Sustainable Solutions Leadership Programme

The Sustainable Solutions Leadership Programme (SSLP) was custom-made for Capgemini Invent UK to provide its clients with solutions that align with net-zero targets—targets that reduce greenhouse emissions at the same rate they are produced. The program went beyond simple knowledge transfer by providing participants with the tools to interrogate primary literature sources and embed learned concepts in their professional practices. By doing so, they can lead colleagues and clients by example.

Call to Action

The University of Exeter’s partnership with Capgemini grew out of a relationship developed in late 2021. Capgemini considered a number of organizations to deliver sustainability-focused executive education but chose to engage with the University of Exeter Business School because it was prepared to co-create the curriculum with them and align the learning outcomes and delivery structure to the firm’s precise requirements.

The program’s structure is a blueprint for translating science to industry. Drawing on expertise from an interdisciplinary group of internationally renowned academics, specialist educators managed the curriculum. This distinct structure, and the resulting internal collaborations, has catalyzed additional opportunities in professional education, consultancy, and research, which has led to a deep and mutually beneficial partnership with Capgemini.

Innovation Description

SSLP included 550 Capgemini client-facing consultants at all levels of seniority, including regional CEOs and graduate entrants. Given the program’s emphasis on application to client portfolios and the development of new business opportunities, the course has likely impacted thousands of additional commercial partnerships. Capgemini recognizes that these organizations’ clients seek support in reaching decarbonization and net-zero targets.

The program’s overall message emphasized the science, its applications to Capgemini, and the resulting business opportunities. A program director, specializing in sustainability education for business, aligned masterclasses and assessments to deliver learning outcomes and best practice assurance of learning.

A portfolio of 16 professors, representing all of the University of Exeter’s faculties, taught interactive masterclasses on key research areas, such as climate, biodiversity and natural capital science, systems thinking and circular economy, and positive tipping points.

Across six cohorts and over two years, faculty members made significant adjustments in collaboration with Capgemini leadership to ensure the program’s maximum impact on participants. Instructors tweaked the modular blended curriculum—including in-person, online, asynchronous, and synchronous touchpoints—to reflect the distinct specialty and knowledge gaps of each cohort’s participants.

The success of these innovations, and the resulting knowledge-transfer pipeline, was key in engaging additional contracts with Capgemini and other corporate clients.

Innovation Impact

SSLP was pivotal in broadening the university’s partnership with Capgemini’s offices overseas, including invitations to consultants based across northern Europe.

In the context of a groupwide goal to decarbonize its operations and support clients to save 10 million tons of carbon dioxide by 2030, it is also possible that the course’s learning outcomes have reached an additional internal audience of thousands of Capgemini colleagues.

SSLP yielded tangible benefits for Capgemini across multiple dimensions. One notable outcome is the expansion of its internal Sustainability Champions Network, which comprises graduates of the program and has grown to over 550 members across the U.K. and Europe. The network not only amplifies Capgemini’s reach in sustainability leadership but also fosters a diverse community of advocates committed to driving sustainable practices with their clients.

Additionally, Capgemini has reported a substantial increase in sustainability-related sales, with a notable percentage rise during the rollout of SSLP from 2022 to 2023. This uptick in sales not only underscores the commercial viability of their sustainability initiatives but also testifies to the effectiveness of SSLP in driving measurable business outcomes aligned with clients’ sustainability objectives.

The relationship continues to develop, with Capgemini now included in the university’s portfolio of emerging strategic partnerships.

Reference Links

• “Sustainability Solutions Leadership Programme,” PDF from the University of Exeter Business School website
• “Capgemini Invent Sustainability Solutions, Changing How We Do What We Do,” Capgemini Invent UK website