Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) Africa

Join us for the online launch of the 2024 Competitive Sustainability Index 🌍 📊 The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) will soon launch the second edition of the Competitive Sustainability Index, following the success of its debut in December 2022. The Index provides crucial insights into the EU's competitive performance as we transition to a clean, just, and sustainable economy. 🗓 Save the Date: Tuesday, 10 December, 13:00 – 14:30 CET 👉 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eCASzeKZ #competitivesustainability #justtransition #sustainableeconomy

Prince Osisiadan, CEO of SUCCA Africa Ltd, shares his experience of studying the Master's in Sustainability Leadership, what impact he hopes to achieve after the Master's has finished, and how the programme has changed his perspective on sustainability in business. Prince set up his company SUCCA Africa Ltd after successful completion of the Postgraduate Certificate in #SustainableBusiness before coming back to study the Master's in Sustainability Leadership. #CISL #CISLSustainableBusiness #SustainabilityLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TransformativeLeadership #SustainableBusiness #PostgraduateStudies #ScholarshipOpportunities #Bursaries

🌍 Climate risk & Directors’ Duties in South Africa 🌍 📢 The Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative (CCLI), in partnership with the Climate Governance Initiative published the fourth edition of the 'Navigator on Directors' Duties: Climate Risk and Sustainability Disclosures' — a tool designed to help lawyers and directors around the world navigate their climate-related duties, in rapidly evolving regulatory landscapes. 🌱 This week we are focussing on #SouthAfrica, where there have been two notable developments this year (1) the signing of the Climate Change Act into law by President Ramaphosa in July 2024 and (2) a legal opinion commissioned by Centre for Environmental Rights and Institute of Directors South Africa on #DirectorsDuties and #Liability for climate risk. As #climatechange increasingly impacts financial and operational conditions, regulators in South Africa are shifting focus on the need for companies and their directors to adopt climate resilience measures in business practices and disclosure. 📖 Key Findings on Directors’ Duties in South Africa 📖 🌡️ Companies Act (2008):  Under South African law, directors’ responsibilities in relation to climate risks are shaped by fiduciary duties. Under the Companies Act 2008, directors must act in the best interest of the company with appropriate care, skill, and diligence. This duty requires directors to assess and address any foreseeable, material risks—including those posed by climate change—that may affect the company’s long-term stability . 📘King IV Report (2016): According to the King IV Report, boards are advised that, in preparing their integrated report, they must address “matters that could significantly affect the organisation’s ability to create value”. The King IV Report explicitly links value creation to natural capital, amongst others. 📑Climate Change Act (2024): The Climate Change Act (CCA), signed into law in July 2024, is designed to define, manage, monitor, and implement South Africa’s response to climate change. It takes precedence over other climate-related laws, requiring all Government policies and measures to align with its goals. The CCA will come into effect upon presidential proclamation. 💼 Disclosure Guidance: The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Prudential Authority are pushing disclosures aligned with Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). The JSE Guidance currently makes reference to carbon reporting, sets out principles for useful disclosure and provides guidance on what climate-related information a company should disclose. Boards may wish to prepare for such disclosures becoming mandatory. ➡️ To find out more, download the Navigator South Africa section (link in the comments) Many thanks to Zahra Omar (Centre for Environmental Rights Chapter Zero Southern Africa) for authoring this section and to Leanne Govindsamy for her support. #CorporateGovernance #ClimateRisk #LiabilityRisk

We often hear statistics about #Africa: the youngest continent, rich in natural resources, vast potential for leapfrogging. But nothing compares to standing on African soil, immersed in conversations with young climate innovators who are innovating with limited resources and various constraints. In fact, constrains becomes inspiration for innovation here in Africa. Just look at the African born and bred winners and finalists from this year's Earthshot: - Keep IT Cool | Deliver while still fresh - Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) As one of the finalist told me "We are busy with making things happen here." And they are. I was SO deeply touch by their #energy, #positivity, and sense of #hope. Grateful to have had the opportunity to meet some of these amazing people and learn about their work. Massive shoutout to my lovely and brilliant colleagues in South Africa Richard Calland Sibusiso Nkomo Anton Cartwright Paul Smit for making this trip so memorable and sharing your invaluable expertise and insights!! #EarthshotPrize #Africa #Innovation #Sustainability

The Earthshot Prize in Cape Town. Just the 'pick-me-up' needed at the end of this particular day. The innovators, creators, designers and stubborn dreamers celebrated at this event are crucial to all our efforts, and participating in this global network is a source of hope for African countries.

Keep IT Cool | Deliver while still fresh wins the 2024 Earthshot Prize to Build a Waste-Free World! Their smart solar-powered refrigeration services dramatically reduce food waste and improve distribution for smallholder farmers and fishers across Africa. #EarthshotCapeTown

🎙️ The sense of optimism I first witnessed on that trip to Namibia planted a seed that brought us here today. So I'm delighted to see The Earthshot Prize return to the continent where it all started.....Each of those [400 solutions conceived in Africa] should be seen as a reminder that #Africa is a hub of creativity and innovation that will solve our planet's toughest environmental challenges. - His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales 🌍✨ It’s been an amazing journey at the @Earthshot Prize 2024 – the first to be held in Africa! 💡Over five days, fifteen brilliant solutions working to make our world a better place for us and future generations were spotlighted. Each finalist is a testament to what can be achieved when creativity and commitment unite for our shared future. 🎉 Congratulations to all fifteen nominees and a huge congratulations to the 2024 winners, Advanced Thermovoltaic Systems, High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, Keep IT Cool | Deliver while still fresh, and Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO)! 🔎 Discover their impactful projects here: https://lnkd.in/eFfGPMJg 🌱💼 At CISL Africa, we are committed to supporting innovation through initiatives like the Africa Climate Finance Leadership Programme, which equips leaders with the skills to tackle critical climate challenges and unlock private sector investment for climate-smart solutions. Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) supports innovation through its innovation arm, Canopy (CISL) . Find out more about what they do here https://lnkd.in/ewN2g3MG ⚙️ The energy and commitment to climate action was palpable throughout the week, and we’ve left feeling positive and more determined to keep working toward a sustainable future for Africa! 🌍💪 Motivated? Let's work together to drive the positive change we desire to see! Curious about what we do? Find out more here https://lnkd.in/eSJmErxz #EarthshotCapeTown #ClimateInnovation #CISL #Sustainability

The Sustainable Innovation Forum, hosted by Climate Action, provides multiple networking opportunities, making it the ideal opportunity to connect with climate leaders, pioneers and practitioners at #COP29. 🎟️ Register today: https://lnkd.in/eqxzV-F8 #COP29Azerbaijan

Team member Jie Zhou joined our wonderful CISL Africa team in Cape Town for the announcement of this year’s The Earthshot Prize winner 🌍✨ (Prof Richard Calland and Sibusiso Nkomo) Jie managed to attend a panel session, where the audience heard from the Prince of Wales, about how this prize supports innovators in bringing viable solutions to scale: 1️⃣ by giving solutions a platform of recognition via the prize 2️⃣ and also provides the Launch Pad, a product designed to allow funders match with innovators. HRH talks about the importance of ✨ collaboration ✨ in the innovation ecosystem, which is why we are so exited to have recently joined the newly launched Global Network of Climate Accelerators as a founding member! 🌐Which aims to create essential pathways for scaling transformative climate ventures across five continents. Check our previous post about this to learn more about this incredible venture brought together by: Rich Woods Alyssa Gilbert, The Earthshot Prize, and Undaunted: Tackling climate change with innovation It was very inspiring to hear the vision behind The Earthshot Prize, congratulations in advance to all fifteen nominees for this year’s prize! 💬 Share your thoughts below on how we can all work together to improve the global ecosystem for innovators and all work together to accelerate solutions to global challenges. #EarthshotCapeTown #ClimateAccelerators #ClimateInnovation #Sustainability #CISL #Canopy

🇦🇸 Our CEO, Lindsay Hooper, responds to the results of the #USElection: "For many people, there will be a sense today that the world has shifted on its axis. The US election results represent a huge potential break with the past as old assumptions about the direction of American policy and the validity of its commitments are thrown into question. In particular, the election of a leader committed to expanding fossil fuels and pulling back from international climate agreements is a serious setback for climate action. It is telling—and troubling—that climate and nature still don’t rank as priorities for enough US voters, despite mounting human and economic costs. The challenges ahead are real, but there remains reason - and necessity – for both resolve and optimism. The USA is a major global actor, but even the USA can’t face down the laws of nature. Nor can it ignore the huge market shifts that are taking place and the growing momentum around clean energy and clean technology competition. The Inflation Reduction Act has shown that clean energy creates real jobs and value – and has proactively done so in Republican states. Those gains won’t be easily abandoned. What’s more, across business, government, and civil society, there is a growing willingness to be honest about what hasn’t worked and get behind more targeted, effective strategies to that engage with real-world imperatives of economic competitiveness, jobs and national security. We are at a pivotal moment, and it’s clear that neither ‘business as usual’ or ‘sustainability as usual’ will cut it. Fundamentally we need to shift whole economies and markets, but to get traction on this we need to move beyond pointing out flaws in current systems and also focus on building innovation-driven solutions that create new economic value and deliver national resilience." We welcome engagement and collaboration with others as part of a movement for change. Read our #COP29 Asks and how we plan to engage at COP: https://lnkd.in/gRxhwKPS We need leadership that works to advocate for structural market changes - ones that value and rebuild nature. Visit our campaign hubs: https://lnkd.in/gitJECrM #USElection2024 #ElectionResult #BusinessLeadership