IEST 5009, led by Dr Robert Gale, other IES faculty and guest speakers, explores the professional competencies that environmental and sustainability managers must have to understand the fundamental drivers of sustainability and to develop strategies to engage with and respond to these drivers. These competencies include contextual scanning (environmental scanning) of external drivers and influences on the organisation's economic, social and environmental situation. External drivers to be considered include the stock market and shareholder activism, lender's liability, insurance risks, and technological change.