Connect. Learn. Accelerate.

ISTEP is a trusted network of professionals and resources designed to help you connect with peers, learn from experts, and move forward with confidence.

Organisations across the UK and globally are under growing pressure to show real sustainability progress toward net zero, packaging circularity, ESG impact, supply chain reporting. Many teams feel overstretched or isolated, without the practical tools or peer support to turn strategy into action.

That’s why ISTEP the Industry Sustainability Transition & Engagement Partnership was created.

ISTEP is a free, collaborative network where industry professionals, universities, and emerging talent come together to learn, share practical resources, and accelerate sustainability progress across sectors.

How ISTEP works.

Choose what fits your schedule - drop into a webinar, join a meet-up, or search the resource library. Our blended model ensures consistent engagement, accessible learning, and a strong sense of community working together towards a common goal.

Online Track

Interactive sessions led by practitioners, academics, and industry experts. These webinars focus on timely sustainability topics and provide practical insights, tools, and examples members can apply immediately.
Informal monthly gatherings that create space for open conversation, peer learning, and problem-solving.
Members share challenges, compare approaches, and connect with others facing similar issues.
Dedicated time with partner experts for hands-on guidance. Members can ask practical questions, get feedback on their work, and explore solutions in a supportive, confidential setting.

In-Person Track

Hosted by member organisations, these sessions combine topical learning, peer exchange, and networking. They help shape the agenda for upcoming ISTEP activities and strengthen relationships across sectors.
Hands-on sessions designed to explore real sustainability problems, share practices, and co-develop ideas. Workshops are collaborative, practical, and highly interactive.
A multi-track event featuring speakers, panels, applied learning sessions, and opportunities for students and employers to connect. Host sites may also offer optional site visits for an inside look at sustainability in action.

Join ISTEP now

Why ISTEP matters.

Across industries, sustainability professionals face similar challenges — limited resources, shifting expectations, and increasing responsibility. At the same time, universities and students are looking for stronger links to real-world practice and clearer pathway into sustainability careers.

ISTEP fills this gap by creating a shared space where practitioners can connect with peers facing similar challenges, access practical tools and templates, learn from experts and real-world examples, and benefit from stronger collaboration between industry and academia. It also supports students and early-career professionals by opening pathways into sustainability practice and connecting them with employers.

Whether you’re moving a strategy forward, navigating reporting requirements, or exploring sustainability as a student, ISTEP offers a supportive community designed to help you succeed.

Our Mission is Simple

Help people move forward from sustainability ambition to confident action - without leaving anyone behind.
Accelerate Real-World Implementation

Help organizations move from commitment to measurable action by making practical guidance, tools, and shared knowledge easily accessible.
Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration

Create spaces where companies, universities, and practitioners can learn from each other, share insights, and work on common sustainability challenges.
Build the Sustainability Talent Pipeline

Provide students and early-career professionals with exposure, learning opportunities, and connections that help them enter and thrive in sustainability roles.
Support Small & Mediums Organizations

Ensure that all businesses have equal access to expert knowledge, networks, and practical tools — so no one is left behind in the transition.
Create a Platform for Continuous Learning.

Establish a consistent rhythm of webinars, meet-ups, in-person events, and shared resources that support ongoing development and capability-building.
Enhance Understanding of Evolving Standards and Requirements

Help members stay ahead of emerging sustainability regulations, trends, reporting expectations, and best-practice guidance.

We create value through collaboration.

ISTEP was built on a simple principle: people learn faster, act with more confidence, and create greater impact when they connect with others facing similar challenges.

Our Partners.

ISTEP works because it combines real-world practice with academic insight and creates pathways for emerging talent.

Partners such as the University of Bath contribute academic rigor, national visibility, trusted networks, and integration with teaching, student engagement, and professional studies.
Gain access to practical tools, peer networks, shared resources, and expert guidance that support real-world implementation and professional development.
Students benefit from exposure to real-world challenges, hands-on events, best practices, and clear pathways into sustainability careers.
Fosterra is the creator and sponsor for ISTEP - they offer decades of applied sustainability experience, expert facilitation, and a commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition.