top of page

The Institute for Sustainable Family Business (ISFB) is a new pioneering initiative by The Sustainability Board.

Our mission is to empower family business-owners, executives, and boards with the tools, knowledge, and networks necessary to lead the charge in sustainable business and governance.

Upcoming Events

3rd of January 2024

Inaugural Cohort

Sustainable Leadership Preparedness Certificate

Jeannette Lichner

January 2024

New Report

World's Most Future Ready Boards 2024

Indoor Greenery

Welcome 

Family business owners and leaders have a unique opportunity to drive impact beyond philanthropy by using their businesses as a vehicle to create a legacy of sustainability and impact.

Family Businesses are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in a new paradigm of doing business.

At the new Institute for Sustainable Family Business our approach is to provide research, insights and programmes designed to integrate sustainable practices seamlessly into the unique dynamics of family businesses.

I invite you to download our new report and request access to our complementary micro credential: Introduction to Sustainable Family Business.

Michael Reed

Director, Institute for Sustainable Family Business

Senior Advisor, The Sustainability Board

Our New Report

Our special report on publicly traded family businesses in 2020 revealed that sustainability oversight was lagging behind in comparison to our default sample of the Top 100 Forbes 2000 which contains mainly non-family businesses. However, directors on family boards were twice as likely to be engaged on sustainability than those in our default sample.

 

Fast forward to 2024 and we find three key themes that have evolved.

3 Key Findings

The world’s largest family businesses’

  • Have raced to align their boards for sustainability oversight

  • Directors were engaged early in sustainability and have now reached an apparent engagement ceiling

  • Individual board leadership in sustainability is significantly more gender equal than in non-family businesses

Recommendations & Risks

For:

  • Family members on the board

  • Controlling family members off the board

  • CEOs or executive directors part of the family

  • Non-executive directors and non-family members on the board

  • CEOs or executive directors not part of the family

Previous Report

Family Business Special Report 2020

This Special Report finds that family-owned businesses, irrespective of their industry, are better equipping themselves for present and future challenges by building their boards with expertise and experience in sustainability.