Leading Change for a Sustainable Chemical Industry - Distance Learning Courses

The Natural Step and Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden are calling all professionals in the chemical industry (and related industries). We invite you to join industry leaders in the second intake for this exciting and innovative 10-month course for industry professionals.

The next course will run from 1st December 2010 until September 2011, with workshops scheduled in Europe. It is being run in collaboration with the International Centre for Sustainability Excellence, The Netherlands and Dow Chemical.

Chemicals are the building blocks of life and are used in products all throughout society. The challenges for sustainable chemical use span across industries and multiple value chains, and to make meaningful progress, collaboration is essential. We are pleased to be offering this course as a means to build competence of industry leaders, facilitate value chain dialogue and deliver business results to participating companies.

• Target audience: leaders within organisations both within the chemical sector and entire value chains reliant upon it. 
  
• Participants: business executives,  functional leaders, product and technology specialists, environment and sustainability managers, procurement, marketing and commercial managers, etc.
• Delivery mode: elearning, readings, videos, webinars (x10), workshops (x3) and project work, over 10 months.
• Project work: addressing current business challenge
• Professional coaching: support from experienced sustainability advisors

"The LCSCI course provided absolute clarity on the subject of sustainability. It facilitated the opportunity for people, from many diverse backgrounds, to come together and focus on real achievable goals that are common to all. The collaboration between The Natural Step and the BTH was superb and the resulting course thoroughly enjoyable. The lessons learnt from this course will prove invaluable for both mine and my company's future."

-- Paul Nelms, Business Excellence Systems Manager, Telford Extrusions, UK.

• Tested course model with internationally recognised course partners and content
• University accredited (Advanced Certificate 7.5 ECTS credits)
• Access to cutting edge sustainability insight relevant to the industry
• Build shared understanding together with customers and suppliers
• Make sense of sustainability and know how to address it strategically to generate opportunity
• Flexible delivery allowing for full-time work schedule
• Customized for business leaders (maximum of 30 participants)
• Networking with industry leaders with ability to shape the industry sustainability agenda
• Tailored support from experienced advisors
• Cost-effective professional development delivering practical outcomes

• General Enquiries: contact Richard Blume (+46 768 4321 96) at The Natural Step International 
• Download Brochure (.pdf)
• Visit the course website: www.bth.se/lcsci
• Background on past courses
• Testimonials (on course website)

• Sponsorship opportunities are available for organisations wishing to support the course and its outcomes.
• Register or express interest in the course (contact us) .
  
• Admission Requirements - Applicants must hold, or be in the process of attaining, a leadership position within the chemical industry and must hold a bachelor’s degree. Following initial enquiries, applicants must submit a onepage statement of interest explaining why they wish to attend the course.

• Blog post (May 2009): Chemical Industry Challenged to Step Up
• Case study on corporate engagement: Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• Press Release: The Natural Step and Dow Chemical Announce Strategic Alignment
• Project Profile (March 2010): Givaudan senses the challenge and opportunity in getting it right in Stepping Stones newsletter
• Opinion piece (March 2010): Dow Measures Up in Stepping Stones newsletter.
• Case study: Hydro Polymers and challenges for PVC
• Project Profile (2009): Aquafil's eco pledge
• Tool: Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA)