For the sixth consecutive year, the oikos community is gathering in St Gallen, Switzerland for the FutureLab 2016 to pursue the implementation of our mission: integrating more sustainability in economics and management education. Whilst many understand and talk about the struggle of our educational systems to integrate sustainability and teach for its internalisation, we at times cease to couple the talk with the walk. A gap can be observed both in the struggle to teach for sustainable change agents and for inciting people to walk their talk in implementing projects that can bring about transformation. Do you believe in this need too? Are you involved in executing such a project? Then, get ready: From November 6th to 9th at the FutureLab 2016, we are going to #WalkTheTalk by empowering and inspiring each other to advance our actions and close educational gaps.

In order to achieve this aim, the FutureLab 2016 is a journey that starts the minute you apply to take part in it and continues for the months succeeding the gathering. The journey varies according to participants’ passions and their current involvement in an activity in line with the FutureLab’s aim. Each journey is an experience to share, reflect, cultivate and re-think one’s current endeavours or ambitions in the field of education.Journeys will start by being part of a Learning Circle and engaging in regular cross-chapter actions with multiple stakeholders prior to the FutureLab. The conference will then act as a platform to share, be enriched and achieve lasting impact with commitment.

As we ensure that we walk all throughout, the environment of the FutureLab is one where:

• The main gaps in management and economics education are unravelled in order to comprehend where we can tackle them most effectively;
• Listening to examples where individuals have had positive impact by standing up and walking the talk, will allow to be inspired;
• Students, faculty and partners connect, share and collaborate on projects that address the gap and that they are committed to executing;
• Stakeholders from around the world can interact with the present participants and let their thoughts be heard allowing to increase the diversity and interdisciplinarity in our conversations and development of solutions;
• oikos Learning Circles are core to the development of projects in different disciplines so that participants can pursue closing the gap in the discipline they are most passionate about.

Following the path we walk on, all stakeholders invested in projects that are addressing the exposed gap, are invited to participate. Whether we are referring to students who wish to comprehend other stakeholders’ views on local projects, or faculty members who struggle to overcome barriers within their institutions to adopt projects, participants will inspire each other to move further, stay committed and pursue the difference they can make. Similarly, oikos alumni, advisors, partners and other practitioners will join to contribute to enabling actions via their distinct approaches.

The FutureLab 2016 is a central gathering of the #WalkTheTalk journey that is based on the understanding that to close the educational gap we require collective and committed action. Since everyone has a role to play in closing educational gaps, diverse and striving individuals will collaborate and advance their actions. With #WalkTheTalk we will create ripples that inform, involve and make a difference.

Keep an eye on oikos-international.org/futurelab for more information to come soon.

On 26th of April, 2016 oikos Jena welcomed Sebastian Philipps from Accenture (Berlin) to share sustainability-driven strategy consulting experience with oikos members. Participants had a unique chance to get a deep insight in Accenture and gain better understanding of Accenture’s approach to sustainability. They also got to know now to apply typical strategy consulting methods and learnt how to systematically identify the value of sustainability.

Participants received lots of information on strategy consulting and examples. They tried strategy consulting themselves via analyzing a situation and develop a business model of oikos Jena. They learnt how to use issue trees and brought ideas for development of an oikos Jena Strategy.

The 4 hrs workshop appeared very interesting, interactive and lively for all participants, who closely and informally interacted with Sebastian while having pizza together.

Written by oikos Jena 

During this year’s Green Week from the 15^th till the 17^th of March, students had the opportunity to learn more about sustainable living and working; and engaged in discussions and workshops with experts in the field. More than 400 students from different universities in Copenhagen and Lund signed up for the seven lectures by high-profile speakers from different companies and startups and various industries such us mobility, architecture, renewables, FMCG, banking, fashion and lots more. Some also had the chance to participate in creative workshops hosted by Accenture Strategy, Drive Now and Donkey Republic.

The Green Week kick-off was presented by Peter Jonasson, Director of Copenhagen Business School (CBS), as well as Anders Thilqvist from Unilever and politician Ida Auken from Radikale Venstre, who all shared their thoughts and innovative concepts on the circular economy.

One of the highlights was the Sustainable Fashion Show on Tuesday evening. Established
designers like Vagabond as well as designstudents from Denmark and Sweden showed their pieces in our CBS hallway, which was transformed into an actual catwalk. Even the models’ makeup was organic and sponsored by Zenz. Another novelty was the cooperation between oikos Academy’s lecture series on Radical Innovation for Sustainability and Green Week. On Wednesday night, a joint fully booked lecture took place with speakers from Voluntas and Nordea, who illustrated sustainability within the financial sector. All three workshops offered during Green Week were a striking success. Erdem Ovacik, CEO and co-founder of Donkey Republic held a social entrepreneurship workshop for 16 students to develop concepts how to expand the footprint of Donkey bikes through appropriate channels and marketing strategies. In addition, Accenture Sustainability Services Team from Sweden and Denmark selected 17 participants to practice issue-based case solving with focus on circular economy. At the Sustainable Business Fair on Wednesday afternoon 16 different organizations and companies showed their sustainability efforts and engaged with students. The fair took place in the main hall of CBS where Drive Now showcased its electric BMWi, Nixon Bui exhibited a sample of their fashion collection and other participants networked with the students and refreshed them with organic drinks.

During Green Week we treated our guests with wholly organic products and provided them with gift cards sponsored by our generous partners. The outcome and satisfaction of the participants was great according to our survey and the comments we received throughout the event.

Thank you to everyone who contributed and transformed the Green Week 2016 into such a big success! We look forward to Green Week 2017!

Written by oikos Copenhagen 

As we close our 28th year of existence, the oikos community is glad to publish another Annual Report to share results that our passion produces. With sustainability becoming ever more crucial in our societies, oikos continues to expand its reach. We are now present in over 45 cities organizing more than 200 international and local projects a year. Enjoy reading about our achievements and join us as we continue supporting responsible change-agents, spreading knowledge on sustainability in economics and management; and making a difference!

Discover more here.