Sustainability Leadership: An Inspired and Inspiring First Cohort
October 20, 2025
Executive Education HEC Montréal welcomed the first cohort of participants in the Sustainability Leadership program in April 2025. Who are the eight people who signed up to learn how to champion change in an increasingly polarized world? They are engaged and inspiring professionals from a wide range of backgrounds. Discover what prompted them to take the program and how the takeaways are empowering them to drive real change.
The five-day residential program was developed under the guidance of its educational director, Dominique Anglade, Professor of Practice and Executive Director of Executive Education HEC Montréal. The goal of the program is to help participants hone their relational and leadership skills against a backdrop of mounting polarization and equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to become more influential players and accelerate their organization’s socio-ecological transition.
This first cohort brought together leaders with a wealth of experience across several industries, where they work in organizations of all sizes, from small businesses and non-profits to major private- and public-sector corporations. They all shared an ambition to propel sustainability leadership forward in their respective spaces. From aerospace to rail, from financial services to the social economy, along with the environment, retail and specialized manufacturing sectors, they represent an impressive array of professionals committed to a more responsible future. Read on to learn more about their takes on the experience.
“I enrolled in this program to reflect more deeply and deliberately on what leadership is and means in this transformational point in time and to acquire the tools that my team and I can use to navigate a rapidly changing environment. It gave me the opportunity to explore new approaches to engagement and integrate the principles of sustainable development into our management practices. The experience was perfectly aligned with our vision of having a positive impact on the mental, physical and financial health of our clients. People-first, ethical leadership is more essential than ever right now in building strong, committed teams.”
“An incredible experience! I came out of it inspired and reinvigorated to lead the way forward in the sustainability transition. I signed up for this program to enrich what I bring to the table by tapping into the experiences of other leaders and exploring various benchmarks and tools. The program is purposeful and well thought out. It helped me see the big picture, discover actionable approaches and engage in great conversations with a group of passionate leaders. I highly recommend it.”
“I registered for the program the second I saw the words ‘sustainability leadership’ and ‘polarized’ together. That’s exactly the kind of strategic and human-centred thinking I needed as the founder of Fertiles, a young organization that helps clients move forward in their socio-ecological transition. The immersive week-long program held up a mirror to my blind spots, nudged me forward in clarifying our vision and shook up how I see things. As a result, I kicked off an ambitious strategic planning process with my team in July 2025 and started a podcast, Terroir Fertiles, to get transition researchers and practitioners talking and give them a forum where they can have their say.”
“Life sometimes sends a gift your way. I had the privilege of taking part in the sustainability leadership program, and it was an eye-opening week in many regards. We talked about human rights and the power of influence with the incredible Louise Arbour, learned some sobering facts about climate change and discussed ways forward with Jean Lemire, and delved into mental health and conflict resolution with Mariano Lopez. I learned how to work environmental, social and governance factors into our organization’s business strategies and how to be an agent of change and a standard-bearer for a sustainable vision. I loved my experience. It moved me, challenged me and inspired me. I now feel much better equipped to take action and build a more sustainable future for our corporation.”
“I took the program to become a better sustainability leader within my organization. I wanted to improve my strategic communication, change management and team leadership skills, and get a better handle on the barriers and challenges facing other organizations in their own sustainability journey. These five days helped me clarify my organization’s positioning and boost our influence in dealing with decision-makers and partners, with stronger interpersonal, strategic and political skills. I also developed a set of tools to proactively manage risks and opportunities, which included developing a double materiality matrix aligned with our strategic plan. The one-on-one coaching, the complementary team of expert instructors and my fellow participants, who were as inspired as they were inspiring, only added to the experience.”
“I registered for the program to elevate my sustainability leadership skills and gain a better understanding of the sustainable development landscape, which is essential to my new role in my organization. Thank you to the entire team for a highly focused and powerful week — it gave me some handy new tools I can wield and really got me thinking. The program is officially up and running!”
“I was looking for an immersive experience suited to my pace of learning. The format of the one-week residential program struck me as unique and tailored to the subject matter. I wanted to be able to talk to other leaders who were as passionate as I was about evolving their practices and get to know more about their motivations and challenges as well as the areas where they have made progress. The program gave me some tangible tools to enrich my approach and let me tap into a powerful network to explore new ideas. I was proud to be the voice of small businesses and family firms in the cohort, and I’ve come out of it determined to persuade more organizations to tackle these important issues.”
“This outstanding program is completely in sync with social economy enterprises and non-profits that want to amplify their impact and make a more meaningful contribution to society. The immersive week gave me the chance to reflect on the influence of our strategic decisions, explore inspiring practices and leave with hands-on tools I can use within our organization, which helps find fulfilling jobs for people living with limitations, to take our initiatives to the next level. With this program, I’ll be able to deliver on our mission of promoting inclusion and sustainable development. The genuine conversations and passionate group of peers made the experience a thoroughly stimulating one!”
➲ Learn more about Sustainability Leadership: Championing Change in an Increasingly Polarized World, a perspective-changing experience that is bound to have a profound impact on any career path.