As the sustainability agenda has mainstreamed, becoming increasingly embedded in business, the push-back has intensified.
Join us for an inspiring keynote address in the Sustainability Speaker Series with John Elkington, a globally recognised thought leader and pioneer in sustainable business.
In "Navigating This Polycrisis: Beyond the ESG Wave," John will explore the complex and interwoven challenges facing our world today—what he calls the "polycrisis"—and how businesses can move beyond the current ESG wave to drive meaningful, long-term change.
Dubbed the “Godfather of Sustainability”, John has spent over five decades advising organisations worldwide, shaping the sustainability agenda, and coining influential concepts such as the Triple Bottom Line.
Drawing from his latest book, Tickling Sharks: How We Sold Business on Sustainability, he will offer insights into how leaders and businesses can adapt, innovate, and thrive in an era of uncertainty.
As a sustainability professional or business leader with sustainability in your role, John will offer his insights on how the evolving polycrisis could:
- make sustainability roles more challenging or present barriers
- make these roles easier and present opportunities
- cause sustainability roles/functions to evolve
Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase copies of Tickling Sharks following the keynote, and John will be available for book signing.
Speaker
John Elkington
Founder & Global Ambassador, Volans; Founder & Chief Pollinator, ElkingtonX
Variously known as the “Godfather of Sustainability” and an “Ambassador from the Future,” John is acknowledged as one of the founders of the global sustainability movement. Mainly focusing on business and markets, he has worked as an advisor to an A-to-Z of businesses across the globe for 50 years.
He has co-founded four companies since 1978, all of which still exist in some form: Environmental Data Services (ENDS, 1978); John Elkington Associates, later Countercurrent and now Elkington Ventures (1983); SustainAbility (1987); and Volans (2008). Over the decades, he has served on over 80 boards and advisory boards—and was a faculty member of the World Economic Forum from 2002-2008. He has addressed over 1,500 conferences around the world.
Along the way, he coined such terms as environmental excellence, green consumer and green growth, the triple bottom line (People, Planet and Profit/Prosperity), business-as-unusual and green swan.
He is the author or co-author of 21 books, including the million-selling Green Consumer Guide series. His most recent book—: How We Sold Business on Sustainability—was published in June 2024 by Fast Company Press. He has received many awards, most recently the 2021 .
Who should attend?
This is an open event to 扣扣传媒 staff, students, businesses and sustainability enthusiasts alike.
How to register
Register for an in-person ticket on campus:
Register for an online space via Zoom:
Sustainability Network Speaker Series
The Sustainability Network Speaker Series is the platform for our network of Cranfield students, faculty, staff, and alumni, our partners in industry and sustainability enthusiasts to hear from thought leaders across all sectors. The series is a chance to delve into a sustainability-related hot topic and explore the challenges and opportunities in embedding sustainability in various areas of industry. We typically host panels and lectures with a mix of thought leaders, sustainability and industry professionals, government, NGOs and academe to seed this discussion. Every session has an opportunity for you to ask questions and get involved in the discussion, as well as a chance to connect with other like-minded people.
