MENA Sustainability Shapers Program

This program aims to build a community of Sustainability Shapers and equip them with the necessary competencies and skills to deliver the region’s sustainability transformation.

What is the program?
Why are we doing it?
Who will participate?
What is the program timeline?

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Designed to empower sustainability shapers to reach their full potential through leadership and sustainability elements

12-month program anchored around four in-person offsite sessions starting the first week of November 2024

Enduring community with program alumni continuing to be engaged and new cohorts starting annually

To support the region in achieving its sustainability aspirations through capability building

To build a community for the region's Sustainability Shapers, fostering knowledge sharing and partnerships

30 carefully selected participants annually with an initial focus on Saudi Arabia and later expanding to other countries in MENA

Senior sustainability leaders from leading public and private-sector organizations (Chief Sustainability Officer or equivalent)

Modules and dates

Find your purpose: November 6-7, 2024
Inspire your teams: February 6, 2025
Strengthen your personal capacity: May 22, 2025
Maximize your impact: October 16, 2025

Achieve full potential as a sustainability champion in MENA

1

Grow your understanding and capability as a sustainability leader

Understand sustainability's latest global trends and opportunities

Outline implications including risk and opportunities and identify strategies to capture those

Plan how to integrate sustainability within your organization effectively

2

Define your purpose and grow as an inspirational leader

Define your purpose and outline your leadership style

Learn how to inspire your teams and navigate challenging situations as a leader

Understand how to influence Boards and stakeholders on sustainability everyday

3

Connect and be inspired by fellow sustainability shapers

Build connections with your peers sharing the same aspiration to build a sustainable future for the MENA region

Engage with a network of distinguished leaders to draw inspiration and insights

Learn from the experiences of your peers and build effective partnerships

Four Learning Modules

Over 12 months, participants will learn from an immersive journey. The journey is divided into four in-person offsite sessions each with a leadership and sustainability component.

A person in a black outfit is standing and holding papers, speaking to a group of people seated around a table with laptops, notebooks, and coffee cups.

Module 1: Find Your Purpose

Articulate your purpose as sustainability champion and understand the evolving sustainability landscape.

Date: November 6–7, 2024
Location: Aseel Resort, Riyadh

LEADERSHIP: Identifying Your Purpose

Articulate a compelling purpose statement that captures your identity and aspirations
Identify how to integrate your purpose as a sustainability champion to drive impact
Learn how to live your personal and common purpose as MENA Sustainability Shapers

SUSTAINABILITY: Exploring Sustainability

Review the four pragmatic questions every visionary CSO should ask
Review the evolving sustainability landscape globally and in Saudi Arabia
Explore the shift in profit pools due to the sustainability transition

Module 2: Inspire Your Teams

Uncover your leadership brand and efficiently organize sustainability within your organization

Date: February 6, 2025
Location: TBD

LEADERSHIP: Cultivating Inspirational Leadership

Analyze what makes an effective leader per Bain’s Inspirational Leadership System
Build a personal leadership brand
Create an action plan for personal growth with clear accountability mechanisms

SUSTAINABILITY: Delivering Sustainability

Discuss the potential for sustainable, long-term value creation with broader stakeholder results
Explore different business models that incorporate sustainability such as circular economy
Share the challenges in integrating sustainability and create strategies to advance sustainability initiatives in your organization

A group of people sitting around a table in a meeting room with large windows in the background. Some are using laptops and taking notes.

Module 3: Strengthen Your Personal Capacity

Boost personal capacity, enhance resilience, and finance sustainability transformations

Date: May 22, 2025
Location: TBD

LEADERSHIP: Building Personal Capacity

Understand what personal capacity is and why it is crucial for your success
Apply tools to boost your personal capacity, enhance resilience, and elevate performance
Identify how to manage your team’s capacity to enable better decisions and productivity

SUSTAINABILITY: Financing Sustainability

Learn how investors are driving the businesses’ sustainability objectives
Discover emerging themes in sustainable investing
Explore sustainable financing tools such as sustainability-linked bonds and loans

People having a discussion around a table with documents and coffee cups.

Module 4: Maximize Your Impact

Lead your teams through change and leverage technology and innovation for sustainability

Date: October 16, 2025
Location: TBD

LEADERSHIP: Lead Empowered Teams Through Change

Learn how to lead in times of disruptive change
Explore tools to navigate complex change and deliver results
Prioritize effective leadership behaviors going forward: maximize the change, be the change, lead the change

SUSTAINABILITY: Leveraging Technology for Sustainability

Master the art of selling sustainability
Review the role of advanced technologies in sustainability
Identify how to harness AI and big data to drive sustainability transformations

1. Find Your Purpose
2. Inspire Your Teams
3. Strengthen Your Personal Capacity
4. Maximize Your Impact