Interview with Miruna Manole, a SUMAS graduate in Sustainable Luxury

The sectors of luxury fashion and hospitality can wield massive influence over their customers, who in many cases can be fairly influential in their own capacities. How-ever both these industries rank high as significant contributors to unsustainable environmental practices.

Integrating responsible leadership in the sectors of fashion and luxury is crucial to a world where the use of luxury brands doesn’t come at the cost of our environment. SUMAS graduate programs in Sustainable Fashion Management and Sustainable Hospitality Management, offer cutting-edge curriculums aimed at doing just that:

• MBA in Sustainable Fashion Management
• MBA in Sustainable Hospitality Management
• MAM in Sustainable Fashion Management
• MAM in Sustainable Hospitality Management

Miruna Manole is an MA in Sustainable Luxury Management graduate from SUMAS currently working as a Non-Financial Analyst at The CSR Agency (Bucharest, Romania)

She’s also achieved a First Class Degree with Honours in BA Fashion Management & Marketing from the University for the Creative Arts, UK.

Here, she shares what motivates her towards positive change, her views on youth lead climate action and how to navigate things when it feels overwhelming.

Give us a little background on how or why you chose to pursue the MAM in Sustainable Luxury and what that is for people who aren't familiar with the field?

While working on my final major project for my bachelor, I did a lot of research and learned that the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Given the state of the planet, I realised that I could not create a business plan that would have a negative impact on the environment, hence I decided to focus on creating a sustainable business.

This is how I discovered it was a passion of mine, while the real need for this subject was confirmed by me winning the New Business Award at Graduate Fashion Week, in London.

I decided to further my knowledge on the subject and pursue the MAM in Sustainable Luxury at SUMAS.

As one of my professors at SUMAS put it, sustainable luxury is luxury that blends ethics and aesthetics.

Therefore, it is represented by beautiful, high-quality products that are created without compromising the health of the people and environment which contribute to their creation.

Can you tell us a little bit about where you're currently working and how sustainable luxury plays a role?

I currently have the role of Non-Financial Analyst at The CSR Agency, a consultancy company that focuses on sustainability. I work in sustainability reporting, so while the role is not strictly related to sustainable luxury, the courses I undertook while studying at SUMAS prepared me for the job, especially ‘Responsible Management’, where I learned about CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and CSR reporting.

You wouldn't have chosen this field if you didn't have hope for a positive long term outcome to the environmental crisis. Can you speak to what it is that gives you motivation and belief in change?

There is a quote by Barack Obama that really spoke to me when I first read it: “We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.” The situation regarding climate change is serious and we have already started seeing the effects. It’s so serious in fact, that it has been suggested to use the term ‘climate emergency’.

However, scientists are telling us we still have time to act in order to make sure the future generations can enjoy good, healthy lives. I do have hope for a positive long term outcome, because we can already see people changing habits, companies responding to increasing pressure from consumers and governments coming together and collaborating for this cause.

My motivation is earth. We live on a beautiful planet and I hope we get to enjoy it for as long as possible.

What are your thoughts on the youth taking leadership on Climate Action?

I admire my peers and the younger generations for their determination. The youth is going to be most affected by the effects of the climate emergency, so I completely understand their anger, when they see the older generations not acting up fast enough and, in a way, stealing their chances of a good future life.

Were you involved in the initial or any following #ClimateStrikes and if so to what degree?

I have been following Greta Thunberg since the beginning of Fridays for Future and have attended the Climate Strike whenever possible, while I was living in Geneva. The turnout was impressive and we can already see that these actions are bringing positive results, including raising awareness.

What outcomes were you hoping for, specific immediate ones as well as ongoing ones?

The first result is raising awareness, which we still need to continue doing. Others include creating policies aiding the move to a more sustainable version of our society, regulating some of the largely used products and encouraging the shift towards alternatives, which can only happen with the support of the authorities.

Do you believe that youth-lead strikes are the most powerful way to motivate authorities to take notice on this issue?

Considering that Greta Thunberg started these strikes alone and is now giving speeches at important events regarding the issue, which comes as a result of millions of people joining her movement, we cannot deny that they are a powerful way to motivate authorities. In the end, authorities are there in the interest of their people and when they forget that, it is no surprise that people feel the need to remind them of this.

What is your take away advice to anyone who feels the climate crisis is an insurmountable issue?

My advice is to start small through individual positive changes. I believe this will inspire people, which in the end will put more pressure on authorities and companies. I also suggest reading positive news regarding the issue, which is increasingly present worldwide.

In the end, if we all try to lead better lives, no matter if the issue is indeed insurmountable, we can be satisfied that we have lead our lives being kind to each other and our home.

And I believe that is quite an important feeling to have.

If you are interested in studying in the area of sustainable tourism or sustainable fashion, take a look at some of our available courses and degrees.

Nine Sustainable Innovations set to Improve our Futures

As the battle on climate change increases, more and more overwhelming statistics and foreboding scientific data fill our feeds. Feeling despondent to it all is an understandable side effect.

However, on the flip side of potential environmental catastrophe lies the innovation that could bring it, and therefore us, back from the brink. Here are 9 sustainable innovations in food waste, ocean pollution, water-scarcity and plastic manufacture set to shape our lives and improve our futures.

Cleaning up our oceanic act of unkindness

It is estimated that close on 13 tons of plastic pollution is dumped into our oceans each year, causing harm to not only our own health, but that of marine biodiversity too. These ocean-geared innovations are combatting the plastic soup.

1.    Boat-fixed turbines collect plastic en-route

By far the biggest portion of plastic waste is dumped in rivers. A young Ecuadorian innovator, Inty Grønneberg, has designed turbines capable of filtering and collecting plastic waste before it ends up in the ocean. Installed on any boat, they are able to collect up to 80 tons of plastic during navigation. His innovation is focused on not requiring new infrastructure and vessels but rather to make the most use of as many existing boats as possible.

2.    Bins for emptying ocean trash

Surfers, Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski invented the Seabin, submersible bins with fitted pumps capable of sifting the water and trapping the floating pollutants like plastic, detergent and oil. The bins only need to be emptied once per month.

Food industry transformations through AI and intelligent plants

Half the world’s food harvest is wasted due to fruit and veg being so susceptible to pathogens. Take into consideration the greatly reduced pollinating powers of our declining bee population and you could see where, without innovative thinking like this, we would be facing an increased severity of food shortages and waste.

1.    Droid bees doing the heavy lifting pollination

Researchers at the University of Warsaw have created robotic bees, or B-Droids, who could help in boosting the bee population by taking up the tasks of low-nutritional and high-labour pollinating. Their concept is a managing platform and ‘swarm’ of autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic bees, who could identify crops and pollinate them effectively.

2.    Blockchain eliminating food waste

Part of IBM’s research arm, ‘5 in 5 innovations’, works on 5 AI technologies that can be implemented in the next 5 years. One of these innovations calls for a future where blockchain, AI and IoT devices work together to eliminate the costly wastage and losses in the food supply chain. By collecting and sharing this data within the grocery supply chain, planting, ordering and shipment can be calculated to exact quantities, resulting in reduced waste and fresher food for the consumer.

3.    Plant-based preservative cuts out cold storage

Demetra, founded by Italian start-up Green Code, is a 100% plant-based preservative that not only improves the shelf life of fresh produce but could also eliminate cold-storage during transit, thereby simultaneously saving on energy.

Intelligent plastics made from waste and wasteful emissions

Scientists estimate that there may be around 5.25 trillion macro and microplastic floating in the vast oceans. While arising technologies that sifon out this harmful plastic solve one half of the problem, other innovators are creating better plastics that will prevent it from occurring again in the future.

1.    Bio-plastic from the humble avo-pip

Mexican chemical engineer, Scott Munguia, has engineered a plastic from a biopolymer he’s discovered inside the pip of an avocado. The single use cutlery made from his bioplastic biodegrades in 240 days. Most notably, this bioplastic is not only manufactured from a previously discarded food item - an estimated 300,000 tons are discarded annually in Mexico alone, but also not manufactured from a food source crop like corn, cassava or sugarcane.

2.    Greenhouse gases become profitable plastics

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology makes it possible for carbon to be captured and compressed at the source, where it can then be moved to storage. While this technology can significantly reduce green-house gasses, it is now also being used profitably to make products.

AirCarbon is a verified carbon-negative material that can be used to manufacture everyday products that would have otherwise used fossil fuels and oil, by combining the sequestered carbon with oxygen. The entire manufacturing process is carbon negative.

Water-wiser engineering

30-40% of the world will face water scarcity by 2020. As a climate-change exacerbated reality, 1.8 billion people will live in regions of water scarcity by 2025. This not only affects fresh drinking water but the ability to grow food. This innovative thinking could help.

1.    Growing plants in the desert

The Groasis Waterboxx makes growing crops in an intelligent plant device that germinates, incubates and waters saplings possible. It also has a 90% less water requirement than traditional methods.

2.    Drinking water from clouds

For coastal and mountainous areas with less access to clean drinking water, a 3D mesh innovated by CloudFisher can convert the fog into safe drinking water while withstanding winds of 120 kmp/h. The design is an improved-upon innovation on the first fog collectors installed in Eritrea in 2007.

Leading the Way in Sustainable Fashion

Clothes are an everyday necessity and for many a central part of self-expression and creativity. Fashion, however, is a dirty business. The current fast-paced production of clothes is incredibly resource intensive, wasteful, exploitative and pollution-heavy.

According to the United Nations “the fashion industry, including the production of all clothes which people wear, contributes to around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production. The industry consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industry combined.”

Besides the emissions associated with today’s fashion industry, every item of clothing comes with a cost - both environmental and social.

According to the documentary film River Blue, one fashion brand will use over 28 trillion gallons of water every year. In addition to the actual use of precious drinking water, clothing manufacturers are dumping toxic chemicals into nearby rivers which are killing off animal life, contaminating water and sky-rocketing occurrences of death and disease in affected people.

People are also affected in the way of workers exploitation. Garment workers are forced with unsafe working conditions and being paid far below a living wage.

But there is hope. The Fashion Transparency Index reports that there’s been a “280% rise in tier-one supplier transparency from fashion brands since 2016.”

We are seeing greater pressure and demand to transform the fashion industry to be ethical and sustainable whilst incredibly innovative and exciting transformations are already afoot.

Here are just five examples of trailblazers in the sustainable fashion space.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation - Promoting a shift to circular economy

In 2010, Dame Ellen McArtur launched the foundation to promote a paradigm shift towards a circular economy, particularly in the fashion industry. The circular economy looks at moving away from the current linear model of our economy which is to take-make-dispose. Circular economy transcends our current extractive industrial model by “gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system.”

Circular economy is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources and building rather than depleting natural and social capital. It is based on three principles:

●     Design out waste and pollution

●     Keep products and materials in use

●     Regenerate natural systems

Fashion Revolution - Ending exploitation and ecological damage caused by fashion

Fashion Revolution is a group of “designers, academics, writers, business leaders, policymakers, brands, retailers, marketers, producers, makers, workers and fashion lovers” who aim to “unite people and organisations to work together towards radically changing the way our clothes are sourced, produced and consumed, so that our clothing is made in a safe, clean and fair way.”

Fashion revolution hosts a number of online and offline events all over the world, including the annual Fashion Revolution Week which put pressure on brands to reveal #whomademyclothes.

The organisation has released a manifesto with ten principles to which the fashion industry should uphold itself and are engaging with top fashion brands through their transparency index.

Patagonia - Subscribing to activism as a modern clothing brand

As far as large clothing brands leading the way on sustainable fashion practices go, Patagoina comes out top. Patagonia proudly markets themselves as an “activist company” and attempts to transparently prove why they deserve that name. Patagonia actively practices responsible resource management whilst promoting longer-use and better care of their products in order to reduce consumerist impact.

The company transparently communicates their journey to improve their supply chain and reduce their carbon footprint whilst even taking part in direct action and activism. Their central focus is on the lives of their workers. Considering the current environmental crisis we face currently, we need more companies to take an active stand like Patagonia has.

Kye Shimizu - Using technology and tradition to decrease fashion waste

According to Sustainable living platform Twyg Mag, “Kye Shimizu is not a fashion designer, but his Algorithmic Couture project has created a new convention for fashion,” using code to eliminate waste and make fashion sustainable.”

Kye is the co-founder of Synflux, a Tokyo-based research collective that focuses on design research and fashion design. Together with is co-founders Yusuke Fujihira, Kotaro Sano, and Kazuya Kawasaki, they developed a system which has taken the concept of traditional Japanese straight-line pattern cutting and combined it with technology,

The Algorithmic Couture project:

●     captures body measurements and data of a customer,

●     then creates a 2D zero waste digital patterns using straight lines;

●     outfits are designed using these straight line patterns in collaboration with a designer;

●     the customer is able to customize color and fabric type;

●     outfit is made to fit the consumer whilst avoiding fabric waste.

Forum for the Future - Open source information for the future of fashion

In partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion and with support from C&A Foundation, Forum for the Future has launched Fashion Futures 2030, “an open-source learning toolkit to help fashion businesses plan for future scenarios with sustainability in mind.”

The toolkit uses four vivid scenarios which explore topics such as:

-          climate change

-          resource shortages

-          population growth

-          And other factors that will shape the world of 2030 and the future of the fashion industry.

The next 10 years are going to be some of the most important in the entire human history. All individuals, governments and industry will have to make widespread unprecedented changes if we are to avoid climate catastrophe and further devastating biodiversity loss. Embracing sustainable and ethical fashion practices is one of the most important ways of doing this.

Do you want to make a difference to the fashion industry?

Sumas offers a range of sustainable fashion courses and degrees:

●       BBA in Sustainable Fashion

●       MBA in Sustainable Fashion

●       Master in Sustainable Fashion

●       Online MAM in Sustainable Fashion

●       Online MBA in Sustainable Fashion

Contact us on info@sumas.ch to find out more.

Propellers Of Sustainability Education

Sustainability education is the new need of the hour. The political and the business leaders of the world have come to realize that only a sustainable course of development can be encouraged in the current global scenario which gives rise to the popular demand of sustainable schools all over the world.

Political Impetus – It can be aid that the political impetus is received from the global environmental awareness that indicates at a fast and an unfortunate end of the human race if better care of the environment is not taken. This is where the political leaders are encouraging the growth of sustainability education in the top business schools in Switzerland and the other parts of the world.

Business Leaders Encouragement – The business houses of the current times are yet again under tremendous pressure to make their business processes as environment friendly as possible. This is why they are looking for candidates who have good knowledge into the domain of sustainability. This is why at the time of recruitment these companies are looking for candidates who have a minimum of sustainability courses online certification. This indicates at their better suitability for the job.

These online Masters Programs in Switzerland are some of the best initiatives that have been taken in the recent times to provide a better protection to the world environment as a whole.

Interview with Giri Prasath, a SUMAS graduate and second year Internship scholar

Giri Prasath

The Sustainability Management School (SUMAS) in Switzerland is the first ever business school to offer high-level academic education in Sustainability and Management. Giri Prasath Rajarathinam is a second year student here with SUMAS.

Prior to his completing the MBA in Sustainability Management with SUMAS in Gland, Switzerland, he worked in financial auditing. He’s also achieved a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the PSG college of Arts & Science, India.

Here, he shares his journey in sustainability management and thoughts on youth lead climate action.

Why did you choose to pursue the MBA in Sustainability Management? Was there an experience that made it clear this was what you wanted to dedicate your life's work to?

My journey with the environment began at The Laidlaw Memorial School & Junior College in Nilgiris, India, where environmental education was compulsory from the seventh grade. Living there in a valley surrounded by greenery and a pollution free environment for twelve years, is what made me take a greater and stronger stand for the environment.

I dropped mathematics in the eleventh grade to take environmental science, even though I already had environmental education as a mandatory subject. This lead to my choosing sustainability, as it had all three pillars – economic, environmental and social.

Can you share an overview of the international requirements of sustainability management?

Globally, at present, the number of businesses integrating sustainable practices and policies as part of their day to day activities and business operations has been at an all-time high since the signing of the Paris agreement.

Although the science behind climate change and sustainability is technical and more suited for a person with an engineering background, companies also need people with business and management backgrounds who understand these policies and know how to integrate them from board-room level to ground force.

Integration is where sustainability management graduates come in.

Sustainability is in high demand in these industries:

• Textile
• Agriculture
• Finance
• Raw material procurement
• Business design
• Policy making
• Healthcare

You wouldn't be in this field if you didn't have hope for a positive long-term outcome to the environmental crisis. Can you speak to what gives you motivation and belief in change? 

The definition of sustainability says “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs”.

What do they mean by “future generations”? In my opinion humankind thinks as far as four generations into the future. That may account for a maximum of two hundred to two hundred and fifty years.

Research already says that we have emitted enough Greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, which will go on to have its effect for the next hundred years minimum, even if we stop using conventional fuels right now.

At the current rate of humans’ switch to renewable sources of energy, we will have the effects of climate change for the next three hundred plus years. For sustainability to reach every nook and corner of the globe, it will take at least another decade.

The so-called developed countries have been doing well with the switch to renewable energy and integrating sustainability practices in their businesses. But what about the under developed countries, where the most impact and change needs to happen?

This is where the long-term vision of sustainability comes into play. Even though the countries have signed the Paris agreement, they all have their own targets on a national level:

• to reduce GHGs
• switch to renewable energy sources
• make sustainable changes on all levels ranging from sectors to departments

These in addition are even longer term visions:

• Helping under developed countries achieve their targets through knowledge transfer
• Implementing cradle to cradle business models
• Initiating responsible investments (impact and thematic investing and climate bonds) from developed countries in a swift and efficient manner

The oil industry and capitalistic organisations are against the sustainability trend and therefore slow down the process.

The people who put them in power are demanding the change and that’s where my belief is vested – the people.

You're going on to do the second-year internship, correct? Can you share what your focus will be and why?

Yes, I have completed my MBA in Sustainability Management (1 year) and have continued to do the Professional Development Program (PDP) with Internship (1 year).

My focus is towards joining the finance sector.

Every organisation needs finance to run. If finance is invested in the right place impact created is two-fold.

If you cut out the inflow of money to these polluting organisations, they won’t be able to function and will switch to a more sustainable approach. 

Companies are rated on the following factors (ESG):

• Environmental
• Social
• Governance

With the sustainable finance sector gaining traction day by day, you can now choose to invest based on which ESG factors align with the beliefs and themes where you would like to make an impact.

Investors are becoming aware of the climate emergency and are turning away from organisations that are promoting environmental destruction in favour to those taking these sustainability factors into account.

What are your thoughts on the youth taking leadership on Climate Action?

It has reassured my beliefs in the younger generation, clearly defining that they are willing to go out there and do what is necessary for change to happen. They have every right to go out there, seek answers and get the best for themselves, because if leaders do not take any action today, the younger generations are the ones next in line that are going to truly bear the brunt of climate change.

With role models like Greta Thunberg headlining the protests, more youth will be motivated to join for a cause which will do greater good.

Were you involved in any of the #ClimateStrikes?

I was a participant in three climate marches in Geneva that happened between February and April.

What outcomes were you hoping for, specific immediate ones as well as ongoing ones?

I really was hoping for governments to make changes on a legislative level, considering the support they would get (But yeah, that was a little too much of me to expect).

I am looking for more changes primarily in the switch to renewable energy (Public & Private) and transport sector (electric cars and electric grid buses).

In my opinion these sectors are where a lot can be done to help curb the current rate of GHG emissions.

Do you believe youth-lead strikes are the most powerful way to motivate authorities to take notice?

Yes, I do. Take Greta Thunberg for example. With her work, she has been able to give powerful speeches in front of global leaders within Europe and at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

As Greta Thunberg said and I quote “They see us as a threat because we’re having an impact”.

What is more powerful than youth having an impact on an issue that concerns the wellbeing of all humankind?

What is your take away advice to anyone who feels the climate crisis is an insurmountable issue?

Climbing Mt Everest before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved it was an insurmountable task to many.

• Since the first ascent people have carefully studied the terrain and climatic factors before a successful summit.
• For the past two decades adventure companies now help you summit successfully.
• They all work together as a team - the local Sherpas, the experienced mountaineers and the client that are summiting.

The same steps need to be done for finding solutions for the climate crisis – we need to work together and assess our possibilities for a sustainable future from models created by scientist’ data.

That’s exactly what Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 17 says – Partnership for the Goals. The SDGs cover most of the issues that come under sustainability, partnering and working together, helps us learn to bring about peace and live in harmony.