We are writing to express our sincerest gratitude for everyone who supported our trip to Paris (see list below), without your support and/or sponsorship this trip would not have happened.
Our thanks go to:
- The Pentland Centre – Professor Gail Whiteman
- WBCSD Mr Peter Bakker, Mr Peter White, Dr Rodney Irwin, Ms Marie Loriot, Ms Kija Kimmer, Ms Nicole Berthier
- Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) – Professor Angus Laing & Professor John O’Hanlon
- The LUMS Department of Organisation, Work and Technology – Professor Theo Vurdubaksis & Dr Alison Stowell
- LUMS Careers & Employability Team – Mrs Louise Briggs & Mr Rory Daly
- The Centre for the Study of Technology and Organisation – Dr Martin Brigham.
- LUMS Alumni team – Ms Maggie Wild, Miss Charlotte Lund & Ms Libby Packham
- Lancaster University Funds Office – Miss Laura Slater
- Lancaster University Student Union – Mr Will Hedley & Mr Joe Bourne
- Everyone who sponsored us via our crowdfunding initiative.
We had an amazing time and cannot quite believe we attended the largest annual World Business Council for Sustainable Development meetings to date, where there were 800 delegates and over 100 CEO’s registered. The trip to Paris was an incredible learning opportunity for all of us to hear first-hand Industry Leaders views on climate change, plans of action to address such challenges and to be able to speak with some of them in person. We were fortunate enough to hear plenaries from Paul Polman the Chairman of the WBCSD and CEO of Unilever, Peter Bakker WBCSD CEO, the Former Vice President of the United States Al Gore and United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-Moon plus many others. We kept blogs whilst in Paris and Alexia created a video diary of our time away if you would like to find out more information on our trip.
To finish our blog we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and leave you to read the personal messages of thanks from each of us, and what this experience has meant.
As an international undergraduate student, I just felt extremely pleased and delightful that I got this opportunity to attend such an impressive and grand event. Thank you all for offering us this chance and supporting our amazing trip. We learnt, inspired, criticised and amused at every moment during the five day trip. It was an extremely memorable and precious trip for everyone, and undeniably the first step of entering a brand new stage of my life and career. Finally, merry Christmas to everyone and looking forward to see you in the future!
Kind regards, Xiaoyu Chen (BA Management & Organization HRM)
Attending the council meeting of the WBCSD was an unique opportunity for me: Not only was it very inspirational and impressive to be part of a gathering of the most influential and forward-thinking people in business from all over the world, but it also formed my vision about my individual role that I might have in this in the future. For me it is very important how we reflect on what we have heard and witnessed during our time in Paris and turn it into action. However I believe that it could not have been more inspirational and impulsive. I am very grateful for everyone who made this experience happen.
Kind regards, Jan-Oliver Distler (BBA European Management)
Thank you so much to everyone who made this trip possible for us. Being able to hear industry leaders discuss real action and engage in sustainable practices -and the most effective way to implement them- has been an immensely valuable experience. I believe I speak all of our minds when saying that we feel as inspired as ever to make a change in the business world.
Kind regards Celia Iordache (BBA European Management)
Thanks for the great opportunity to be a part of this inspiring event and therefore the unique chance to get insight into all the work that is done and need to be done to safe the future of our planet.
Kind regards, Miriam Luft (BBA European Management)
I want to thank you all very much for giving me the possibility of living this memorable experience that I definitely fully appreciated. Taking part in such an important Business event encouraged me to think even more seriously about my future and my career. One day, I might be there in front of everybody showing my sustainable strategy and trying to change the rules of the game. All the impressive speeches coming from brilliant speakers were absolutely motivating, and at the end of the day inspiration is what really matters. Opportunities are already outside there, we just need business to be strongly encouraged to think more deeply about the Sustainable Development Goals. This Council Meeting was brilliant in trying to do this. Altogether, businesses, governments and communities, can really make a difference. As Ban Ki-moon said, “the choice is ours”.
Kind regards, Alexia Petricu (BBA European Management)
“Drawing boundaries differently will enable change”. This quote came up in connection with the topic of how collaboration will accelerate climate change solutions.
For me it also had second meaning. The opportunity to attend the World Business Council of Sustainable Development meeting was a redefinition of my boundaries, it gave me access to an event that I never envisioned myself being part of. It expanded and added on to my thoughts on environmental issues and it broadened my vision of the role of business as well as my own role in society. And for that I am forever thankful. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have my boundaries drawn differently.
Kind regards Ferdinand Weiler (BBA European Management)
A huge thank you for making this amazing trip to the WBCSD Meeting possible! It was such a unique experience and opportunity for me as a student to see how business approaches sustainability and to gain first hand insights in the work of the WBCSD and its projects. Those diverse impressions definitely raised my awareness for sustainable management and deepened my understanding of its implementation.
Kind regards, Veronika Weisner (BBA European Management)
Thank you for taking a chance on a group of students to be able to attend such a meeting. To be surrounded by business executives was inspiring and reminded me why I am at university and what I hope to achieve with my career.
Kind regards, Victoria Wood (BA in Law and Business HRM)
LUMS at WBCSD 