Joan and Jayani's impressions from Sustainability Day - Leading Change

The guest presenters this year were Göran Carstedt (internationally recognised expert in leadership and organisation learning and change), Johan Magnusson (professor of information systems) and Per Hillertz (IT Site Lead and M&A IT Director at AstraZeneca Gothenburg). 

We asked Joan Reverter Vives and Jayani Ruwanmali, two students who are studying the Master's Programme in Management about their impressions from the day.  

What did you find most interesting during the day? 

Jayani Ruwanmali: I attended the session with very minimal prior knowledge of the core topics scheduled for the day. It was fascinating to listen to all the speeches of the guest speakers, especially since they all spoke their own perspectives in very different angles, but ended up in the same point, “sustainability”, a word which rings out loud many a time these days, calling for attention and action. These three voices made me realize how much some of us miss or don’t even care about the fact that there should be a future left for everyone, whether living or yet to be born. I truly felt the weight of their words, which many of us believe are merely words, perhaps seen as good only for research rather than something that we truly need to work on. 

I would love to share some of the most interesting parts of each of the guest speakers that inspired me and also prompted to question some of the things that I never considered before. 

Göran’s ideas on the urgency of sustainability, touched my heart and felt really heavy. His statement that no matter how urgent it is, it takes so much time, revealed that it truly is a significant dilemma, just like having to find solutions to “hurry a plant to grow". The efforts he mentioned, taken by countries around the world and led by strong leadership, especially by the highest emitters among developed nations, provided some relief, yet not quite fully, as something felt missing: our individual efforts, or even the mere thoughts on these kind of issues. Most of us are focused on our own agendas, and people rarely come together at one table to discuss these matters or find solutions, which is the sad and the shameful truth.

Johan’s perspectives on the utilization of digital transformation for a green transition (“Twin Transition”) was another aspect that caught my interest. The fact that he mentioned the "climate opportunity cost" as a reason for the slow pace of the green transition was astonishing, since most of us guessed that the main reason was the higher investment costs. And “Decoupling” being one of the main challenges for the Twin transitions made sense. His elaborations on how much people are trying to stick to core operations, discouraging any new initiatives, and his emphasis on the need to change the poor governance systems really left some deep reflections. 

Per on the other hand, provided very much of the practical aspects of sustainability in terms of health care which he had gained in AstraZeneca. His insights into how they engaged in developing antibodies during the COVID-19 pandemic, were fascinating to listen to, especially since I was a victim of it at the time. It was impressive to hear, how they strive to fully contribute to the SDG ‘Good Health and Well-being’ through initiatives like the digital health business via ‘Evinova’ and the use of AI. However, this raised a question about the reliability of data provided by AI, which I believe will remain unanswered for an eternity.

Joan Reverter Vives:  This day was a surprisingly interesting day. As a starting point, I would say that the most interesting thing has been the three different invited speakers. In that sense, I find it very interesting that the three of them have different backgrounds, and come and talk about different, and yet intrinsically related, things. They discussed different facts, actions, and visions, from different perspectives, and from different disciplines. Nevertheless, it all made sense regarding the sustainability thread. In addition, concerning the content discussed, I would say that another interesting thing about the day was that the talks were actually applicable and inspirational. That means, I left the room 3 hours later with a new, broader understanding of what sustainability represents in the business environment, and how organizations can address it to keep making profits while tackling issues. Regarding this, I believe it is quite an achievement, to actually cause an impact on the listener, and therefore, I think that this was indeed a very interesting fact about the day. Lastly, I would say that it was also very interesting the format in which the seminar was carried out. I believe the moderator did a great job allowing the speakers space and contributing with his own thoughts, and I definitely believe it was great to have the chance to interact with the speakers with questions, thoughts, or even suggestions. Overall, I believe it has been an interesting and productive day. 

What are your thoughts about the School arranging these days focusing on sustainability?

Jayani Ruwanmali: I believe, that the major issue behind why we rarely think about most of the things that were discussed in the session today, was the lack of awareness on such. As an international student, I very much encountered that today. Hence, I trust that communication is the first step in making things right or picking up where things have been left off. Sessions like these greatly contribute to that aspect. And also, this is a place, where the future leaders are nurtured , who will lead in great places all over the world in very near future and are capable of making great changes. Simply put, “just as a sapling flourishes into a mighty oak when nurtured with rich soil and ample sunlight”, the School's arrangements create the perfect environment for budding leaders to grow and transform into remarkable individuals. So this could be the start.

Joan Reverter Vives: I think that arranging these Sustainability Days is a very positive thing for the School to do. I believe it is valuable for students to get in touch with the real world to see that what they study actually happens in some way out there. So, I do think that it is very positive, not only so that students get to listen to some very qualified people who can convey interesting ideas, but also because it gives us a different learning than the one obtained through regular education. For instance, of course, sustainability has to be implemented into all the programs, so that students grasp it and understand the concepts and their relevance. Nevertheless, adding on top of the normal education, these Sustainability Days, also give the students new perspectives and practical implications, which allows them for personal growth and enriches their understanding of the topic. Consequently, I believe that by promoting these days, the School is contributing to a different source of knowledge, which is very beneficial for students' progress. Personally, I can say that it has helped me in gaining a better overview of this topic and its implications. Also, discussing it with some of my colleagues, I could see how they also improved their understanding of it since it makes us listen, focus, and reflect on it, gathering the perfect combination for growth. Therefore, I can state that I firmly think this is a highly beneficial initiative and that its promotion and development should be ensured for all the programs and all the years.