Nova SBE Sustainability Journey: "Sustainability is a matter of survival"

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"Beware of miracle solutions," advised Fernando Teixeira, CEO of Fapil, an SME dedicated to producing cleaning and storage materials made from used fishing nets, which would end up in the ocean or soils, warning that some materials like plastic, which has gained a bad reputation over the years, can actually be a sustainable option. "We are giving these materials a second life. We are working for our children and our grandchildren."

In the same perspective of environmental sustainability, Beatriz Guimarães, Sustainability Leader at Nestlé recalled: "we all have a role to play. If we change something small, it can have a big impact". The food company admitted that 72% of its environmental impact is related to ingredients and that it has modified its offer to embrace more sustainable choices, such as the creation of net zero farms or brands like Gourmet Garden, which offers vegan alternatives.

But, since sustainability goes far beyond the environment, there were also presented other cases that demonstrate how innovation can leverage emotional and physical well-being, such as the projects launched by Nevaro or Stop Colon Cancer organisations.

"For us sustainability is a question of survival," began André Soares Campos, Head of Strategy & Acceleration at Sogrape, who, of the many sustainable development projects the company is working on, focused on an initiative to support the re-skilling of workers by creating a programme with IEFP, since, with the advance of technology, "in the next ten years, a large part of the population will not have the necessary skills to do their jobs."

"How will people in the future relate to work?"

This was the theme of the masterclass given by Nova SBE Professor Milton de Sousa, who focused on the sustainability of companies and work models - challenges that are especially relevant for Human Resources departments.

"Technology is providing opportunities for us to make choices. Power is transitioning to people," explained the Leadership expert, stressing that the constant state of emergency has made the idea of purpose increasingly relevant to workers, as well as the flexibility to maintain work-life balance.

"Workplaces need to be rethought" if companies are to be able to retain and attract talent and the hybrid model may even be the solution to tackling the crisis that "great resignation" is bringing to the corporate world.

"We need to move from a linear model to a circular model"