The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts from sustainability leaders across a wide spectrum of organizations - businesses, NGOs, investment firms, R&D laboratories and community organizations -- and engage them in conversation in order to discover: 1. The characteristics that make for great sustainability leadership, 2. The cutting-edge opportunities for sustainable ventures and sustainable development in the U.S. and abroad, and 3. The risks and rewards of being a sustainability leader. Some of these talks will be more philosophical while others will be technical.

An essential element of the course will be an exploration of what the term "sustainability" means in different contexts, and how it can be made operational. The featured speakers will be interspersed with readings and lectures/discussions on the larger issues of sustainability, sustainable business, and sustainable development.

It is recommended that students also attend the workshop in Sustainable Investing as a complement to this course.