Absolute Sustainability Paradigm
Shift from efficiency tweaks to threshold thinking. Learn why absolute sustainability reshapes leadership, investment, and growth strategies.
Most strategies aim to do "less harm." But that's not enough. The Absolute Sustainability Paradigm, a systems-based approach, reframes the challenge—anchoring action in biophysical thresholds, not incremental gains. This module is a foundation for any leader who wants to move beyond ESG checklists and start leading within limits.
ACCESS
12 month access to course material
TIME COMMITMENT
8-10 hours per week
ASSESSMENT
Quizzes + final assignment
INVESTMENT
£1,750 + VAT per employee | £1,250 + VAT for self-funded individuals
Contact us for bulk discounts
Why It Matters
Relative targets and ESG metrics are no longer credible when entire ecosystems are collapsing. Stakeholders are waking up to the gap between feel-good reporting and biophysical reality. To lead in the next economy, firms must measure success by whether their operations are compatible with a liveable future.
This isn't about raising the bar—it's about accepting the reality of physical stocks and flows on Earth, and evolving the rules of business.
What You'll Learn
This module challenges the foundations of conventional sustainability. You'll learn to see through misleading metrics and adopt a systems-based lens.
Core Concepts
- The core principles of absolute sustainability and ecological economics
- The difference between relative and absolute sustainability
- Why relative sustainability (e.g. intensity metrics, offsets) is no longer credible
- Why net-zero and ESG metrics often mislead
Advanced Frameworks
- Ontological bias applied to spatial, temporal, and systemic considerations
- The difference between footprint, overshoot, and planetary allocation
- Principles of sufficiency, regeneration, and threshold-based accounting
- How to communicate with authority about limits, thresholds, and trade-offs
Who It's For
CSOs, strategy leads, policy shapers, impact investors, and anyone ready to:
- Replace outdated sustainability mindsets with science-aligned thinking
- Lead organisational change in line with ecological thresholds
- Challenge tokenistic efforts and build true legitimacy
Outcomes
Strategic Clarity
A clarified, science-based sustainability worldview
Practical Lens
A clear grasp of absolute sustainability as a strategic lens—not just a reporting concept
Leadership Tools
Tools to reframe board-level conversations and pressure-test claims
Confident Advocacy
Confidence to challenge greenwash and advance stewardship logic
This is where sustainability grows up.
Applied Learning
Each module includes real-world case applications. For this program, we examine a number of companies with a deep dive on how a luxury fashion company shaped its strategy using absolute sustainability principles, moving from incremental reductions to threshold-based planning.
Ready to lead within limits?
Join our next cohort and gain the frameworks to transform your organization's approach to sustainability.
We use cookies to enhance your experience, analyze traffic, and personalize content. By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.