Generous donation to kick off the Sustainable Future Hub

Published: 2019-10-24

Thanks to a generous donation, the Sustainable Future Hub project has entered the scene as a collaboration hub for social and economic sustainability. Sustainable Future Hub wants to attract representatives from industry, the public sector as well as researchers and students.

“Not to work on sustainability is not an option today. But, as an individual actor, it is not easy to know how to proceed,” says Martina Oxling, project manager.

“We want to do this together with others. There are so many circumstances in which the School of Economics and Management and Lund University would be able to make a contribution in the form of researchers and students,” says the project manager Martina Oxling.

Sustainable Future Hub is the collective name for the recently launched project by the Lund University School of Economics and Management. The emphasis lies in highlighting best practice and driving collaboration with a focus on economic and social sustainability.

“We are basing our activities on the commitment and expertise of the students and researchers as well as industry’s need and desire for change. That is the basis for our way of working and we can use all of that to contribute to a more sustainable future,” says Martina Oxling, project manager at the Sustainable Future Hub.

The platform for solving problems

The Sustainable Future Hub becomes a reality through the investment of Sparbanken Skåne and Sparbanksstiftelsen Finn. In a first step, this is planned to extend over five years. Through the foundation, profit distribution from the bank can be invested in community development efforts.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to invest in the future in this way. We hope the Sustainable Future Hub can become the platform on which industry, students and academia can meet to solve problems together,” says Katarina Andrén, managing director of Sparbanksstiftelsen Finn.

Companies are encouraged to contact the Sustainable Future Hub for help with ideas on specific cases linked to sustainability. 

“Young people today want to work for companies that really care. Sustainable Future Hub gives us the perfect arena to present the students with industry challenges and, in doing so, we can help each other to solve some of the current and future problems,” says Katarina Andrén.

”A fantastic network of partner companies”

The idea is for the Sustainable Future Hub to be a hub around which different economic and social sustainability projects revolve.

“The Lund University School of Economics and Management have a fantastic network of partner companies that have shown great interest right from the very beginning. Not to work on sustainability is not an option today. However, at the same time, as an individual actor, it is not easy to know how to proceed. These kinds of complex challenges require collaboration and trial and error. That is where the Sustainable Future Hub comes in as a facilitator and a driving force,” says Martina Oxling.

The Sustainable Future Hub collaborates with industry through LUSEM’s Corporate Partnership Foundation, but also with many other stakeholders within and outside Lund University.

Contact

Martina Oxling is the project manager for the Sustainable Future Hub. She is also employed as a sustainability strategist at the consultancy group Projektengagemang, and has assignments for social companies where she assists with business and business development.

Are you interested in becoming part of the Sustainable Future Hub? Please contact Martina Oxling: martina.oxling@ehl.lu.se.

Read more about the Sustainable Future Hub here

Launches student network in sustainability

This autumn, the Sustainable Future Hub invited students at Lund University to a new student network focusing on sustainability. Many students sent in their application. The selection process is ongoing. The network will consist of fifteen students from LUSEM and fifteen students from other faculties at Lund University. The network will recruit new members annually.

For example, the members of the network will be given the task of identifying and analysing trends in the area of sustainability. They will also have the opportunity to undertake assignments of various kinds with companies and other organisations. What better way to get experience and build relationships for the future?

Do you want to know more? Contact project manager Martina Oxling.