Inspire and Enable: How to Transform Business Towards Sustainability
The shift toward a climate-neutral Europe depends greatly on the skills and competences of individuals and businesses to initiate and drive the needed transformations. With its European Skills Agenda, the European Union (EU) has detailed a five-year plan to help individuals and businesses build skills in order to strengthen the sustainable competitiveness of the EU, ensure social fairness, and strengthen resilience. At an international event held in November 2023 in Graz, Austria our CATALYST project unveiled an extensive curriculum of 70 online courses that support individuals and companies to reskill and upskill in view of an ever-changing work environment.
The Vision of a Thriving Future
Professor Dr. Wayne Visser delivered a captivating keynote speech entitled “The Future of Business: Regenerating Nature, Society, and the Economy.” Renowned as a global “pracademic,” poet, and “possibilist,” Professor Dr. Wayne Visser is esteemed for his insights into the profound impact of business on both nature and society, with faculty roles at the University of Cambridge and Antwerp Management School. During his keynote address, he expounded upon the imperative need for businesses to play a pivotal role in fostering regeneration across the realms of nature, society, and the economy. His discourse was not merely an academic exploration but a passionate call to action, echoing the essence of thriving in every aspect of our interconnected world.
Catalyst Program: Igniting Sustainable Transformation – Empowering Change, Inspiring Action
The project coordinator Prof. Dr. Angelina Taneva-Vehoska presented the CATALYST program, which comprises 70 courses across three levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) to meet the diverse needs of the target groups. The courses adopt a multi-level approach covering systemic, organisational, and personal and interpersonal levels.
Topics of the modules include:
- Sustainable development and Resilient transition on a systemic level
- Business transformation, Sustainable business management, Circular Economy and Intellectual capital management on an organisational level
- Enhancing transformation readiness within the organisation as well as on an individual level
The courses are complemented by supporting resources and services developed and offered by the partners, including guidelines, templates, and consulting services among others. In order to ensure that users are guided seamlessly and efficiently through the educational offering, personalised learning pathways and compiled in-depth learning programs are in the works for the interactive CATALYST learning platform.
Network Buffeting: Where Connections Flourish
Following the insightful presentations, an open discussion, skillfully moderated by Prof. Mag. Dr. Doris Kiendl, Head of the International Management and Entrepreneurship Institute at FH Joanneum, took center stage. The engaging discourse saw active participation from the live audience, online attendees, and the esteemed speakers, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and perspectives.
As the event drew to a close, participants had the opportunity to further connect during a networking buffet, explore more about the CATALYST course offers and other possibilities, such as the CATALYST Network and the CATALYST Magazine.
