This session calls out the strategic issues in which environmental sustainability plays a key role, such as securing a license to operate, dealing with competition, and shaping consumer and societal perception. Learning Objectives: To dig into the different ways in which the issue of environmental sustainability becomes a subject for business strategy.

This session first introduces the idea of environmental sensibility which will be different for companies in different business sectors and in different parts of the world. It then develops six strategic approaches that businesses might follow according to the degree to which they choose to comply with or go beyond legislation. Learning Objectives: To understand the idea of environmental sensibility and to explore different levels of response. In addition, learners will be able to determine the right approach for specific firms in a specific sector and place.

Part of the issue in choosing a strategy to deal with environmental issues is to fully understand the broad spectrum of environmental interest groups. This session explores how the movement took off, distinguishing between four types of groups and examining how business might consider interacting with them (and vice versa). Learning Objectives: To explore the nature of four different types of environmental interest groups such that their motivations and behaviors can be better understood.

This session explores differences across business sectors including automotive, oil & gas, fast-moving consumer goods, mining, and IT/consumer electronics. We will also contrast the situation in the United States with Europe, China, India, and Africa. Learning Objectives: To underline the importance of adapting a specific firm’s strategy to its sector, its geographic scope and even the nature of its ownership and governance structure prior to developing a specific strategic response.

This session presents an integrated framework for working through the issues introduced in the other sessions in order to develop a strategy. This involves understanding the firm’s past and present, looking ahead with a 10–20-year time horizon; quantifying, to the degree possible, the cost and benefits of different options; and making sure that the entire organization – from the board of directors down to line management – understands the direction chosen. Learning Objectives: To go through the critical steps required to build a robust strategy for dealing with environmental sustainability in a specific company or institution.