RICS collaborates with Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership to advance sustainable built and natural environment

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) announces a new project with The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) which will align CISL’s sustainability leadership expertise with RICS’ mission to achieve a built and natural environment that is sustainable, resilient and inclusive for all. The work will focus on building the capacity for change among RICS’ 150,000 members through online learning, supporting the annual 20-hour CPD requirement for Chartered Surveyors. This will be delivered through CISL’s 8-week Sustainable Real Estate course.

Anil Sawhney, Head of Sustainability, RICS, said: “RICS’ collaboration with CISL strengthens our commitment to leading on sustainability across the built and natural environment. By focusing on the interconnected pillars of decarbonisation, resilience, biodiversity, and circularity, we aim to equip professionals with the insight and capabilities needed to address complex social, environmental, and economic challenges.

“As expectations grow for our sector to respond to the climate and nature crises while advancing inclusive outcomes, it is crucial that our members are prepared to drive meaningful change and uphold the relevance and integrity of the profession.”

“The built environment shapes every aspect of our lives, from where we live and work to how we connect, move, and thrive, making it a critical foundation for human wellbeing, economic resilience and market stability.

Through this project with RICS, we aim to build the capacity of the sector to deliver a landscape that is fit for the future, to support the often-conflicting needs of people, nature and climate," said Alice Spencer, Executive Director for Education, CISL

This collaboration builds upon CISL’s recently launched initiative, Transforming Systems, Sectors and Places, and is closely aligned with insights from its report Competing in the Age of Disruption | Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) , which outlines the commercial and societal value of integrating sustainability at the heart of business strategy.