eXpression Umeå has a previous collaboration with the sustainability organisation Sustainergies. The first activity in the collaboration was a workshop on sustainability with about twenty students from Umeå University's different faculties together with the participants of eXpression's pre-incubator programme eXpress. The workshop has now become a permanent activity for each round of the eXpress programme with the aim of tdevelop individual action plans for work on sustainability.
In 7 locations across the country, from Umeå to Malmö, students will help companies solve complex sustainability cases. The project is called Sustainergies Academy and involves students learning from the experience and expertise available within organisations and companies while solving tough sustainability challenges.
It is important that so many companies, organisations and students are interested in the Sustainergies Academy. We see many signs that the sustainability issue is higher on the agenda now, not least with the latest IPCC report. So it feels good that companies dare to invest in young skills and talent, says Rachel Gustafsson, project manager at Sustainergies.
For this autumn's eXpress participants, this means finding their path to sustainable business together early in their journey.
By including sustainability thinking in business development early on, we hope that sustainability work will be included in companies' business models and not risk becoming a philanthropic side project. Working together with Sustainergies really facilitates this," says Oskar Riby, programme manager for the eXpress pre-incubator programme.
Through the collaboration, it is expected that by the end of the workshop, participants will have created individual action plans for their business ideas with the aim of contributing to the UN SDGs.
We students have new and fresh skills that I really believe can be useful in corporate sustainability work. In addition, it is important that we get to translate our knowledge into practice so that we are well equipped for the time when we go out into the working world, says Alexandra Larsson, non-profit project manager coach and student.
About Sustainergies Academy
The Sustainergies Academy is a case-based sustainability education for students from all fields of study. Each training programme lasts one semester and includes 3-5 visits to exciting employers from different industries in the private, public and non-profit sectors. On site, participants hone their skills in solving case tasks in a workshop format and the tasks are always based on current sustainability issues.
