Sustainable Business Strategy

Become a Purpose-Driven Leader

Sustainable Business Strategy illustrates how businesses can thrive and grow while simultaneously solving some of the world's biggest challenges-and how you, as an individual, can make a difference.

Sustainable Business Strategy

Sustainable Business Strategy

Become a Purpose-Driven Leader

Sustainable Business Strategy illustrates how businesses can thrive and grow while simultaneously solving some of the world's biggest challenges-and how you, as an individual, can make a difference.

What You'll Learn

Understand and analyze the business models that drive change
Communicate the competitive advantages of being a purpose-driven leader to management, leadership, and other key stakeholders
Explore why collective efforts matter and how business can be a catalyst for system-level change in the face of significant global issues, such as climate change and income inequality
Examine the broader environmental, political, and social landscape in which you operate, including the role of government, investors, and customers
Determine what you can do in your career to become a purpose-driven leader

About the Professors

Rebecca Henderson is the John and Natty McArthur University Professor at Harvard University, where she has a joint appointment at Harvard Business School in the General Management and Strategy units. She is a research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research and serves as co-chair of the Harvard University Climate Change Task Force, as well as on the board of several public companies. Her course, Reimagining Capitalism, is one of the most popular elective courses in the Harvard Business School MBA Program.

Who Will Benefit

Purpose-Driven Professionals

Learn how businesses can effect change, and how you can influence others using a values-driven approach in the for-profit space.

CSR and Consulting Professionals

Identify strategic opportunities and articulate the business case for sustainability to achieve corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals within your or your clients' organization.

Leaders and Entrepreneurs

Take a values-driven approach to business and learn how you can succeed financially while also playing a role in solving some of the world's most pressing problems.

Program Structure

Sustainable Business Strategy consists of approximately 20 to 25 hours of material delivered over a three-week period. You can complete the coursework on your own time while meeting regular deadlines.

September 2020

Course Start Date: 16th September

Length: 3 Weeks

Regular price $1,050

Enrolment process needs to be completed 2 weeks prior of the program Start Date

Enrol with Exclusive SAGE Scholarship & Financial Aid

November 2020

Course Start Date: 18th November

Length: 3 Weeks

Regular price $1,050

Enrolment process needs to be completed 2 weeks prior of the program Start Date

Enrol with Exclusive SAGE Scholarship & Financial Aid

February 2021

Course Start Date: 17th February

Length: 3 Weeks

Regular price $1,050

Enrolment process needs to be completed 2 weeks prior of the program Start Date

Enrol with Exclusive SAGE Scholarship & Financial Aid

Syllabus

Sustainable Business Strategy provides participants with the knowledge and tools to become purpose-driven business leaders. This course explores the different business models that companies can use to drive change and explains why purpose-driven businesses are particularly well-positioned to tackle the world's biggest problems. You will learn how to influence management and other key stakeholders on the competitive advantages of being a purpose-driven firm, and how to integrate your values into your work so that you can help transform firms into catalysts for system-level change.

Learning requirements: In order to earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must thoughtfully complete all 3 modules by stated deadlines and collaborate with assigned groups for 3 brief team meetings.

Download Syllabus

Syllabus

Modules	Case Studies	Takeaways	Key Exercises
Module 1: The Business Case for Action	Unilever Walmart Transatomic Power	Understand the business case for change and apply business models that create shared value Analyze industry disruptions and business uncertainties and create scenario analyses to develop smart strategic options	Business model and stages of disruption identification exercises Team meeting #1
Module 2: Driving Change at Scale - Moving Beyond the Firm	Walmart Unilever King Arthur Flour	Understand what purpose-driven firms are and why they are successful Examine the "Wheel of Change" and how business is a key catalyst to solve large global issues like climate change and income inequality Analyze cooperative action examples to understand how and why firms cooperate and why it's necessary to enact change	Public good simulation game Prisoner's dilemma analysis Team meeting #2
Module 3: Purpose-Driven Systemic Change	Norsk Gjenvinning King Arthur Flour Unilever	Analyze the investor's role, including the role of stakeholder management, alternative governance, Environmental, Social & Governance metrics, and impact investing Evaluate the role of governments and other institutions in large-scale change and understand why "Systems Thinking" is necessary Develop a personal plan for what YOU can do	Values and purpose reflection exercises Team meeting #3

Download Syllabus

Stories from Our Learners

Henry Tsai
Technology & Innovation Policy Advisor, San Jose Mayor's Office

The course shifted my worldview: what the most pressing problems are, who comes up with solutions, and how we get there. Professor Henderson pushed hard for us to think deeply about systemic change when it's easy to be satisfied with small wins. Though the course is focused on the private sector, in my public sector job, I often reference the learnings when considering how best to work with businesses so we can leave the world better than we received it.

Kathy Choi
Consultant, Boston Consulting Group

Rarely does a day go by where I don't see a business leader or company wrestling with the same issues that we discussed in class on the front-page of the Wall Street Journal. These issues are more relevant than ever and top of mind for many of the companies I work for as a consultant. They continue to inform my own personal worldview of capitalism, and my own role in shaping society as a future business leader.

Earn Your Certificate

Enroll today in Harvard Business School Online’s Sustainable Business Strategy course.

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