Master in Sustainable Leadership

The Master in Sustainable Leadership follows an ‘Immersive Learning’ approach, throughout the programme. This means that all your assignments and cases are focused not only on enhancing your knowledge but also on having a direct and positive impact on a real-world challenge. And can, in a large part, be implemented in your daily work life from day one.

Immersive Learning in Each Course

Each course is grounded in real-world challenges, meaning you will learn academic content in a practical context. This can take several forms, including:

• Simulations of sustainability challenges within real companies or contexts
• Sessions in a non-classroom environment
• Projects within your own company
• Projects with a partner organization
• Study trips to local, Nordic, or global partners

Immersive Learning Project

You will work on an Immersive Learning Project which corresponds to a master’s thesis. Unlike traditional degree programmes which typically include a thesis project in the end, you will work on your project throughout the entire duration of the programme. Every course links to the next step that you will take in your Immersive Learning Project, which will be a sustainability-related project preferably within your host organization. The aim is for your project to be successfully implemented within your organization by the end of the programme, so that you are already creating tangible impact.

Personal Leadership Development

As you move through courses and the Immersive Learning Project, you will develop your personal leadership capacity through a Personal Leadership Development plan. This includes intentionally practicing skills, such as facilitation and coaching, as part of each course. It also includes identifying when you are or can be using leading tools in your daily work and life, so that your skill development is immersed in your everyday.

Our curriculum gives you a solid foundation of practical business skills and experience combined with applying knowledge in the real world. Teaching formats include case discussions, immersive team simulations, introspective exercises and feedback, real-world projects and group assignments, and study tours.

The programme is divided into four semesters and begins at the end of August each year. The next class starts in August 2023.

* We are constantly striving to improve the Master in Sustainable Leadership programme and its contents to offer you the newest and most relevant research, knowledge and experiences in rapidly changing markets. Please note that the programme may be subject to change and can be updated continuously.

The Master in Sustainable Leadership is designed for leaders and future leaders who wants to be at the forefront of sustainable solutions. This includes:

• Early career executives in private, public, and non-profit sectors alike, determined to solve sustainability challenges in their organizations
• Technology driven entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their understanding of complex problem solving and operationalizing sustainability
• Intrapreneurs aspiring to lead sustainability transition within their organizations
• Leaders aspiring to gain a holistic and multidisciplinary understanding of sustainability in global business

The Master in Sustainable Leadership aims for a diverse group of participants across sector (private, public, nonprofit), industry, size of organization, and demographics (cultural background, age, and gender). As sustainability is multidisciplinary and complex in nature, it is essential that leaders know how to lead in different societal and cultural contexts, with people from various backgrounds.

In order to achieve this innovative goal, the Master in Sustainable Leadership is bringing together a multi-disciplinary learning ecosystem led by two internationally experienced sustainability experts in their own fields, who have joined forces to create an entirely new programme format: Academic Director Dr. Salla Laasonen and Director of Practice Jackie Stenson.

The aim of the new programme is to deliver not only science-based high quality education, but also tangible societal impact. That is what makes the new programme innovative in its design, as it builds on two equally strong pillars: academic excellence and impact.

Working together intensively over 21 months creates safe and trusting relationships. You will be part of a network of inspiring classmates with whom you speak the same language, know well from having lived challenging times, and trust to help you with honest opinions and contacts.

The participants will automatically be members of the Alumni Association when they start the Master in Sustainable Leadership programme. The purpose of joining the association is to maintain and expand the close personal relationships established during the course of the programme. This also enlarges each participant’s professional network because it unites members of all classes through course-related activities and discussions on the association’s online platform and LinkedIn group. The alumni association offers year-round events and activities to foster lifelong learning in the areas of leadership, innovation, technology and sustainability, and connection between alumni and external experts.

Next class starts: 
The inaugural class of the Master in Sustainable Leadership starts in August 2023.

The programme is four semesters long and teaching takes place in-person in the Copenhagen region as three- to five-day teaching blocks every month. Teaching will take place both during the week and the weekend.

Admissions:

The academic requirement for joining the DTU Master in Sustainable Leadership programme is that you must have the scope to lead, implement, and/or execute sustainability within your organization, and either experience in sustainability, experience in leadership, or both. You must also have a bachelor or professional bachelor degree in any natural or social science discipline, as well as three to five years of experience. It may be possible to meet some requirements through an individual competency assessment. The admission process typically starts with an informal discussion of the programme, and the candidate’s needs and constraints. Once the candidate submits the application, an admission interview is scheduled with the Programme Directors.

Enrollment in the programme cannot be used for residency or visa application purposes. Participants must already be able to be physically present in Denmark at least once a month.

Fee: 
The tuition fee for Master in Sustainable Leadership is DKK 190,000 excl. VAT.

The fee includes live cases, networking events and catering, and all materials. Travel costs for study trips are not included. The cost of the programme can be covered by you, your company, or you can arrange to split the cost between both parties. Substantial cost savings can be gained by applying for the Gross Income Tax Credit (bruttolønsordning). For further information, please go to SKAT.dk.

The state subsidy for part-time education is determined in the Finance Act for one year at a time. DTU reserves the right to make any adjustments to the participant payment.

Do you have questions or do you wish to register for the programme? Please send an e-mail to the Programme Directors Salla Laasonen, salaa@dtu.dk or Jackie Stenson, jevst@dtu.dk

What is the underlying motivation and global need for sustainability transformation and leadership?

Course 1: Philosophical Foundations of Sustainable Leadership

The first course of the semester focuses on the question:
“What impact do I want to create – for my company and myself?”

Learning goal course 1:
To build a common understanding of sustainable leadership and your personal vision within sustainability.

Key topics of the course:

• Sustainability definitions, concepts and interlinkages
• Global sustainability trends and pressures
• Systems thinking and planetary boundaries
• Leadership frameworks and techniques
• Team building and profiling
• Psychological safety and safe spaces.

Course 2: Leadership in Sustainability Strategy

The second course of the semester focuses on the question:
“How can I align my approach towards creating impact?”

Learning goal course 2:
To analyse the drivers and challenges facing strategic level sustainability commitments

• Key topics of the course:
• Sustainability strategy and value creation
• Sustainability maturity
• Key strategic drivers, including ESG, EU taxonomy, Scope 1/2/3, lifecycle thinking
• Sustainability goal setting and road mapping
• Risk and resilience
• Stakeholder motivations and incentive alignment.

Course 3: Complex Problem Framing across Value Chains

The third course of the semester focuses on the question:
“Where do I start?”

Learning goal course 3:
To identify opportunities and challenges within value chains and frame complex sustainability challenges

Key topics of course 3:

• Sustainable development problem framing
• Root cause analysis within sustainability
• Sustainability and ESG within systems thinking
• Value chain forms and value networks
• Opportunities and challenges within value chains
• Facilitation of complex, non-linear processes.

How can organizations align towards sustainability transformation?

In the HOW module, we will explore how various organizational forms, internal structures, and business models can support the design and implementation of sustainability solutions. We will also focus on innovation for radical business change, as well as entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial mindsets and approaches to driving this change.

Course 4: Sustainability-Oriented Organizations

The first course of the HOW module focuses on the question:
“What can my organization look like in order to drive change?” 

Learning goal course 4:
To harness your personal role in the forms that sustainability can take within organizations.

Key topics of the course: 

• Strategic, tactical and operational levers for sustainability
• Voluntary codes/standards, certifications, and labelling
• EU taxonomy for organizational connection to sustainability
• Collaborative governance and partnership models
• Organizational culture
• Stakeholder engagement and multi-stakeholder initiatives

Course 5: Business Models for Sustainability

The second course of the HOW module focuses on the question:
“How can I do good and do well at the same time?“ 

Learning goal course 5:
To turn sustainability into a business model opportunity.

Key topics of the course: 

• Global business models for sustainability and inclusive business
• Circularity in business models
• Creating shared value
• Trade-off management and aligning incentives
• Mindset and values for radical business model change
• Personal change agency, resilience, adaptive capacity

Course 6: Sustainability-Driven Innovation

The third course of the HOW module focuses on the question:
“How can I design a sustainability solution for widespread impact?” 

Learning goal course 6:
To create innovative sustainability solutions that can be widely adopted.

Key topics of the course: 

• Human-centered design, design thinking and inclusive innovation for solution identification and validation
• Innovation in resource constrained environments
• Co-creation and stakeholder and community engagement
• Intrapreneurship business model innovations, and mindset of social intrapreneurs
• Entrepreneurship business model innovations, and mindset of social entrepreneurs
• Designing for radical business model change

How can you execute sustainability strategy in organizations?

In the EXECUTE module, we will turn sustainability data and reporting into decision-making tools as well as communication and stakeholder engagement tools. We will also focus on change management processes, and analyze all the leadership techniques practiced throughout the programme to create your individualized sustainable leadership plans.

Course 7: Data-Based Decision Making

The first course of the EXECUTE module focuses on the question:
“How can I navigate and leverage sustainability data?”

Learning goal course 7:
To build, interpret, and leverage sustainability data for strategic decision making.

Key topics of the course: 

• Types of data, data measurement, and quantitative sustainability assessments
• Uses of sustainability data
• ESG and EU taxonomy for reporting and compliance
• Introduction to and interpretation of LCA models and lifecycle screening
• Impact measurement models (output / outcome / theory of change)
• How to engage and challenge existing systems

Course 8: Communicating Sustainability

The second course of the EXECUTE module focuses on the question:
“How do I get others on my team?”

Learning goal course 8:
To translate sustainability solutions to a wider audience and build the capacity to be a sustainability thought leader.

Key topics of the course: 

• Types of reporting, including ESG, Scope 1/2/3, Global Compact, Global Reporting Initiative, integrated reporting
• Communicating ESG
• Communicating data outputs
• Types of communication, including pitching and storytelling
• Stakeholder management and aligning incentives

Course 9: Leading Change for Sustainability

The third course of the EXECUTE module focuses on the question:
“How can I be a sustainable leader?”

Learning goal course 9:
To empower others to realize and execute sustainable change.

Key topics of the course: 

• Transition and change management
• Aligning incentives for behavior change
• Uses of leadership tools and methods, including analysis of methods practiced throughout the programme
• Leading up, down, and across

The Nordic B Corp movement will be an integral part of the master’s program in sustainable leadership. The participants in the master’s programme will have the opportunity to work with the certified B Corps through case workshops, guest lectures, and company visits.

The B Corp movement is an international network of companies working to build a more inclusive, equitable and regenerable economy. All companies in B Corp are certified to meet high standards of social and environmental impact by B Lab, a nonprofit organization that develops the standards for corporate responsibility, transparency and legal frameworks for social as well as environmental impacts.

The founder and Executive Director of the Nordic B Corp Movement, Nille Skalts, has over 20 years of experience in facilitating strategic transformations. Her ambition is to enable societal transition towards market driven regeneration by challenging the assumptions of our current unsustainable economic structures and building business models that factor in ecosystem regeneration. Participants of the Master in Sustainable Leadership will have the unique opportunity to engage with Nille and Nordic B Corps on these fundamental challenges, and explore in practice what radical transformations need to take place in order to bring about positive societal impact.