How did you end up working on edible insects in the West? This is a question that I am asked quite often, as I started withEssento the pioneer in the production of edible insects in Europe. It is a pretty long story, and I do it for the positive impact I seek to create during the few years I get to spend on this planet, rather than for anything else. These values are closely connected to the experiences and people I encountered over the last 10 years. And a good number of those encounters are due to oikos.
I have a background in economics and completed my bachelor and master’s degrees in St. Gallen (with some exchanges to Lausanne and Bogotá). Already during the first semester at the university, I came across oikos and immediately felt that the shared values and the kind of people that were part of oikos, were exactly the type of people, that inspired me and I felt comfortable spending my time with.
Soon, I was asked to take on responsibility. My colleague and I led one of the flagship programs at oikos St. Gallen – the oikos CNC – oikos Carbon Neutral Campus. We assesed the CO2 emission of our campus and then worked to identify different ways for reducing/mitigating those emissions. One of the goals was to make people aware of what CO2 actually is and what harm it actually brings. After handing the project over to the succeeding generation, I was asked to join the oikos International Executive Board to use the gained knowledge in leadership and project management in order to guide others towards successful implementation of projects and allow them to inspire fellow students.
I can truly say that my oikos years had a strong impact on my views on the world. These years showed me how one can grasp opportunities and that a doer-mentality is a great asset in life. Most importantly, I had the possibility to affirm and strengthen the values I have as a human being and as a business person. These values are still guiding me to this day. I am still in touch with a good handful of people that I am very grateful to call my friends, that I have met somewhere through my oikos journey.
I am convinced that it is upon us to take responsibilities and act towards a greater good both in personal and business life. oikos is definitely a place to get inspired, find role models and like-minded people, we all need to tackle the challenges that are awaiting us.
