94 ABSA in Africa

Team 57 Poster

Team Reflection

Our experience with the Aim2Flourish project has truly changed the way we see the role of business in promoting social and environmental good. At first, we had a pretty basic understanding of corporate responsibility, influenced by what we learned in class and our own beliefs. But as we explored the story of the company we chose, including its innovations, values, and overall impact, our perspective broadened. It challenged some of our earlier ideas while reinforcing others. This reflection highlights our shared insights and how they’ve shaped our views as we prepare for careers in business.

The company we focused on is known for its innovative approach to tackling a specific social or environmental issue. During our interview with the head of sustainability analytics, we learned about the motivations, challenges, and personal values that drove the creation of this innovation. It became clear that the desire to make a positive impact often comes from personal experiences and a genuine wish to create change, rather than just chasing profits. The Head of Sustainability Analytics shared their journey, highlighting the sacrifices and resilience needed to turn their vision into reality. This personal story really connected with us, making the company’s mission feel more real and encouraging us to think about the deeper reasons behind business choices.

While we learned about the company’s operations, we were really impressed by how closely their mission matched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their dedication to promoting objectives like sustainable energy and reducing inequality showed they truly care about making a positive impact on society. For us, the essence of the company’s story was compelling because it highlighted the significant difference businesses can make when they have a clear purpose. The Head of Sustainability Analytics shared valuable insights about the day-to-day activities and strategic decisions, giving us a deeper understanding of how businesses focused on values can tackle the challenges of sustainability and profit, pushing us to reconsider what should be prioritized in the business world.

When we thought about the “so what” part of our project, we realized how the company’s story linked to different academic ideas we had learned, especially about sustainability and being accountable as a business. The way the company tried to balance making money with being socially responsible was a clear example of the “triple bottom line” idea, which focuses on people, the planet, and profit. Observing this concept in action within a real business helped us see how it works in practice and the tough decisions it involves. For example, the company’s choice to use sustainable materials, even though it cost more, showed their dedication to making a long-term difference rather than just quick profits. This experience deepened our understanding of corporate responsibility and highlighted the challenges of applying ethical practices in a competitive environment.

The experience really showed us where we still have a lot to learn. Even though we had gone over sustainable business frameworks in class, seeing them in real life made us understand that making ethical choices often means dealing with tough decisions and sacrifices that we hadn’t fully grasped before. The Head of Sustainability Analytics was really open about the difficulties they encountered, especially when it came to finding a balance between being innovative and staying financially stable. This was a real eye-opener for us. It made us rethink our beliefs about what businesses can or should accomplish, and it highlighted the limitations that even the best-intentioned companies face. This realization was both humbling and motivating, encouraging us to think more deeply about the role of business in our society.

The “now what” stage of our reflection made us think about how this experience could affect our future choices and actions. As we shared our insights, it became obvious that this project influenced each of us in unique yet complementary ways. For some, it strengthened the wish to work for companies that are socially responsible, where personal beliefs match the company’s goals. For others, it ignited a sense of duty to promote sustainable practices, even in conventional corporate environments. We each considered how this experience might influence our conduct as future business leaders, particularly in balancing ethical issues with financial ones. This project has shown us the potential impact we can have, and we feel more prepared and inspired to support responsible business practices.

Teaming up on this project was a valuable experience that expanded our views on how different cultures approach business. Every member contributed their own unique perspectives, which enriched our analysis. Working together on this reflection highlighted how important diversity is for creating comprehensive ideas and strategies. We learned from each other, not just about the subject matter but also in how we tackled problems and resolved differing viewpoints. This experience helped us realize how crucial collaborative learning is, especially in projects that require deep thinking and reflection.

The coursework we completed was super helpful in shaping our analysis. Ideas like sustainability, accountability, and corporate ethics stood out to us, and we often went back to these concepts while sharing our thoughts. These academic ideas helped us organize our understanding and provided us with the right words to express our reflections. Still, the project showed us that just having theoretical knowledge isn’t enough; it emphasized the importance of hands-on experience to really understand the complexities of socially responsible business.

When it came to how our team operated, we made sure to assign tasks according to what each person was best at, which made our work more efficient. One member led the research synthesis, while others concentrated on organizing the reflection, writing different parts, and checking the content for clarity and flow. We did face some hurdles, like syncing our schedules and agreeing on specific viewpoints, but we kept the lines of communication open. This was crucial for resolving conflicts and creating a unified final project. Overall, this experience deepened our appreciation for teamwork, highlighting both the advantages and difficulties of working together to reach common objectives.

Reflecting on our journey, we can see what went right and what didn’t. Our common dedication to the project’s goals made it easier to work together since everyone was eager to create something valuable. However, it was sometimes tough to balance the various viewpoints, as each person had their own take on the reflection. With patience and respect for one another, we were able to blend these different views into a unified story, but we realized that having more time for group discussions could have deepened our understanding even more.

To sum it up, reflecting on Aim2Flourish has really opened our eyes to how businesses can make a positive impact. It has pushed us to rethink our beliefs, strengthened what we’ve learned in school, and made us consider how we want to engage in the business field. We finish this project with a greater dedication to promoting ethical practices and a better understanding of the challenges involved. As we advance in our careers, we will take with us the knowledge and experiences gained from this journey, committed to fostering a future where businesses care about not just making money, but also about people and the environment.

Individual Reflections

Arthur: 

Being part of this hands-on activity with a virtual team was both tough and rewarding. At first, I was really excited but also a little nervous about dealing with time zone differences and cultural variations. Setting up meetings took a lot of flexibility since we had to work around each other’s schedules, which sometimes meant meeting at odd hours. Still, this kind of adjustment helped build respect and dedication among us.

Collaborating with teammates from different cultural backgrounds added interesting viewpoints to our conversations, which made our analysis richer and pushed me to think differently. Even though we sometimes had misunderstandings, we tackled our differences with an open mind, using tools like Whatsapp to keep in touch and clarify our thoughts. This experience taught me the value of patience, adaptability, and clear communication when working across cultures. By the end, I felt a great sense of achievement and personal growth, thankful for the opportunity to gain skills that will help me in future team projects.

Chris:

The Aim2Flourish project has reshaped my view on the role of business in driving social and environmental impact, especially through the lens of my Canadian perspective. Coming from a country where sustainability and social responsibility are growing priorities, I already appreciated the importance of corporate accountability. However, studying a real company’s journey expanded my understanding of what it truly takes to balance profit with purpose. Hearing the founder discuss the sacrifices and motivations behind their sustainable practices, like choosing more costly materials to reduce environmental harm, highlighted the resilience needed to make lasting change. Collaborating with an international team here in Pamplona also brought fresh perspectives. Each member added unique insights, which enriched our analysis and challenged some of my own assumptions. Working across cultural and time zone differences taught us adaptability and patience—skills essential in any future global role. This project has strengthened my commitment to responsible business practices. Seeing the Sustainable Development Goals in action has reinforced my belief that businesses, including Canadian ones, can be powerful forces for good. I’m inspired to be part of a future where businesses prioritize people, planet, and profit in a truly meaningful way.

Noluthando:

The Aim2Flourish assignment was a life-changing opportunity that really broadened my knowledge with regard to sustainable development goals. There were a few challenges throughout the whole assignment, but all of them pushed me out of my comfort zone and led me to grow as a person with a good team, everything fell into place. Working on the SDGs made me contemplate profoundly all the diverse interlinkages that exist in social, economic, and environmental factors. I could learn to look at problems from diverse angles and intellectually nurtured my capability for out-of-the-box thinking. This kind of problem-solving skill is typical for finding solutions to many of the complicated issues with which we grapple today. This assignment really drove home that sustainability should be baked in at every level of our businesses, as conscious and creative solutions are an investment in a much more equitable and eco-friendly future. A specific learning for how business can operationalize the SDGs through research and collaboration would be a manner in which businesses can generate positive change in their communities. And as a future leader, as an entrepreneur and someone that’s working towards my career I know how important it is to be sustainable and how to be a good corporate citizen and this is an important factor because it will impact my growth as an individual positively,  it will benefit my businesses in that manner I can contribute to the community in a positive manner as well. Overall, the Aim2Flourish assignment was more than an academic exercise: it was a catalyst for personal and intellectual growth. I came out of this with a deeper drive toward sustainability and a clearer vision of what each one can do to contribute toward a more sustainable future.

Nosipho: 

The AIM2Flourish Assignment was an honor to be a part of . It shed some light onto how oblivious one was before taking part in this initiative, not only did I learn more about the efforts businesses,big or small,have made to achieve SDG’s , but I also learnt more about myself as an individual. This assignment made me appreciate the impact a business can have on its surrounding communities , and reignited my interest in entrepreneurship and philanthropy. This assignment also highlighted the challenges faced by many by making me confront and familiarize myself with global issues and challenges , which made me inspired to challenge myself to try and find solutions to these issues,or to at least understand and build on the solutions that are already there. Furthermore working in a group was nerve wracking as working with new people is intimidating, however it has sharpened my team building skills, and has fostered new connections with like minded peers and was nothing short of a pleasure to experience. Overall, I see businesses from a lens with way more substance. I’m inspired to serve the needs of my community as an individual and citizens, as well take care of the environment for the future generations and look forward to using my new found knowledge to influence and inspire others to do so as well.