108 Naturgy in Australia

Team 58 Poster

Team Reflection

Participating in the AIM2Flourish program as a team and exploring Naturgy Group’s sustainable initiatives was an eye-opening experience, showing us how businesses can genuinely drive positive change and made us realize the impact they can have on the environment and society. Throughout this program we got to delve into how Naturgy is making a difference in sustainability, not only that but we also got to know each other across different cultural backgrounds, a journey that brought unique perspectives and insights not only to our project, but to our lives.

Working with Naturgy taught us a lot about how a big company can balance making a profit while also taking care of the planet and supporting social causes, as we saw in Naturgy’s efforts in transforming waste into renewable energy as well as promoting gender equality and using advanced technology in sustainable ways. The example of Naturgy taught us that businesses don’t have to be only about profits but can also be about social awareness and care for the planet. This experience really challenged our previous perspectives about the private sector being simply profit-driven and showed us how companies can contribute to solving global issues, especially those related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The cultural variety within our group made this experience even more valuable. The fact that we all came from a variety of different cultural backgrounds gave each of us the ability to bring a unique perspective into Naturgy’s work and the impact they have on people worldwide. We were able to see and feel firsthand how important it is to understand global issues from a variety of angles, we realised that learning to appreciate these different perspectives helped us see the bigger picture. This variety in perspective also further helped us understand both the challenges and opportunities Naturgy faces throughout the world.

Our classwork, especially on corporate social responsibility and sustainability, was extremely useful in understanding the nature Naturgy’s projects, an example of this is that our knowledge about the circular economy helped us appreciate more Naturgy’s biomethane initiative, where they turn agricultural waste into renewable energy. We also applied what we learnt about Appreciative Inquiry from AIM2Flourish into our interviews which led us to focus on Naturgy’s strengths and positive impact rather than just problems. This approach helped us have more meaningful conversations and recognize Naturgy’s contributions to sustainability much better than we could’ve before taking part in the programme.

We each took on roles that played to our strengths, some of us focused on writing and editing the story while others handled interviews with Naturgy reps Alfredo Ingelmo and Alicia Alonso, Even with our separate roles, and with huge distances separating us all around the world, we worked closely together, giving each other feedback ensuring everything fit with our shared vision. This teamwork allowed us to create a final project that we’re proud of and taught us the importance of flexibility and collaboration.

Of course, as with any project one can have, there were challenges, the biggest being scheduling issues. What made this especially tough was the fact some of us were in different time zones, spread all over the globe and coordinating everything required very strong communication, however, this challenge taught us valuable project management skills that many of us lacked previously. Another challenge we faced was when it came to understanding the technical terms related to Naturgy’s renewable energy projects, however with some research and more importantly each other’s support, in the end we managed to get the information we were looking for.

Despite these obstacles, some aspects of our approach worked amazingly. Dividing tasks helped each of us contribute meaningfully, and the Appreciative Inquiry approach allowed us to focus on Naturgy’s positive impact, making the whole project feel inspiring and hopeful to us. This experience reminded us of the potential for businesses and individuals within businesses to drive real change.

After working with Naturgy, we now view energy companies as more than just suppliers. We can now see them as key players in social and environmental progress. Naturgy’s work in biomethane production, renewable energy, and workforce diversity aligns with UN goals such as SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and their initiatives have given us hope about the role of businesses in building a sustainable future.

Looking back, we’re grateful for what we accomplished and for everything AIM2Flourish taught us about sustainability, social good, and the value of a cross-cultural approach. This experience has boosted our confidence and shown us that businesses can truly make a difference in the world. This project taught us a lesson that we’ll carry with us as we go into the future and head into our careers. It taught us hat positive change is possible. In the end we all agree that this was more than simply an academic assignment; it was an experience that will shape our perspectives as we enter the workforce, reminding us of the power of businesses to create a positive, lasting change in the world.

Personal Reflections

Tomás Mello

Working on this project has been the most exciting and most stressful experience ever, but it has taught me a lot about other cultures, how the world works and how those big companies help to maintain and take care of the communities that surround them. from this project I’ve learnt how important it is to take care of my environment and the community that I reside in. The challenges that I faced were not being able communicate efficiently with my teammates due to different schedules and other factors, but once we found a way to accommodate everyone’s schedules we were able to work together to complete The task at Hand. I have enjoyed interacting With people My age from other countries and seeing how they tackle their daily lives as students.

Francisco Fontana

Engaging With new people is always a fun experience especially If they are from a different country that I have never been too. COIL has given me the opportunity to travel and learn new things within the comfort of my home. from this project I have had a better in site in terms of the impact that Naturgy has towards the environment and what it does in order to sustain and grow economically,socially and environmentally. the challenges that I faced during this time was not being able to balance my school work while keeping up with the work that has to be done. Communication and availability was my biggest issue but my teammates ensured that I was included in every step of the way until the finish line.

Noxolo Msane 

During this period of time, I have learnt a lot from the different Cultures to how things work outside of my small world. How companies strive to ensure that our environment is clean and our communities Are well taken care of. Working with this team has opened up my mind and shown me different perspectives of how people think and how they do things, How they tackle life’s challenges compared to the way we do things in my country. Group work has never been easy, my group and I have faced many challenges from different timezones, schedules, to trying to find a way to work together in a smooth and productive way. Which was not easy but we pulled through. I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given to be able to engage with different people from different countries all around the world and to have had the opportunity to grow my knowledge and myself as an individual.

Thato Solon

Participating in the AIM2Flourish program has been a great experience especially getting to know different people from different countries. It has opened up my eyes to a different world. It has provided me with knowledge that falls outside of my career option and has given me and exclusive on how other business sectors work. working with Naturgy has shown how much businesses do in order to keep their environment Clean, safe and secure. Naturgy has also shown me how each and every business plays its part in ensuring that both the social and environmental aspects are taken into account. I have also seen that group dynamics are an issue in every country including mines too and having different timezones made it even harder. But by putting aside our differences we were able to work together to ensure that the AIM2Flourish program was completed.

Philip Immanuel

Participating in COIL F2024, for me it such a great experience to learn to connect and learn to build up the team for achieving the target goals. But, I find that some other thing might challenging. Like, to set up the mindset and goals for each other from different environment and different countries. In other hand, such a great opportunity to connect each other and how to maintaining the relationship to each other. For me, I would like to recommended for other student to try COIL. Because I saw like the program itself and the material that has been given is absolutely amazing and inspiring. Like, about the climate changes and about the SDG’s. From COIL program, I am reminded about our recent earth conditions and the cause and effect and how we as the student can be facilities with the opinion and movement to engage to the nature and about earth matter for future generations.

Azahran Atras Arfie Syam

The experience of working with an international group to discuss a business idea that we would upload on AIM2Flourish really opened my horizons.

Cross-cultural communication was also a challenge and learning experience. We had to make sure that everyone understood the concepts and ideas being discussed, so that there was a respectful and supportive dialog. This discussion showed the importance of openness and empathy in understanding the perspectives of colleagues from other countries, especially when we discuss global issues such as sustainability.

From this experience, I feel richer in ideas and different ways of thinking. I am inspired to keep looking for ways to make my own business ideas more inclusive and globally relevant. Uploading this idea on AIM2Flourish is not only about publicizing the concept, but also a step towards bringing together a cross-cultural spirit of sustainability that we hope will have a widespread positive impact.