26 Aura – La in Canada

Team 47 Poster

Team Reflection

Aura – La, the company located in a city situated in Ontario, Canada, offers us a model where it can be seen that a company can apply sustainability and social responsibility in its business model, thus taking more into account the environment. This is achieved through the application of innovative practices that, while generating benefits for the company, also generate benefits for the environment as they produce several positive effects.

To explain our reflection, we will use the “What?, So what?, Then what?” method. We will start with the first one, What?

1. WHAT: 

Aura-La, a company founded in 2018, is dedicated to the production and sale of baked goods, chocolate ice cream made from scratch using high-quality ingredients. The founder, Aura Hertzog, has integrated a series of innovations that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

These innovations mainly focus on two sectors:

1. Employee Well-being: 

• Dignified Salaries: Despite various economic difficulties that have arisen, Aura-La has not wanted to neglect the well-being of its employees as it considers it very important for the company to function. Therefore, it has ensured that its employees receive a salary that exceeds the living wage threshold in Canada. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal number 8, which promotes decent work and economic growth.

1. Material Sustainability: 

• Composting: Aura-La uses a composting system to reduce food waste and minimize its environmental impact as much as possible. This composting not only reduces the amount of waste that ends up in the trash but also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Air-cooled Ice Cream: Instead of using the traditional water cooling method, Aura-La has implemented a different method, an air-cooling system, thus reducing significant amounts of water and energy consumption and making more responsible use of natural resources.
• Exploring a Reusable Cup System: With the aim of reducing the number of disposable cups that end up in landfills, Aura-La considers the possibility of using a reusable cup system, which could lead several companies to adopt a similar practice.

Inspiration for Innovations: Aura’s inspiration to implement these innovations comes from various sources: 

• Her upbringing in a hospitality environment, where her mother owned a bed and breakfast.
• Her academic background in geography, focusing on human geography. • Her work with the SDG Idea Factory in the city of Kitchener.
• Her passion for food and her desire to connect with the community through it.

Now in this section, So What? We will talk a bit about the social role that companies have for social good.

2. SO WHAT 

• Sustainability: Aura-La pays close attention to developing its activity in a sustainable manner, trying to minimize the environmental impact as much as possible. The composting method, which ensures that unsold products are used efficiently, refers to the principle of a circular economy. Moreover, using the air cooling method for ice cream instead of the traditional water cooling method reflects an innovative approach to minimizing water and energy consumption as much as possible.
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Aura-La is not just about making profits but also plays an active role in promoting social well-being. Its commitment to a living wage underlines the belief that businesses have a responsibility to treat employees fairly and ethically. This commitment is fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which emphasizes the importance of decent work and economic growth addresses the importance of decent work and economic growth.
• Triple Bottom Line: Aura-La takes a holistic approach to business by considering not only economic profits but also the social and environmental impact of its decisions. This balance is reflected in its commitment to maintaining affordable prices for customers, while ensuring a living wage for employees and implementing sustainable practices. In doing so, Aura-La demonstrates that business success does not have to come at the expense of people or the planet.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Aura-La’s practices, such as composting, using air-chilled ice cream, and exploring a reusable cup system, align directly with SDG 12. This SDG focuses on reducing waste, promoting efficient use of resources, and encouraging sustainable lifestyles.

By adopting these practices, Aura-La demonstrates that businesses, even small ones, can play an important role in achieving the SDGs.

Aura-La’s situation also invites us to delve deeper into our perceptions and assumptions about businesses. Businesses are often thought of as entities that prioritize profits above all else. However, Aura-La challenges this concept by demonstrating the inclusion of sustainable and socially responsible practices in a thriving business model. This company and similar models encourage us to challenge conventional business ideas and to investigate new ways of establishing businesses that are beneficial to society and the environment.

While the Aura-La story offers a model to follow, it also reveals certain gaps in our knowledge and poses a number of challenges. For example, the large-scale implementation of techniques such as air-cooled ice cream or reusable cup systems may face logistical and financial challenges that require evaluation. In addition, further research is required to fully understand the economic and social impact of living wages in various economic environments. Investigating these approaches offers us the possibility of broadening our understanding of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, providing solutions to the challenges facing companies today.

3. NOW WHAT: 

Having studied the Aura-La company and the way it operates, we can say that it has been a rewarding experience and has provided us with interesting insights for our future careers. It has inspired us to devise ways to incorporate social responsibility and sustainability into business activity, whether as entrepreneurs or as members of an organization. The most important aspects that we can take away from this program that we can apply to our future careers are the following:

• Prioritize Employee Wellbeing: Recognize the importance of offering decent wages and fair working conditions to create a positive and productive work environment.
• Integrate Sustainable Practices: Look for ways to minimize the environmental impact of our operations, whether through composting, reducing water and energy consumption, or implementing reuse systems.
• Be Innovative: Look for creative solutions to social and environmental challenges, inspired by the example of Aura-La with air-cooled ice cream and the reusable cup system.
• Commitment to Sustainability: Inform our customers and stakeholders about the responsible practices we are implementing to generate trust and build a positive brand image.

In conclusion, the story of Aura-La Pastries and Provisions contains a paradigm that is a reference for companies that want to have a positive effect on the planet. Their perspective on sustainability, social community and innovation drives us to devise innovative solutions to current challenges, in order to contribute to a more just and sustainable future.

Individual Reflections

Individual Reflection (Dalal Alqahtani) 

I am a Saudi student from PNU university who participated in a project that brings together diverse cultures from Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Spain. Our team consisted of six members. This project was not just an educational experience; it was an opportunity to understand cultural diversity and how to collaborate across borders to achieve our goals. We held several virtual meetings to discuss the project’s progress and share ideas. These meetings were essential for coordinating efforts among members, especially given the different time zones between our countries. We used platforms like Zoom and WhatsApp, which helped us communicate effectively. We faced some challenges, such as differing meeting times due to the cities’ time zones and various commitments. However, we found solutions by setting flexible times that worked for everyone. I learned a lot from this experience. I gained insights into managing diverse teams and adapting to different work styles, as well as being flexible in dealing with various cultures. My communication and planning skills were also enhanced, as there was a need to express ideas clearly to ensure everyone understood. In the end, this project was a rich and profound experience. It allowed me to acquire new skills and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures. Working with colleagues from various countries positively impacted my worldview and strengthened my ability to collaborate in the future.

Individual Reflection (Reema Binshafi) 

As a Saudi student, I recently participated in an exciting project with a team of six members from different cities, including Spain, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. This experience taught me invaluable lessons in task organization, division of

responsibilities, and effective collaboration across time zones. One of the key takeaways from this experience was the importance of clear communication and organization. Given the diverse locations of our team members, we had to be meticulous in scheduling meetings and setting deadlines. I learned how to break down our project into manageable tasks, ensuring that each member had a clear understanding of their responsibilities. This not only helped in maintaining focus but also in fostering accountability within the team. To facilitate our collaboration, we established a weekly meeting where we discussed our progress and reallocated tasks as needed. This regular check-in allowed us to address any obstacles promptly and ensured that everyone was aligned with the project goals. I found that these meetings were essential in overcoming the challenges posed by different time zones and work styles. Additionally, I gained insight into the importance of adaptability. Working with individuals from different cultural backgrounds required us to be flexible in our approaches and open to new ideas. This diversity enriched our discussions and led to more innovative solutions. In conclusion, this project was a significant learning opportunity for me. I developed my organizational and teamwork skills while navigating the complexities of working with a geographically dispersed group. I look forward to applying these lessons in future collaborative endeavors.

Individual Reflection (Kris Turcotte) 

As a member of this team studying at University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, I felt this experiential activity was enjoyable, engaging, and offered several great learning opportunities. My experience working with my team members was virtually effortless as every member of the team was very aware of deadlines and expectations. Throughout the whole process, it seems that our only miscommunication occurred when our final meeting was scheduled for the same time as it is every week, however, we did not realize that a daylight savings time change had occurred for our Spanish team members. Therefore, when we began the meeting, it was technically an hour early for those in Spain, and we figured out as a team that the day of the time change was different, depending on our locations. We learned that the clocks went back an hour a week before they did here in Canada, and that the time does not change at all in Saudi Arabia. For me, this was an entertaining little miscommunication where we all got to learn a little more about each other’s cultures. Other than that, all of our meetings and task delegations were executed very peacefully and effortlessly as there were very little language and cultural barriers to deal with. When our team selected the business that I brought forward, I felt that I was going to end up with the biggest workload, as I was the only one able to communicate and schedule a meeting for the interview with the business owner. However, my team was very active in participating regardless of geographic restraints and in order to share the overall workload they had all prepared the questions for the interview so that I would have less on my plate going into it. Since the interview was recorded, every group member was able to listen to all the information given and evenly split the workload of the rest of the group’s deliverables, while all being on the same page regarding the direction of the story and other assignments. Therefore, this was a great learning experience that I would recommend to future students and would enjoy participating in something similar again, whether it be through school or work. This experience not only enhanced my teamwork and cross-cultural communication skills, but also left me with valuable memories and insights that I will carry forward into future academic and professional endeavors.

Individual Reflection (Alex Barredo Bologna) 

As a Spanish member of this team, studying at University of Navarra, I can say that the experience has been enriching and has provided me with valuable lessons about teamwork, time management, and adapting to different cultures. From the beginning of the project, we established fluid communication through WhatsApp and Zoom. This facilitated coordination between team members, especially considering the time differences between Spain, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. Despite the challenges posed by different time zones and individual commitments, we managed to find flexible schedules that suited everyone. The cultural diversity of the team enriched the project, giving us the opportunity to learn about the customs and perspectives of each country. While cultural and linguistic barriers were minimal, we experienced a minor misunderstanding related to the time change in Europe, which allowed us to learn more about the particularities of each region. To ensure the success of the project, we divided tasks equally and set clear deadlines. Organization and individual responsibility were key to staying focused on common goals. Weekly meetings allowed us to monitor progress, address challenges, and reassign tasks as needed. This experience strengthened my teamwork, intercultural communication, and time management skills. I learned to adapt to different working styles and express my ideas clearly to ensure that all team members understood them. I am confident that the lessons learned will serve me well in future projects and in my professional development.

Individual Reflection (Luis Fernando de Silva Eugui) 

As a Spanish member of Team 47 of the COIL group and a student at the University of Navarra, I think this task has been really fun and interesting because it has helped us learn a bit about different cultures. But especially, we have learned what it means to work in a group and also at a distance, as we had to hold our meetings via the “Zoom” platform. In my group, we had no problem working together because I think we all agreed very well and organized ourselves effectively, having at least one meeting every week to discuss what we were going to do next concerning the “Aim2 Flourish assignment.” Perhaps the only issue we had, which we resolved as quickly as possible, was the different time zones, as our team included members from Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Spain, making the times completely different. Initially, we held the meetings at Spanish lunchtime (14:00), but then we adjusted it. One day, we tried holding the meeting at 8 PM Spanish time on a Tuesday, and it worked well, so we established that fixed schedule for the following meetings as it didn’t pose any problem for anyone in the team. To conclude, this has been a very interesting and fun activity where we had the opportunity to meet people from different countries and cultures. Additionally, we learned about a company (Aura’s Bakery). Moreover, with this work, I have been able to expand my experience in group work.