Heavy reliance on wise "guru leaders" or "hero CEOs" is hampering management of the environmental crisis by shifting and delegating responsibility. This is a key result from the new CEMS report "Leading for the Future of Our Planet". The report is based on a CEMS survey of 4,206 professionals in 75 countries. The environment is therefore the greatest concern of modern entrepreneurs worldwide. It has thus overtaken technological progress.

In addition to the results of the survey, the new CEMS report contains a number of specific tips and demands for managers with regard to ecological and social sustainability. For example, rather than hiding behind “hero CEOs,” leaders should create a corporate culture of “collective” accountability and empower all employees to make decisions with an intergenerational perspective to ensure real change.

WiSo alumni Mirko Warschun, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Board Advisor and Lead – Consumer and Retail Business at Kearney is a supporter of this demand:

„We need forward-thinking leaders who can think outside their functional areas and who are willing to act now. If we´re speaking about environmental challenges – ESG or sustainability – we really need to think end-toend, so need business leaders who clearly understand how their business will be impacted and act. Today there is no status quo, you´re either moving forward or you´re falling behind. This can´t be seen as a problem for the next CEO. It´s not something you can just set up as an ambition or target for five, 10 or 20 years ahead – it´s your problem, today, and leaders have a duty to act.“

• CEMS-Report „Leading for the Future of our Planet“.

The CEMS network is a Global Alliance of 33 leading business schools across five continents and more than 70 multinational corporations and NGOs that jointly offer the CEMS Master in International Management (CEMS MIM). Only one among the most reputed schools of a country can become a member of the alliance. The University of Cologne represents Germany.