Overview Sustainability Day 2024 @ZHAW
“Nourishing our World - Preserving our Future” - this was the motto of the fifth Sustainability Day held at the ZHAW School of Management and Law (SML). The event was organized by seven SML students and supported by ZHAW sustainable. The focus of this year's Sustainability Day: topics that have a significant impact on reducing our ecological footprint.
The Sustainability Day 2024 Team
- Alec Susin, BSc student in Business Administration, General Management
- Simon Füchslin, BSc student in Business Administration, General Management
- Vera Baltisser, MSc student in International Business
- Corsin Baumgartner, BSc student in International Management
- Severine Spross, BSc student in Business Administration, General Management
- Li Ting (Alex) Wang, BSc student in International Management
- Juliette Weber, BSc student in International Management
Sustainability Day 2025
Would you like to be part of the organization of the next Sustainability Day? Then register by September 30, 2025 at the latest and tell us in 300 words why you are the right person for the job!
“It is important to me to promote sustainability awareness in all dimensions, not just the environment and climate. Sustainability Day is a great opportunity to achieve that and, at the same time, network with various stakeholders in the field, both inside and outside ZHAW.”
Alec Susin, Co-Leader, Sustainability Day 2024@ ZHAW
“Organizing Sustainability Day taught me a lot about project management and gave me the chance to collaborate with different people to achieve a meaningful, real-life event. It was an exciting alternative to the conventional elective modules.”
Simon Füchslin, Co-Leader, Sustainability Day 2024@ ZHAW
Volunteering to Raise Awareness of the SDGs
Alec Susin and Simon Füchslin took over their role as project leaders in August 2023. Together on their journey were five SML students who volunteered to help organize the event, motivated by the burning sustainability challenges the world faces today. The students decided to focus this year’s event on raising awareness about topics connected to four crucial SDGs:
- Zero Hunger (SDG 2)
- Quality Education (SDG 4)
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9)
- Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
The Sustainability Day Team successfully brainstormed creative ideas for developing the event program, devised an action plan between October 2023 and March 2024, and ran the event. The students worked independently to find and recruit sponsors, partner with companies, and communicate with various stakeholders inside and outside ZHAW. They were supported by Alexandra Grammenou, PRME Coordinator at the SML. Many students and faculty enjoyed the special day, which started with a playful Sustainability Info Fair in the morning and a range of workshops in the afternoon to encourage a sustainability mindset. The event concluded that evening with an expert panel discussion, inspirational guest speakers, music, and a plant-based aperitif.
“Volunteering for Sustainability Day allowed me to contribute to the global quest of creating awareness and acting towards a sustainable world for all. I could inspire students to also care, knowing that their voices and actions can make a difference. This is a rewarding way to learn and make a positive impact."
Vera Baltisser, Co-Organizer, Sustainability Day 2024@ ZHAW
Sustainable Info Fair
Interactive stands about sustainable initiatives, entertaining games, and enlightening poster presentations about the story of bread allowed the students to immerse themselves in a dynamic and enriching experience. The goal was to encourage a deeper understanding and appreciation of environmentally conscious practices in everyday life while enjoying a cup of sustainable coffee. A primary school class from Amriswil in nearby Thurgau who researched and developed the posters about “The Story of Bread” were present to provide information. They also had a special gift for ZHAW students – freshly baked bread crackers with spices they had saved from being thrown away the day before.
Workshops
Afternoon workshops encouraged positive personal changes in consumers by prompting a sustainability mindset. Visitors learned how to make sustainable, healthy smoothies using regional products and kitchen leftovers, make a home storage container from newspapers, and choose skin and daycare products that are not harmful to health or the environment. A special workshop was dedicated to the PRME Global Students (PGS) initiative, in which PGS Regional Leader for Western Europe, Lazar Tomasevic – a BSc student in Business Administration at the SML – shared his experiences and invited students to join the PGS Global Taskforces.
An Unforgettable Evening
The evening program began with a performance by the ZHAW Alpha-Cappella choir and continued with an expert panel discussion dedicated to SDG 4, “Education for all.” Panelists provided insights from their international experience about the importance of education in disadvantaged regions and the associated provision of equal opportunities for everyone.
Vera Baltisser, a Master’s student in International Business, hosted the panel comprising Janine Händel (CEO, Roger Federer Foundation), Diepak Elmer (Head of Economy and Education, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs), Gustavo Loiola, Manager Leadership Education (PRME Foundation for Global Compact), and Francesco Bortoluzzi (Head of Sustainability Programs, ZHAW).
The guest speeches that followed gave the audience many interesting insights on SGD 9 and SDG12. Franziska Stöckli presented her book “Greentopf” – a collection of 200 vegetarian and vegan recipes from Switzerland and around the world. Ronny Roggli, Climate Policy Manager at Climeworks, presented this Swiss company’s story and innovative technology, which has become a global leader in separating carbon dioxide from ambient air. All participants had the chance to network during an aperitif and eat some delicious plant-based hot dogs from Frau Hund, Winterthur, while taking entertaining pictures of themselves in the SDG-dedicated photo booth.
In Short
Now in its fifth year, Sustainability Day brings together students and faculty at ZHAW SML to discuss the huge challenges facing us today and become more aware of innovative ways to develop a more sustainable mindset. This year, ZHAW SML students again exceeded expectations through their creative ideas and excellent project management skills by organizing an event dedicated to advancing the SDGs and fulfilling the seven PRME principles.