ALEXANDRA PETERS

 The classroom is only one of countless learning spaces! Over these ten months, we have learnt from workshops in corporate offices, visiting our consulting sites, sitting in theatres, in conference rooms, and even on the floor of an organic farm in India.  

My Journey Towards HEC

Sustainability has characterised my past, present and future. I have studied a Bachelor of Environments at Melbourne University, and applied it to an internship with AMP Capital in responsible investing.

In 2017, the world was really unlocked for me when I moved to Geneva. I was an intern for the United Nations Environment Programme, surrounded by driven individuals with can-do attitudes. These individuals inspired me to build a stronger foundation to rely on in my future career. The best foundation I could ever build has come from the Sustainability and Social Innovation (SASI) masters.

Inside the Classroom

Actually, the classroom is only one of countless learning spaces! Over these ten months, we have learnt from workshops in corporate offices, visiting our consulting sites, sitting in theatres, in conference rooms, and even on the floor of an organic farm in India. The best learning space is sitting by my friends as they share their own diverse experiences.   

Of the students and teachers, some advocate for technology and others grass roots solutions. We are supported to decide how we want to paint our own picture. This comes with the ability to question all current attitudes; the critical perspective is something I love.

I treasure most the way we are taught. The program is about building skills, not about building a knowledge of today’s challenges. As a collective of 55 students, we all have different causes and goals close to our hearts. It is amazing to know that if our generation diffuses these goals through society, we have the skills to champion whatever challenges come next: regardless of the cause, we are changemakers.

Outside the Classroom

I deeply regretted not taking the time during my bachelors to be more involved on campus, and I cannot stress enough how enriching it has been to be involved at HEC. I advise everyone to embrace opportunities outside of the classroom, and to build their own dream opportunity. I have had two opportunities to build amazing activities at HEC.

The Hult Prize is the largest student entrepreneurship competition in the world. Four students from the Master, including myself, brought this student competition to HEC, inviting five industry professionals to award the best of 17 teams a spot in the regional finals. I was fortunate to represent HEC as the Campus Director at the London Regionals, and spend a weekend with students from across the globe, from France and Pakistan, to Algeria and the UK. 

Fashion Revolution is a global movement against injustices in the fashion industry. Every year, Fashion Revolution week is celebrated across the world in April. Five SASI’s and I brought this movement to HEC, hosting a panel discussion, the Future of Fashion . Of nearly 100 attendees, we were so excited to see students, teachers and professionals from all backgrounds!

Finding my Real Passions

I make decisions from hands-on experiences. Based on my internships, I had thought I would build a career using sustainability as an avenue to influence external stakeholders. After meeting the VP for Sustainability at P&G, and spending a day with Unibail Rodamco, I discovered the fire in my belly for internal corporate sustainability. I had the opportunity to really test this when assisting a French company, Nutriset to build a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, as facilitated by the SASI consulting assignment. After graduating, I hope to build a career in corporate sustainability in consumer goods, particularly fashion or beauty companies.