Sustainable leadership is all about on the one hand understanding sustainability and on the other being a leader in driving sustainability. In order to achieve this, we start at the beginning by briefly introducing key questions: What is sustainability? What are sustainability practices? Why should you care? What sustainable issues are related to your own area of interest?
Course term: 124.07. - 04.08.
Free seats: 5
Price: 900 €
Category: Personal Development & Communication Skills
Status: Available
Deadline: 30.06.2023
You will be required to write a short reflection piece every day on the topics discussed the previous day. Online information, interactive tools and videos will be used in class and for the making of final assignment .
The sustainable leadership course will develop your skills and awareness every day of the course. The sessions will be half practical and half theoretical. There is no time to get bored!
Course is running: Monday - Friday, 9:00 - 14:00
Simon van Renssen & Marcel S.
CVUniversity of Groningen
Lecturer at Saxion University of Applied Sciences
This course is conducted by two Lecturers, Simon van Renssen and Marcel Slootweg.
Drs. Simon van Renssen graduated at the State University of Groningen in 1987 as a Social Psychologist specialized in Marketing and Marketing Research. His company, Cognicon attracted many regional business customers. Among them were KPN (the Dutch telephone company), CasTel (a cable TV company), US West, various energy companies (Gasunie, Essent) and many smaller firms in the advertising and marketing industry. After 10 years in the marketing research industry he switched his career to education. He is an experienced lecturer in subjects like Consumer Psychology, Marketing Research, Retail Marketing and Sustainable Business. He has been a guest lecturer at several universities in Europe and China.
He is married with 8 kids (most of them are students now). He owns a farm house with 2 dogs, 5 cats, a pony, a rooster, 5 chicken and two Bentheimer Black Pied pigs.
Marcel Slootweg
Marcel Slootweg LinkedIn profile
Drs. Marcel Slootweg graduated at the State University of Leiden in 1993 as a Historian specialized in contemporary foreign politics. After his study, he started working for Rabobank as a trainee Investment Specialist. From then on he worked in the world of investment management and private wealth management for several Dutch private banks, included ING. He also graded as a Certified Financial Analyst in 2004. This is a post-graduate education in Business Economics, specialised in equity and liabilities. He gained most of his working experience at Staalbankiers (greenfield operation) and Van Lanschot Bankiers (managing two desks of investment specialist and later a greenfield operation in Wealth Management).
After 25 years in banking industry he switched his career to education. He is a lecturer at Saxion University of Applied Science in subjects like Finance, Ethics and Sustainability. He is married with 3 kids (most of them are students now). He likes sports, especially field hockey, golf and cricket.
1) "I liked the depth we went through with the reflections. More specifically, I appreciate the fact that you really went through the documents and gave feedback also from your own experience. It made me felt I could relate more and thus I was able or at least I wanted to go even deeper in my own reflections. The different kinds of assignments were a lot of fun and very educational as well. It was a good way to be creative and be active with my brains by doing other things rather than just reading and discussing. I especially liked that you joined us with the assignments as well! The discussions about theories and then trying to implement or seek for our own examples accordingly was very nice. It gave a good practical sense of understanding and how we can then also could implement in future events. Thank you for sharing your own experience!"
2) "Videos were very inspiring and easy to relate to - I liked the personal point of view and that we had to go really deep into our own heads - You very good teacher and I liked your transparency and that your also shared with us. You made it relevant to our own backgrounds. The wide range of different methodologies we used. The reflections. (Even though it was very demanding sometimes because there was a lot to do all the time, not much rest in general. Nevertheless, I very much appreciate this way of learning and reminding myself about what I have actually learned today and how can I implement this in my own background)"
3) "Use of videos Very good explanations Activities in the course."
The journey starts with awareness by investigating what kind of a leader you are and letting you see different facets of your leadership.
We continue by investigating what kind of a leader you are and letting you see different facets of your leadership. We look at different perspectives using well-known leadership theories to set your leadership style in context. Once the foundation is laid we can start practicing what we preach and confront the reality of our own leadership skills.
We believe you can lead to make the planet a better place to live and will help you focus your attention to reversing global warming. We explore this using the concepts of the doughnut economy. We are looking at the global thresholds and to the social foundations that should limit the global economy.
We need leadership to incorporate the doughnut in business. What is corporate sustainability and what is the connection between being a leader and sustainability? We will explore the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the use of metrics to monitor companies. We will bring the theory into practice by applying the acquired knowledge on a local Prague company.
Am I a leader? What kind of leader can I be? What is needed to develop as a leader? What is sustainability? What is the connection between being a leader and sustainability?
Be an effective leader to change the world.
We believe you can lead to make the planet a better place to live and will help you focus your attention to reversing global warming.
Theory is nice, but practicing is better. Not only by visiting the local company, but also making efforts to implement sustainability. What topics can you think about and why can these topics make a difference? What’s the relationship with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals? Are there connections with The project drawdown to be made? By selecting and implementing, you can actually contribute to sustainability.
During the course, you’ll experience that implementing and executing a sustainable strategy is far more complicated than you could ever imagine. Even for a SME it’s a challenging task to become more sustainable. Biased pitfalls and unforeseen outcomes will give you new insights that sustainability is not just around the corner.
Today's world is in a transition phase meaning how we will live tomorrow will be very different to what we or our parents have known. An example of this change is the fast developing concept of using services instead of owning products like the purchasing of a lease contract for your house boiler or washing machine instead of the traditional purchase of these products. The "Uberization" of our society, forces us to think in different ways as resources becomes scarce and digitalization is prominent.
These new business models (for instance leasing instead of purchasing) will shape tomorrow's business and life. You will learn how to create new business models and will apply it in a practical way.
What is a business model? how can I create my own which would serve a circular economy?
Overall you will discover the leader in you and will put it to good use.
We look forward to facilitating this challenging and exciting process through intensive and fruitful exchanges during class.
You will receive an official Certificate of Attendance upon completion of your course. Please inform the organizing staff if you require any extra supplements, such as Transcript of Records. The student is eligible to receive up to 5 ECTS credits, however please follow the instructions here and consult the acknowledgment process with your university in advance.
Course fee includes the course itself, application fee, study materials, afternoon/evening social activities and events, welcome and goodbye drink as part of the graduation party. Other expenses, such as meals, accommodation, insurance, personal expenses, public transportation ticket, extra activities (such as trips outside of town over the weekend and entrance fees), and required equipment (i.e. pencils, paper for illustrations) are not included in the price.
Please note, after the 30th of April 2023 there will be a late enrollment fee charged in the amount of 50EUR on top of the course fee.
Terms and Conditions - Cancellation fees
For accommodation options, please visit the dedicated page
*Program/Course Outline is subject to change.
Feel free to contact our coordinator:
Online Marketing Challenge
Working on a project with students from other countries was a great learning experience in terms of understanding the differences and similarities between the cultures and perspectives that are observed in different parts of the world. I wrote very interesting article about my European Summer School experience here.
Blockchain Fundamentals
The ESS prove to be a unique training school, with very high quality teachers. The organization was superb and the team was well organized. There is a wide variety of courses among which you may surely find the most suitable to you. Highly recommended!
Design Thinking (ON CAMPUS)
Amazing time with people from all around the world. So many cultures, new friendships and experiences make this Summer School a true deal :) Course was challenging and inspiring pushing me forwards and giving me knowledge I need to use on future projects. Organisation and activities were also amazing. Got to meet Prague and experience it fully in those short 2 weeks. All in all, amazing experience and would recommend anyone putting doubts if they should take it or not. Take it!!
