Searching for sustainability leadership

Limited progress towards the sustainability of either business or society despite decades of voluntary initiative is one reason why more managers and academics are calling for better leadership for sustainability. This is mirrored by the increase in degree programmes offering sustainability leadership. This Occasional Paper draws upon Critical Leadership Theory to argue that the existing paradigms in leadership and leadership education are counter to sustainability and should not be incorporated into sustainability efforts unchallenged. Instead, a new approach to leadership and its development is required, which begins to be introduced in this paper.