Sustainability Manager and Strategist for Cultural Institutions

Sustainability has become one of the most decisive transformations facing museums, theatres, festivals, foundations, heritage sites and cultural organisations worldwide. ESG criteria are no longer simply a matter of good intentions: they are increasingly required by public bodies, funders, sponsors and stakeholders seeking transparency, accountability and the ability to generate long-term value. This intensive one-month programme trains the professionals who will help guide the cultural ecosystem towards a stronger and more resilient future, built on measurable environmental, economic, social and governance impacts.

The programme is structured in two parts. The first consists of three weeks of live online sessions, with recordings available for all participants. The second is an intensive one-week residency in Santa Sofia, a small town in the Apennines between Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany and a gateway to the Foreste Casentinesi National Park. Participants who complete the entire programme are awarded the Professional Certificate in Sustainability Management and Strategy for Cultural Institutions, while those who attend only the online phase may obtain the First Level Certificate in Sustainability Management for Cultural Institutions.

At the heart of the programme is the development of a Sustainability Portfolio, a professional document built around a real case study: the participant’s own organisation, for those already working within a cultural institution, or an institution assigned by the programme in the case of independent professionals. The portfolio includes organisational analysis, stakeholder mapping, ESG frameworks, impact measurement tools, sustainability strategy, KPI systems, communication plans, and sustainable fundraising and sponsorship strategies.

The residency week is dedicated to applying acquired competences within a real and complex cultural ecosystem, including a contemporary art gallery, a theatre, heritage assets, festivals and territorial projects. The week culminates in the International Forum on the Sustainability of Culture, offering participants the opportunity to engage with professionals, public administrators, researchers and cultural practitioners from a variety of international contexts. While the online phase provides technical tools and professional competences, the residency develops practical skills, strategic vision, leadership and professional networks.

The residential week in Santa Sofia is open to a limited number of attendees.

The programme is coordinated by Martin Neureiter, founder of CSR Company International and one of Europe’s leading experts in sustainability, corporate responsibility and ESG strategy. Alongside him, the programme brings together some of the most important international figures working at the intersection of sustainability and culture, including Jean Savitsky (Director of Sustainability, MoMA, New York), Marta Lovato (Head of Sustainability, Santarcangelo Festival), Allegra Rusconi (Sustainability Advisor, Terraforma Festival), Kim Kraczon (founder of the Climate Gallery Coalition), Laura Pando (Julie’s Bicycle), Angela Costantino (TBA21, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Madrid–Vienna), and Fabio Cavallucci, former Director of the Centro Pecci in Prato and the CCA Ujazdowski in Warsaw, and founder and director of Institution. The programme also features experts in impact investing and sustainable fundraising, including Laura Callanan, Founding Partner of Upstart Co-Lab.

Depending on the level of certification achieved, participants will be able to design and implement sustainability plans, develop KPI systems and ESG reports, coordinate stakeholder engagement processes, build sustainable fundraising and sponsorship plans, or even conduct audits and support organisations in developing increasingly sophisticated and integrated sustainability strategies.

The program is held in English.

Consult the detailed programme here.

Live online information sessions will take place on 26 and 30 June, and 7 and 15 July 2026, at 5:00 PM CEST.

The full programme costs €1,850 (Early Bird rate until 15 July 2026: €1,450). Preferential accommodation rates are available for participants attending the residency week in Santa Sofia.

Purchase the full programme here.

Participation in the online phase only costs €850 (Early Bird rate until 15 July 2026: €650). Preferential accommodation rates are available for participants attending the residency week in Santa Sofia (see here).

Purchase the online programme here.

Experienced professionals may access the residency module directly through a competency assessment process (€150 assessment fee + €1,200 residency fee; Early Bird rate until 15 July 2026: €150 assessment fee + €850 residency fee). Admission to the residency is granted only upon successful completion of the assessment.

Apply for the admission assessment here.

Live online information sessions will take place on 26 and 30 June, and 7 and 15 July 2026, at 5:00 PM CEST. Join the meeting here.

For further information, please contact: sustainability_manager@institution.it