Thank you class of 2017/2018

Diego Horcajada, June 2018

There are no simple, nor single, answers to the challenges of sustainability. Acknowledging that just because we live, we have impacts in our environment and society, is for me the first step for a personal transition towards more sustainable ways of living. The next steps might require a little bit of curiosity and lots of  self motivation to keep on the journey; it can be sometimes overwhelming realising how complex issues and solutions are, any action we take will have consequences that are some times difficult to grasp.

Last year I realised I wanted more than just navigating my own sustainability journey, I wanted to help society and business to steer and accelerate “our” journey. So I decided to reorient my career towards business sustainability. I went back to school to learn and get my Diploma of Advance Studies (DAS) on Sustainable Business at the University of St.Gallen. I wanted to discover the tools needed to unlock the business and social leverages that will help us address the challenges of sustainable development and business sustainability.

Last week I finished the program studies. Today I am proud to be part of the DAS family and the even grater family of change makers willing to steer our transformation journey towards a truly sustainable society.

This year would not have been possible without the support of my wife, Amanda, who encouraged me to make the change and Jump Based on my Values, she even convinced me to make this blog. She has demonstrated all along a tremendous patience and a supportive attitude. I am deeply grateful for this, I am very lucky man.

During this year have learn much more than just the technicalities of the topics taught in the school. I have learn a lot about my self, there has been moments of profound reflexions that have helped me to work on my weaknesses and personal barriers towards change, and as well to become aware of some hidden skills and strengths. For these I want to thank two of the school faculty members, Natalie Wilkins and Nadene Canning, who guide me and my classmates during the Leading Change modules, proposing very inspiring readings and challenging exercises.

I enjoyed very much the topics taught by all professors, and the space they created to have very rich exchanges among the classmates. I particularly appreciated how Katrin Muff and Thomas Dyllick, program directors, pushed us out of our confort zones all along the consulting projects, it helped us to grow and practice skills you cannot learn in class.

And finally, I want to thank all my classmates, now laureates in Sustainable Business. Thank you all for your kind attitude to create a safe space in which to provide and receive feedback, to practice collaborative tools and techniques, and to engage in incredibly interesting conversations.

Eglantine, Rolland, Ryan, Carmen, Tanya, Emmanouil, Patricia, Gabriela, Gaby, Claire, Lucie, Marcos, Matthew and Maria, thank you very much for being who you are; amazing people with a very high purpose, I am really proud to be part of this incredible group.