The Institute for Sustainable Family Business (ISFB) is a new pioneering initiative by The Sustainability Board.
Our mission is to empower family business-owners, executives, and boards with the tools, knowledge, and networks necessary to lead the charge in sustainable business and governance.
Upcoming Events
Welcome
Family business owners and leaders have a unique opportunity to drive impact beyond philanthropy by using their businesses as a vehicle to create a legacy of sustainability and impact.
Family Businesses are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in a new paradigm of doing business.
At the new Institute for Sustainable Family Business our approach is to provide research, insights and programmes designed to integrate sustainable practices seamlessly into the unique dynamics of family businesses.
I invite you to download our new report and request access to our complementary micro credential: Introduction to Sustainable Family Business.
Michael Reed
Director, Institute for Sustainable Family Business
Senior Advisor, The Sustainability Board
Our New Report
Our special report on publicly traded family businesses in 2020 revealed that sustainability oversight was lagging behind in comparison to our default sample of the Top 100 Forbes 2000 which contains mainly non-family businesses. However, directors on family boards were twice as likely to be engaged on sustainability than those in our default sample.
Fast forward to 2024 and we find three key themes that have evolved.
3 Key Findings
The world’s largest family businesses’
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Have raced to align their boards for sustainability oversight
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Directors were engaged early in sustainability and have now reached an apparent engagement ceiling
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Individual board leadership in sustainability is significantly more gender equal than in non-family businesses
Introduction to Sustainable Family Business
Micro Credential
This micro credential includes 1 full lessons from Module 2 - Leadership, Business Models, and Strategy of the CPD accredited Sustainable Leadership Preparedness Certificate.
Learning Outcome:
Understand the specific attributes of family-controlled companies and their unique opportunity to lead on sustainable business.
Includes an introduction to the UN SDGs.
Who will benefit from the Course?
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Independent Directors and Board Chairs serving in Family Businesses
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Executive Leaders in Family Businesses
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Family Members who are part of the business or who control it
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Family Business Advisors
Support Us
We are on a mission to create a more sustainable and responsible future, and we need your support to scale our efforts.
With your help, we can produce more insightful reports and thought leadership, engage a wider range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, and offer more programmes.
Your donation will help us fund staff and operating expenses to advance our work.
We are currently focused to develop the following initiatives:
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Open-source database (Funding required)
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Multiple Webinars
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In-person and virtual roundtables (Funding required)
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A conference to produce a position paper and handbook on Leadership of ESG (Funding required)
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Toolkits and frameworks
Join us in our efforts to drive impactful leadership, and harness business to achieve a sustainable future.
Preview
Opportunities for Sustainable Leadership
Best-in-class course platform
What you will earn
Key Facts
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Self-paced online
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Access and content available for 2 weeks
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1 full lesson
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1 - 1.5 hours in total learning time
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Includes videos, readings, reflections, and external resources
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Receive a traceable online credential upon completion
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Completely free when invited
We're offering this course to people who we believe will get value from it.
Yes.
The Sustainable Leadership Preparedness Certificate (SLPC) is the essential guide to senior leadership level ESG mastery – Comprehensive, Concise, and Contextual.
It aims to enhance personal capacity to better lead a sustainable business.
The course equips with the foundational knowledge needed to implement robust sustainability and ESG strategies and transformations.
The course is designed to apply in a management and governance context, and is part of the Sustainable Leadership Preparedness Programme.
Yes.
If we have enrolled you in the micro credential, you are not committed to anything.
We want you to be part of The Sustainability Boards' network and appreciate any insights from your own context.
No.
Please click the button on the bottom of this page to send an email to our programme help desk.
Yes.
We encourage you to promote your badge. You will also receive a trace link that validates the credential to 3rd parties.
Yes.