The Sustainability Week is one of the highlights of EADA’s Master Programmes. During this week participants of all International Masters have the opportunity to study a topic outside their usual curriculum and share classroom experiences with participants from other masters.
This year, from February 28th to March 4th, a team of multicultural visiting professors from the academic and the corporate world delivered a total of 8 courses that tackle sustainability from different perspectives. Each participant had to choose one of the eight courses to participate in during the whole week.
1. Narrative and Numbers: critical keys to the challenging transformation from linear to circular business models. – delivered by MSc PDEng Ed Weenk, experienced lecturer, corporate advisor and workshop and training facilitator.
An online practical workshop – oriented into the narrative and numbers of circular business models now that more and more companies are incorporating “circular” into their strategic plans.
2. Regenerative Platform Business Models – course taught by Lucía Hernández, an expert on platform-ecosystem business models, regenerative design and new emerging trends.
Face-to-face course where participants went through the new generation of business models, Regenerative Platform. Business models that takes into account people and communities, profit and planet, all in one.
3. Technology and Innovation for Circular Economy, Sustainable Competitiveness, and SDG’s – Dr. Saman Sarbazvatan was the professor in charge of this course. He works on the convergence of Technology, Circular Economy, Sustainable Competitiveness, and Business Model Innovation as a senior executive, advisor, researcher, and professor.
This face-to-face course was designed to engage ideas and innovative approaches and discussions around the applications of digital enablers in design, development, and implementation of purpose-driven economic and business model innovation.
4. Activist Shareholders and ESG Agendas: the controversial dilemma for leading consumer companies – delivered by Ivan Cuesta, entrepreneur, faculty and corporate leader in the research & development and distribution in the area of Life Sciences.
The online course allowed students to explore the interaction of activist shareholders and target companies which are running ESG agendas, and to understand how supposed antagonist interests are living together.
I think with the way the world is moving, we’re certainly reaching the boundaries that our planet can support human life form, and I think it’s really important for us, as humans, as future business professionals, to really integrate sustainability and really make it a center point of all business in general.”
- Jonathan Abel, International Master in Hospitality & Tourism Management Participant
5. Transforming business paradigms from net-zero emissions to nature-positive strategies – Eduardo Escobedo, from Mexico, came to EADA to deliver this course. He is a professor in environmental management strategies, and sustainable operations and supply chain management. A social entrepreneur, international multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral initiative that supports companies in achieving natural positive impacts.
The intensive course provided a sound basis to understand the business implications stemming from this new worldview. Participants explored state-of-the-art thinking, methodologies and tools that can support businesses, and navigate complex problem-solving to enable holistic and adaptive decision-making on operations, finances, strategy, and communications that can result in effective environmental sustainability strategies of the future.
6. Corporate Sustainability and Competitive Advantages – Professor Paolo Taticchi, international professor with vast experience in sustainability and competitive advantages, strategy, consulting and future cities, in business schools such as Imperial College of London and UCL School of Management.
The online module addressed the topic of sustainability from a strategic perspective, with a particular emphasis on decision-making and trade-offs. Topics covered include: the drivers of the sustainability debate; the business case for sustainability; sustainability and competitive advantage; sustainable strategies; sustainable business models; sustainable value creation; sustainable operations and supply chains.
7. Financing Climate Change – From Germany, Dr. Christian Schmaltz adjunct professor at EADA and a consultant to financial entities advising them on risk management, carbon accounting, sustainability and regulation, is the professor that taught this course.
The course’s objective was to show how financial actors play that pivotal role in the transition towards a low carbon economy and which compromises, products and mechanisms are required for it.
8. Managing Humanitarian Emergencies – Xavier Bartolí Pascual holds a bachelor degree in nursing and a vast experience in humanitarian aid. He and Nuria Salse Ubach, a nurse with more than 20 years of experience in humanitarian aid, were the ones in charge of developing this course.
Participants were introduced to to the main components required to respond to humanitarian emergencies (epidemics-pandemics, nutritional crisis, natural disasters and complex emergencies). How major humanitarian organizations achieve positive results reducing mortality, morbidity and suffering of the population in precarious situations.