TOGETHER challenges what is and aims to create what can be in making global environmental and societal sustainability a key driver of the IMD alumni community.
Join us! Created by and for IMD alumni, TOGETHER seeks to unite our network of professionals and institutions to spark innovation, promote responsible and inclusive leadership, and place sustainability at the core of every business strategy.
At TOGETHER we believe in the power of stories. When we listen to one another, and respect each other's values and ideas, bonds are forged and possibilities emerge. Connection creates movements and movements spur change.
This is the story of how TOGETHER started:
I grew up in a family of six with a physically handicapped brother who recently passed away. After a lifetime helping serve as his arms, legs, and voice, it felt as if part of my consciousness was gone. His existence changed my attitude toward the world around me; it inspired empathy. It helped me to view the world from different perspectives.
Over the past 12 years I have lived in a few different countries in Asia. Seeing their healthcare systems up close changed my perception of the world. I witnessed firsthand the consequences of unrestrained economic development on society and the environment. This experience also taught me about the positive social impact corporate organisations can have, and the true meaning of sustainability.
I returned to Europe for IMD’s EMBA program – a world class setting to improve leadership skills and enhance my knowledge of sustainable development. Sustainability has become a prism through which IMD furthers its mission of developing impactful leaders, but I wondered whether the Institute could play a larger role in mitigating urgent systemic problems.
Who can still pretend that our way of life does not decimate ecosystems and exacerbate inequalities? Who can still go on with life as if it were “business as usual”? I cannot.
IMD’s talented, diverse, and influential alumni community offers fertile ground for TOGETHER, which my colleagues and I have created because we believe everyone has an opportunity to make a difference and a responsibility to act now.
We must improve our systems, and we must start by asking ourselves a simple question: What am I going to do? As community members, corporate employees, business owners, industry leaders, and political representatives, we need to choose what to talk about, where to work, and how to navigate the transition to a sustainable world.
My brother’s name was Raphael. I live each day by his example of bravery and kindness, shining through despite his handicaps. He showed me that evolution toward a better world can only occur through collaboration. Together, we can inspire each other, share best practices, support eachother’s initiatives, collaborate on ambitious projects, and show how a better society is possible.
