Alumni Club Talk on Sustainability

Posted by The Lisbon MBA on 19 Dec, 2019 9:28 am

The Lisbon MBA Alumni Club organized an outstanding session held on December 12th, about one of the most relevant topics in today’s business world and social agenda – Sustainability.

 

Filipe Santos, Dean of Católica-Lisbon, opened the session and highlighted the fact that companies with strong sustainable policies excel in driving value to its shareholders.

 

This idea was reinforced by Nuno Moreira da Cruz, Executive Director Center for Responsible Business & Leadership of Católica-Lisbon, sharing with us the importance of leading with purpose in value creation and gave several examples of companies already taking the lead on sustainability, like the inspirational story of the company DSM through the eyes of its CEO, Feike Sijbesma.

 

There is a need for a mind shift as companies have to focus on creating value and take the responsibility of making the world a better place: “with purpose, profit will follow”.

 

The event followed with a round-table with Miguel Ribeirinho, Head of International Business Development in Delta, Júlio Gomes, Responsible for Sumol+Compal in Asia and Americas, António Porto Monteiro, Navigator Sustainability Director, and moderated by Luís Veiga Martins, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nova SBE. The moment gave room to a presentation and discussion about the different sustainability initiatives these companies have been taking and the way they are thriving to a better world. These include the promotion of biodiversity, the substitution of plastic by paper, carbon neutrality and circular economy.

 

Delta, market leader since 1994, spoke about the company´s investments in Africa and its impact in local communities. A start-up among young entrepreneurs is a project involving mushrooms as a coffee sub product. Above all, people and their competencies are at the top of the business.

 

Navigator, the leading operator in the renewable energy sector, as Portugal’s main producer of green energy from biomass, decided to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, being the first Portuguese company – and one of the first worldwide – to take on the commitment of achieving carbon neutrality 15 years early. Other challenges are the use of no plastic and a more responsible production and consumption.

 

Sumol+Compal, the biggest company of non-alcoholic beverages in Portugal, has a 2025 agenda that involves recycling the plastic and its resale to the industry (the pros and cons). The transmission of values of the company to all the collaborators is made through the “Escola de “Sumos+”.

Water is a scarce element for all of these industries as for many others, so its efficient management is a top priority, and the common challenge is to reduce its consumption.

 

There was a high level of participation from our Alumni and Students, confirming the high-interest level of this topic in business management.

 

The event was closed by The Lisbon MBA Alumni Club President, Cristina Campos, President of NOVARTIS Portugal.