andrea stefani

My work experience stems from my passion for working to pursue a model of sustainable development. This passion derives from the need to understand the reality that surrounds us and to be able to make a real impact on improving the society in which we live daily.
For decades, generations of economics students studied how development depended solely on the creation of economic value. This model laid on the paradigm that future generations would undoubtedly benefit from economic growth. Today we know that it is not so. We understand that the development model that has dominated since the post-war period is no longer sustainable. This economic-financial system favours very short-term results. We have seen the consequences in the way in which corporate reporting, finance, shareholder investment choices have worked. Of course, this development model has generated both positive and negative effects on society and individuals. Overall, the system has created a more prosperous society. Yet social inequalities continue to increase, and the environmental consequences are drastic. This approach is changing, but it is slowly changing. In September 2015, the UN countries signed the 2030 Agenda, supporting the unsustainability of the current development model and identifying 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - with their 169 targets - to be reached by 2030.
The 2030 Agenda helps us understand the complexity of the reality in which we live. The new paradigm adopted by the document must be the guide for businesses, companies, governments and people. My job is to introduce this paradigm shift within the company where I work. To deal with economic, social and environmental issues putting together different skills, points of view and experiences are necessary. In this context, each profession has an address to take and a decisive role to play. In daily work, everyone contributes to face the problems of this complex reality. Therefore, adopting an integrated and multidisciplinary approach that involves transversal skills and allows identifying innovative solutions is an essential tool to cope with the direct and indirect impacts of our projects and activities.
Multidisciplinarity is, therefore, the need to combine skills and freely confront people with different backgrounds: what we should be able to achieve every time we approach a project. 
Yet, it often happens that emergencies, the scarce economic resources or tools available or the lack of work planning prevent confrontation. In practice, this could mean not having time to study and deepen the themes that are often new. We, therefore, run the risk of not having the opportunity to exploit the many possibilities available to us to acquire the tools we need. Second, albeit trivial, it is not possible to have the pretence of being able to disregard the others to seek solutions. In an era where physical distances can be easily bridged, we should be able to connect experiences, identified best practices, aligned with the problems and possible solutions that appear numerous in the most disparate contexts throughout Europe and the world.
We need to look for new and innovative solutions. Introduce the concept of the future in all the decisions we make and have a holistic vision. And we must act hopefully. The hope of succeeding in what we do, of striving to deliver a better world and not compromise - further - the future of the next generations. We must therefore not be afraid of change, and we must organize our work because the costs of non-preparation will be much higher than those of the transition.
In a world that does not seem to fully understand the drama of the times we are living in, a confronting platform is an important instrument to create interactions and bonds, to collect information and tools.
Many young people are engaging throughout Europe: in businesses, associations, universities, civil society. We need to have ideas to be able to make investments for the future. We can see the problems with a new vision, with high concreteness, giving voice to energies and aspirations.
The Agenda's principles must take place everywhere, person by person, since it affects everyone indiscriminately. Europe's survival is at risk, and the challenge of reaching the SDGs will either make Europe's future or destroy it. And if it is true that it will certainly be the test on which Europe will have to deal, in the same way, it will be for each of us who have a role to play. The thought that integrates society, economy, environment and institutions is what we need, but the most difficult to achieve. For this reason, together, we should operate with share objectives and transversal knowledge.