Food Research accelerate an 18-month carbon emissions project to completion in just three months?

Driving sustainable change in a multinational

How do you make a significant impact as a new team member at one of the largest companies in New Zealand? Read Jennifer Evans' case study.

Calling on CEOs to support sustainability leadership

BusinessNZ CEO and SLP alumni Kirk Hope says now is the time for business leaders to sign up to SLP

Mobilising others to take action

Ferran de Miguel of Fletcher Building learned that sustainability leadership is not about the feats of the individual hero leader but about harnessing collective ambition and talents

Bringing others on the journey

How best to go about introducing sustainability to other stakeholders? For Ryan Morrison it was participants asking, "What’s next? How do we take another step?"

Hear What Alumni Say

Jamie Henry – WasteLine Manager for OCS Ltd

Sharon Manssen – Quality, Environment & Sustainability Manager, NZ Region for Aurecon

Joshua Dorman, Stuff

Katherine Buttar, Auckland Transport

Take your leadership further

We have two great options to extend your learning and development from the Sustainability Leadership Programme.

Additional Coaching Options

Investing in additional coaching after the programme is a smart option. Additional coaching can help you explore specific aspects of the programme more deeply, help you transfer programme learning back to the workplace and provide you with ongoing support and challenge in your leadership development.

Leaderscope 360-Degree Feedback Option

Leaderscope is Catapult’s 360-degree feedback tool. It enables you to identify your leadership strengths, areas for improvement and to develop clear learning goals for your participation in the Sustainable Leadership Programme.