ABSTRACT
Cambridge's Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL) was established in 1989 and has become globally recognised for its executive learning programmes, especially the Business and Sustainability Programme and the Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change (both of which it runs on behalf of HRH The Prince of Wales) and more recently, its Master's in Sustainability Leadership, which the author helped to design and provide on-going support for. There are also various theories on leadership and while it was not our intention to provide an exhaustive review of these, they do set a frame for sustainability leadership. The sustainability context has become 'mission critical' for many businesses. There are many characteristics (traits, styles, skills and knowledge) that are associated with sustainability leaders. One of most compelling and persistent findings was that sustainability leadership is fraught with paradoxes. As the competitive landscape shifts and global challenges evolve, companies that were lauded in the past as sustainability leaders may be discredited in the present.
