oikos and PRME have signed a Memorandum to intensify their relationship and advance their missions through a strategic partnership.

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is the UN Global Compact’s initiative to transform management education, research and thought leadership globally by providing the Principles for Responsible Management Education framework, developing learning communities and promoting awareness about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Since its official launch in 2007 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the PRME initiative has grown to more than 650 leading business schools and management-related academic institutions from over 85 countries across the world.

oikos is an international student-driven organization for sustainability in economics and management. Founded in 1987 at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, oikos comprises today more than 45 chapters at universities worldwide and around 1,000 active members with one joint mission: to integrate
sustainability into education and research in management and economics.

As a first result of this collaboration, the oikos Research Hub will be renamed in oikos PRME Research Hub and promoted by both organizations. The oikos PRME Research Hub is an online platform to share high-quality sustainability research in management and economics among bachelor, master and PhD students worldwide. The goal is simple: to encourage more and more students to undertake sustainability-related research! You can access the oikos PRME Research Hub here.

The 13th oikos Winter School “You call it Eco. We call it Common Sense. Sustainability in the Fashion Industry” will take place from 5th- 11th March 2017 in Witten, Germany and addresses the issue of sustainability in the apparel industry.

The topic of sustainability in the fashion industry has been brought into the public eye by scandals such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in 2013 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, or alarming studies on the effect of chemicals used in production of raw materials. Low wages, unfair employment conditions and violations of freedom are often associated with parts of the global apparel industry. Furthermore, following the oil industry, the textile industry is the second largest contributor to current environmental pollution. It is evident, that there is a long list of problems that can be observed along the textile value chain. They range from poor working conditions and child labour in production countries to health effects caused by contaminated products, to the salinization of soil, as well as, the massive threat to bio-diversity by genetically modified cotton plants.

Each day a top-class key note speaker (e.g. Larry Brown, vice president of Esprit) will offer you brief insights into one dimension of the topic. In the afternoons, you can improve your insights and broaden your mind with workshops on different topics related to the key note speech of the day. It will be all about exchange of ideas, mutual inspiration and critical reflection. You are asked to bring your knowledge, questions, ideas and inspiration to create an amazing, vivid atmosphere together. While university courses often end with providing knowledge and examining different topics, we will go further and want you to make a difference. We will offer you two different expert-led practical session for applying all what you have theoretically learned. Additionally, we provide a pleasant framework: “Warm up” sessions in the morning, freshly prepared organic food, a convenient social program and leave you enough space to just hang out together, enjoy the international community of your fellow participants, switch your brains and dance!

The early bird participants fee for the first 10 applicants is 129 Euro instead of 159 Euro, including the conference program, full board and accommodation in student shared flats.

Sounds good? Apply now: www.oikos-winterschool.org or Contact us: info@oikos-winterschool.org

Organizing an international conference with little experience and great expectations will always be a challenge. But since 2014, a team of young and enthusiastic oikos members has proven that it’s possible to create an event that delivers impact, connects people and changes mindsets. Hear from our oikos FutureLab 2016 how they experienced the past 9 months and what they take away.

“We chose the topic #Walkthetalk, very carefully with long discussions and basic reasoning. It summarizes all the buzz words that we have been hearing for few years now. All the more it represents action, which is the need of this hour. On the last day at the conference, when I heard the participants discuss- “It was a conference that left an impact for them to do something after they leave from here. They would not just want to talk but will now focus on walking their talk” I was left with a satisfaction and conviction, that we would get to see the ripple effect of our efforts in the near future. Smiles that shall last longer and impact that shall change lives.

I have organised various conferences before and while I took up this assignment, my intention was to work with the members from different cultures & background. To learn how to manage the same things in different ways. I must say, it was totally worth it. We had our difference of opinions, but all for a greater good. I was introduced to my evolved self and for sure, saw myself grow. I would recommend this assignment for the ones who are looking for opportunities to make impact on more lives in one shot itself. Ones who are willing to move out of their comfort zone and try out multi-tasking. Go ahead and take up this opportunity, you shall thank yourself for making this choice.”

  – Bhakti Khot, Alumna oikos Pune

“Education matters, for sure!

From the age of 6, I’ve been a part of this huge education system in Germany. Today I’m 24 years old and I’ll receive my Masters degree in less than a year’s time. Which implies, for almost 19 years, I have listened to many teachers, speakers and lecturers. I’ve read hundreds of books and presented dozens of topics in front of more or less interested fellow students. Further, I’ve learned how to work in groups and to be inclusive, but also to be first in line for lunch in the school-cafeteria.

I’ve always thought, “what’s next?” And I realized, It’s time for action. It’s time to change something. It’s time to #WalkTheTalk.

This is why this year’s topic for FutureLab has been very close to my heart, and to my whole organizing team as well. Our intention being same, was to spread a call throughout the oikos community; to bring into light, the inspiring stories. A call, not only, to talk about the values that drives us, but also, to share the walks which have had their impacts to make the world a better place. And I’m sure this eager call changed a lot. To see it yourself, have a look at our amazing conference video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nSFOBSm2o8

It was my honor organizing the FutureLab and being part of the great international team. Not only the topic but also the people involved in making this conference a memorable one, helped me to grow in very many ways. We had our ups and downs. We had our fights. But we also had consensus for the greater good. We had amazing moments of celebration and sharing, not just while preparing for the conference but also during the conference. It is great experience to have made, a memorable contribution to our oikos community. A heartfelt thanks to everyone, who was part of it. Now I see, more people than ever are ready to #WalkTheTalk.”

  – Christopher Burgahn, who was new to oikos before joining the team

“Writing this part out feels like an Déjà vu of some kind. I had always anticipated what it would feel like, after having completed this milestone work of organizing the FutureLab 2016. And that feeling, I still cannot put a finger on it and elucidate what it felt like. It is one of those megananomous feeling that will never fit into words. It started as something that bubbled within after attending the FutureLab 2015, leaving me inspired to create more and achieve more in the field of Education and truly making it matter. Seeing the call for the organizing team for the FutureLab 2016 felt like a stepping stone. That’s how this amazing team came into existence. After what seemed like endless discussions on our ideas of perspectives and putting everything we had onto the table, we zeroed down on the topic of Walk-The-Talk something that tugged all our hearts. We all realized that there were times, even we forgot to walk on the path we chose and spoke about. It seemed only fair to reach out to oikees all around with the motive for creating a ripple effect that helped us to always keep a check on ourselves and inspires us to walk on the path we chose. From the speakers we decided upon to the Learning Circle managers to the participants, we always asked, “How do you walk the talk?” We wanted to know what these amazing people did in their daily lives making them the epitome of ideal walkers.

As a team, we were overjoyed when participants took over the Open Space and talked about projects that helped us take this ripple far and wide.  A big thank you to everyone who made this possible including you reading this.

It was always the FutureLab of the participants, designed for them, that would inspire them to lead the most powerful lives they are capable of.”

  – Nimisha Ghorpade, Alumna oikos Pune and oikos New Delhi

“Organizing the FutureLab 2016 was one of the best experience in my life so far. Working together in an international team towards a certain goal was incredible and I have learned so much in the process. Not only how you Walk The Talk together, but also how wonderful it is to work in a team, where you can trust and rely on each other.

For the participants and speakers I hope they got new ideas how to make the world more sustainable, had a good time and take some actions after the conference.

I am looking forward to hear more about their journey during the next Spring Meeting or FutureLab.

Cheers,”

  – Christoph Rappitsch, Alumnus oikos Vienna and oikos Associate on Digital Economy

Serving as the Human Resource Officer, and later President of oikos Johannesburg, remains one of the most challenging tasks I have faced. Our projects were ambitious; we were working with little support infrastructure on our university campus; and we were learning by doing.

Prioritizing Sustainability among Pressing Development Challenges in South Africa

Sustainability was a new and fairly unexplored concept in the region. Our job was not only to contextualise sustainable development and make it relevant, but also to motivate for its priority among the pressing development challenges South Africa and the region faces. Our youth, passion and drive charted the path to the successful implementation of our projects. Our proudest moments include carrying out a simulation of the WTO Doha development round; supporting a perma-culture garden in inner-city Johannesburg; and developing a seminar series tackling a broad range of social, economic and environmental challenges on the continent, with recommendations from students in partnership with industry leaders in the field. This was made better when we received the attention of South Africa’s Presidency for our work. It is unfortunate that the oikos Johannesburg chapter is no longer active, however, the legacy remains in the network of young professionals who have passed through the organisation.

Helping in Diversifying South Africa’s Electricity Mix

The oikos Presidency taught me about myself as a leader, and thus, prepared me for my career path. Following my time at oikos, I worked as an intern on UNCTAD’s 2010 World Investment Report, “Investing in a Low-Carbon Economy”. The report looked at country-specific incentives to encourage renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. My contribution was a high-level analysis of programmes in South Africa, which at the time, had introduced a renewable energy feed-in tariff, that later evolved into the successful large-scale renewable energy procurement programme that runs today. I would later review the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Procurement programme (REIPPP) as a free-lance consultant, and its success in creating an industry that has diversified the country’s electricity mix.

In South Africa and Developing Regions, Sustainability Must Serve a Dual Purpose

The programme has opened up the country’s electricity generation for private independent power producers, who have been able to supply less costly electricity to which they sell to the electricity utility, Eskom. In addition to lowering emissions in the energy sector, the programme attempts to tackle the country’s high unemployment and inequality by requiring IPPs to employ residents living in the areas surrounding the power project; to use local manufacturing inputs; and to invest in community-driven development projects. The programme is indicative of South Africa’s approach to sustainable development: sustainability must serve the dual purpose environmental mainstreaming and socio-economic development, which in this case, is improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electricity generation. South Africa is not alone in its commitment to environmental mainstreaming: as a consultant to the OECD, we showcased policy frameworks and programmes in Mauritius, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Zambia in seminal workshop entitled “Green Growth in Africa”.

Improve Measuring Environmental Costs to Promote Low-Carbon Alternatives

I currently serve as an Analyst at the National Treasury of South Africa, appraising feasibility studies for mega infrastructure projects, primarily in transport and energy sectors. My role is to weigh the costs and benefits of a project requesting National Treasury funding, and thus, assess the value for money the project offers to the country’s welfare. My experience is teaching me that there is much room for improvement in quantifying the environmental costs of mega projects, which can subsequently support investments in low-carbon technology alternatives.

Katlego Moilwa, Co-Founder and former President, oikos Johannesburg