ABSTRACT
Like every solid, successful initiative, HRH the Prince of Wales's Business and the Environment Programme (BEP) began as an idea in the mind of someone willing to nudge it into being. Most fundamentally, however, the BEP is a sustainability learning programme that has continued to learn; over the years the format, content and geographical diversity have evolved to meet the needs of delegates and to stay abreast of the rapidly emerging debate. The first BEP seminar was held in 1994 at Madingley Hall on the outskirts of Cambridge. From the outset, the BEP was structured to support a meaningful shift in thinking, beginning with the delegate selection process. Securing the right level and mix of delegates requires individual approaches and extended discussions with interested parties before nominations can be put to the selection committee. The BEP has avoided the temptation to provide some sort of sustainability 'toolkit' that executives can use when they return to work.
