Case Study: Furthr

“Whether you’re quite knowledgeable already or coming from a low base, the content is very accessible”  

Martin Murray
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Furthr 
Diploma in Business Sustainability Graduate

Why did Furthr pursue learning about business sustainability?

Our studies with the Institute of Sustainability Studies had two aspects to it. Firstly, Furthr is a business itself, and we need to be operating in a sustainable fashion. However, probably more importantly, we need to be able to provide advice to our clients – start-up and scale-up founders – on every aspect of their business, and sustainability is an increasingly important aspect of that. 

What does sustainability mean to Furthr? 

Furthr’s mission is to deliver game-changing impacts for our clients – the founders of really innovative start-up and scale-up enterprises. This usually involves getting them investor-ready. If you don’t have a sustainable business in 2024, you are never ever going to be investor-ready, and that is why it is so important to us. 

Why did you choose the Institute of Sustainability Studies for your sustainability education?

We looked at a number of possible sources of learning and several different ways to do this. The reason we chose the Institute of Sustainability Studies is because it is online learning, and that makes it very accessible. The course was great value for the type of content that is included in the Diploma. It also provides accreditation, and that was really important for my colleagues and me at Furthr. 

How many of your team pursued the course?

Out of our team of 40, eight have taken the Diploma course so far, and we envisage a number of others taking it. The people in our company who took the Diploma course include the Senior Management at Furthr and our mentors who work directly with our clients. They found it really useful so they can engage valuably with our clients about these topics. 

Do you feel our courses provided valuable insights?

What I found useful about the Diploma in Business Sustainability course was that it provides a very high-level grounding of the theory and fundamentals of sustainability. However, it also offers some very practical steps that you can take to make your business more sustainable. Whether you’re quite knowledgeable already about sustainability or you’re coming from a low base, the content is really accessible yet also challenging. 

Has your team’s response to sustainability initiatives improved?

As a result of taking the Diploma programme, we can integrate sustainability messages into all of our products and services, training, conferences, and so on, so it has been really helpful for us. 

Has Furthr made progress in sustainability strategy and implementation?

A key aspect of our work in Furthr is providing mentoring to our clients. Having taken the Diploma course with ISS, we’re able to advise their clients on the sustainability issues associated with their businesses. That’s really important when those founders come to talk to potential investors or recruits who wish to work in a business that is having the right kind of impact on the planet. 

Can you share any measurable outcomes or improvements Furthr has achieved due to the course?

Following the training, we now know that we are much more informed about sustainability, and we can provide much more information and advice to our clients on sustainability. 

In your opinion, why is it important for professionals to have green skills today?

If you don’t have a high awareness of sustainability issues, it is going to have a really big impact on every aspect of your business. It will have quite a negative impact when it comes to producing products, marketing products, recruiting talent, acquiring customers, and attracting investment in your business. It is simply not possible to do that now without having a sustainability focus on every aspect of what you do. 

Would you recommend the course to others? 

I’d recommend every business to become sustainable. I’d say to every business owner and every member of senior management that your business has to be sustainability aware. 

If, in doing that, you’re looking for a training programme that is online and can be consumed asynchronously in your own time and at your own convenience, I would certainly recommend the Institute of Sustainability Studies Diploma in Business Sustainability course. The content is excellent, accessible yet challenging, and you have the networking benefit of engaging with others on the programme. 

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If you are interested in gaining a comprehensive and practical understanding of key sustainability concepts and learning to implement sustainability best practices to confidently lead sustainability initiatives within your organisation, or advance your career in sustainability, start your learning journey today with the Diploma in Business Sustainability.

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