Corporate decision makers are increasingly under pressure to meet both investors' expectations of improving future financial performance and the demands of other stakeholders focused on nonfinancial—environmental, social, and governance (ESG)—issues. In the typical situation, improving performance in one dimension means decreased performance in the other—tradeoffs are more common than not. Overcoming these challenges requires innovative processes, products, and business models. In this program, you will examine what leading companies are doing to drive long-term profitability by improving their ESG performance.
You will examine cutting-edge faculty research on employee and stakeholder engagement, customer loyalty and satisfaction, innovation, valuation models, and corporate communication. New HBS cases by Professor Robert Eccles and Professor George Serafeim—the two leading figures in the area of corporate sustainability—will highlight the connections between sustainability and financial performance, giving you an understanding of emerging best practices that will help you deliver higher levels of value to both shareholders and society.
Focused on the importance of building a sustainable strategy in today's business environment, the program examines the challenges of measuring performance on nonfinancial issues and the opportunities presented by sustainability. You will explore the use of integrated reporting to drive change and the role of the capital markets in promoting sustainability.
The program is ideally suited to senior executives who are responsible for creating, executing, and communicating strategy, including chief executive officers, chief operating officers, business unit heads, and functional heads from finance, sales and marketing, research and development, strategy and business development, human resources, and sustainability. It is equally appropriate for investment managers and owners with long-term horizons, who are interested in integrating ESG data into capital allocation decisions or engagement with companies on sustainability issues. Finally, those in important intermediary roles in capital markets, such as public accountants and sell-side analysts, also will find this course relevant to their work.
Programs, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change.
In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.