Diageo and Saïd Business School have partnered on a unique learning programme to educate the firm's senior leaders.
The company, who make Guinness, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker, are one of the first to combine their industry experience of sustainability, with the perspective of a world-class business school.
The Sustainable Leadership Programme will teach leaders on the changes they can make to help the organisation deliver its Society 2030: Spirit of Progress ESG action plan. The course will be mandatory for the top 600 leaders within the company. Several of Diageo’s top executives have already completed the pilot programme, and the global roll-out is now underway.
Caroline Williams, Director, Open Executive Education at Oxford Saïd, said: “Diageo’s belief in colleagues across their business mirrors our passion for unlocking innovation and thought leadership to create sustainability strategies. Our partnership aims to provide thoughtful development opportunities on climate risk management and amplify the impact of Diageo’s corporate environmental sustainability goals.”
Kate Gibson, Director of Society at Diageo, said: “Responsibility for delivering our ambitious Society 2030: Spirit of Progress ESG action plan lies with every leader within Diageo. We want to make sure that everyone understands both the theoretical and the practical ways in which they can make a difference, to the company, the environment and to communities around the world.”
Over the 12-week programme, participants will complete modules on:
- Corporate purpose and value creation
- Responding to climate change
- Natural capital and resource management
- Social sustainability
- Ensuring sustainability: governance, risk and reporting
- Levers of change: exploring how leaders can take action to accelerate delivery of Diageo’s ESG action plan