The Centre for Sustainable Innovation’s (CSI) collaborative approach allows us to work alongside industry to deliver tailored programmes and projects that can help businesses scale.
This might be through a management course that helps the assess how their business could be improved, or through a collaborative project supporting the implementation of new technologies.

We worked with HighFive, the technology subsidiary of law firm HF, who wanted to see how artificial intelligence could be brought into the legal and insurance services. Through the CDI project, we offered technical assistance to help them choose the right technology for their business, build a rigorous and ethical solution and take it to market. The project had a huge impact. Managing director David Scott explained that it has helped them win more work by being able to offer tech solutions in addition to legal services.

For others, the impact of working with the CSI comes in the form of new skills, confidence and strategies. Catherine Whelan, Founder and CEO of Wellness and Beauty for All, credits the Help to Grow programme for enhancing her marketing strategy and driving sales. It also enabled her to diversify her business by establishing a new training academy. With the tools provided by Help to Grow, Catherine has filled knowledge gaps, developed leadership skills, and continued to build her business.

The CSI’s support empowers businesses to innovate, grow, and succeed. These two stories showcase how tailored support can unlock significant business growth and diversification.

The Centre for Sustainable Innovation thrives on co-creation and collaborative partnerships that span disciplines, sectors, and communities. Our success is rooted in a holistic approach that values diverse perspectives and fosters mutual understanding of the varying priorities and challenges faced by our stakeholders.

We believe that meaningful innovation emerges from interdisciplinary collaboration—bringing together expertise from academia, industry, and policy to co-design solutions that are both practical and forward-thinking. By deeply engaging with our partners, we gain insight into the real-world complexities of their industries, enabling us to co-develop tailored strategies, tools, and technologies that support sustainable growth and digital transformation.

To facilitate this, we’ve developed a flexible, collaborative model that leverages our unique position at the intersection of research and practice. This model ensures that our support is responsive and impactful, delivering value to both internal and external partners.
Through our affiliate membership programme, we actively promote knowledge exchange and research collaboration. This initiative not only upskills academic staff but also creates a dynamic environment where businesses benefit from interdisciplinary insights—helping them navigate the challenges of innovation.

Our mission is to establish the CSI as a leader for research and knowledge exchange in sustainable business practices and digital transformation, fostering innovation through collaboration and co creation.
We are committed to generating meaningful socio-economic and environmental impact at both regional and national levels, aligning with the strategic goals of the school and the wider University.

Our eight strategic priorities reflect this commitment:

• Collaborative Research & Industry Engagement: We foster partnerships with regional businesses, academics, policymakers, and key stakeholders to co-create research that drives innovation in sustainability and digital transformation.
• Thought Leadership & Innovation: Through cutting-edge research, we ensure that the organisations we work with remain at the forefront of sustainable and digital innovation, shaping future-ready business models.
• Digital Transformation Expertise: We leverage our research capabilities to deliver advanced digital solutions and services, empowering businesses to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
• Sustainability Integration: As a trusted knowledge centre, we provide strategic insights and evidence-based guidance to help organisations embed sustainability into their core operations and long-term planning.
• Change Management Research: We support businesses in navigating organisational change through research-informed frameworks that address the complexities of sustainable and digital transitions.
• Curriculum Innovation: We collaborate with industry to integrate real-world challenges and research projects into business and academic programmes.
• Community & Regional Impact: Our initiatives are designed to deliver tangible socio-economic and environmental benefits, promoting diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing across local and national communities.
• Global Knowledge Exchange: We build international ecosystems of practice, sharing research insights and best practices to extend our impact beyond the UK and contribute to global sustainable development goals.