27 January 2026

From Manager to Sustainability Ambassador

Sustainability leadership doesn’t start with regulation, it starts with people. In this interview, Alan McKinnon, Tim-Oliver Frische and Martin Bethke explore how the certificate program "To Win the Pitch – Sustainability as a strategic competitive advantage" in cooperation with ZERO Education/DVV Media empowers managers to become sustainability ambassadors and drive meaningful change inside their organizations.

Hands pointing at printed data charts during a work session.

Prof. Alan C. McKinnon — Alan C. McKinnon

The interview features Alan C. McKinnon, Professor Emeritus of Logistics at Kühne Logistics University, Dr. Martin Bethke, Affiliate Faculty in Executive Education at KLU and a strategy and management consultant and Tim-Oliver Frische, ZERO editor-in-chief. They bring long-standing experience in logistics, supply chain management, and the practical implementation of sustainability strategies.

What mindset is needed to make sustainability an economic success factor?

Martin Bethke: Many logistics and supply chain managers currently view sustainability primarily as a problem or, more precisely, as regulatory pressure. Sustainability becomes a success factor when it is understood not as an “additional cost” but as a lever for productivity, risk, and cost management. The mindset for success must therefore be: CO₂ = cost & bottleneck, transparency = controllability, regulation = catalyst for better decisions. Those who treat emissions, energy, and processes like a Profit and Loss will find quick wins, build resilience, and promote future profitability.

Alan C. McKinnon: Sustainability must be recognized not as a short-term add-on, but as essential to long-term business survival and success. Many initiatives already make commercial sense by reducing costs or generating revenue. Others are economically justified by the need to prepare for climate change, build resilience across supply chains, and manage growing social impacts shaped by technology and AI.

Tim-Oliver Frische: Sustainability becomes a business success factor when companies not only manage it internally but visibly integrate it into their overall corporate strategy. Customers increasingly expect verifiable information, transparent data and credible action. Companies that communicate sustainability openly and anchor it consistently across processes, products and partnerships strengthen their customer relationships and create a clear strategic advantage.

KLU and ZERO Educate from DVV Media are pooling their knowledge and offering continuing education in sustainability. Who should participate in this program?

Martin Bethke: The program is designed for decision-makers and implementers: Whether transport, warehousing, network planning, procurement, sales/key accounts, or finance-it is relevant for all areas.

Alan C. McKinnon: This program should be particularly relevant to managers assuming or about to be assigned responsibilities for the development and implementation of sustainability strategies within their businesses.

Tim-Oliver Frische: Leaders from mid-sized companies benefit especially from this program because they often have to manage sustainability without dedicated specialist teams. They receive practical tools and clear guidance that help them handle new requirements directly within their day-to-day operations.

And what will participants do differently after just a few days of intensive training for decision-makers?

Martin Bethke: Afterward, there will be less discussion about “obligations” and more decision-making: Where are the biggest emissions and cost levers? What data is missing? What measures will we start in 90 days? And how do we measure progress – in an audit-proof and customer-friendly way.

Alan C. McKinnon: Even after a few days, they should be able to act as sustainability ‘ambassadors’ within their companies, relaying information about trends and approaches to their colleagues and conveying a sense of how important it is for them to take sustainability challenges seriously.

Tim-Oliver Frische: Participants gain confidence in understanding what information customers expect and how to present progress in a transparent and credible way. As a result, they can represent sustainability much more confidently within their organizations and toward clients after only a few days, which strengthens collaboration across the company.

What are some typical pitfalls or mistakes in practice that are discussed?

Martin Bethke: A typical misconception: selecting transport or suppliers based solely on freight prices. Those who ignore CO₂, service quality, risk (disruptions, energy prices), contract requirements, and future CO₂ costs optimize locally-and pay twice later. The training course shows how to calculate total cost + carbon and make robust decisions.

Alan C. McKinnon: The application of sustainability principles has been constrained by several management practices. Many organizations remain overly focused on the short-term costs of sustainability initiatives, while underestimating their long-term benefits. Sustainability strategies are often driven reactively by regulation rather than shaped proactively around opportunities for competitive advantage. In addition, sustainability criteria still tend to carry insufficient weight in procurement decisions.

Tim-Oliver Frische: In many companies, poor decisions occur because economic, regulatory and environmental factors are viewed separately and different departments do not approach sustainability as a shared responsibility. Established routines often remain unchallenged because potential changes may encounter internal resistance. The seminar demonstrates how these patterns can lead to avoidable missteps and how integrated decision-making leads to more robust outcomes.

Why should leaders invest in sustainability training right now?

Martin Bethke: Because it enables them to present the business case for sustainability to management: requirements are increasing, customers are asking for reliable data, and CO₂ costs are being included in tenders and margins. Those who build up expertise now can make decisions faster, avoid costly failed projects, and win contracts. Continuing education is therefore not a nice-to-have, but an investment in productivity and competitiveness for 2026 and beyond – both personally and for the company.

Alan C. McKinnon: Because it should yield a healthy rate of return. While many managers now have a basic knowledge of sustainability and some experience in implementing sustainability-related measures, this is a fast-moving field. Sustainability is also a very fertile area for academic research and consultancy studies. Training programs such as this summarize and synthesize this growing body of knowledge and show how businesses can apply it in practice. Training programs also bring together managers with different perspectives and experiences of sustainability in action, facilitating the exchange of good ideas and practices. Participation in such programs therefore, represents a good investment both for the individual manager and the business.

Tim-Oliver Frische: A sustainability training is especially valuable right now because leaders deepen their knowledge while connecting with peers who face similar strategic and operational challenges. This exchange provides orientation and fresh perspectives, which can be particularly beneficial for mid-sized companies competing with larger players. The program supports them in making more targeted decisions and embedding sustainability more effectively within their organizations.