Rodney Irwin

Hon. Prof. Dr. Rodney Irwin is a globally recognized academic and practitioner in sustainability leadership, corporate governance, and non-financial reporting. As a Professor affiliated with Leuphana University’s Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM), he holds leadership roles at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), where he directs education and sustainability initiatives. His career spans 25 years in finance, risk management, and auditing across multinational organizations like TNT NV and the UN World Food Programme.

Education:

• DBA (Doctor of Business Administration), International School of Management (Paris, 2009)
• MSt Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge (2012)
• BSc (Econ) in Economics with Accounting, Queen’s University Belfast (1990)

Research & Teaching Focus: Prof. Irwin specializes in integrating sustainability into corporate strategy, risk management frameworks, and non-financial reporting standards. His courses at CSM emphasize sustainability leadership, SDG implementation, and tools like the Natural/Social Capital Protocols. He has developed executive programs at institutions including Cambridge and Nynrode Business University.

Key Contributions: He pioneered risk management systems at the UN WFP, authored foundational WBCSD publications on sustainability reporting, and secured $2M in grants for sustainability initiatives. His work bridges academic research, corporate practice, and global policy through frameworks like the SDG Compass and Integrated Reporting.

Awards & Recognition: Winner of the TNT Masters Award for Excellence (2007), NIVRA Best CR Reporting (2007), and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ireland). Holds certifications in risk management, compliance, and fraud examination.