Sustainability was debated at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto, as part of the inauguration of the new Corticeira Amorim Auditorium. This modern, fully equipped space hosted the first lecture, which was attended by Isabel Capeloa Gil, president of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and António Rios Amorim, chairman of the Board of Directors of Corticeira Amorim.

Isabel Capeloa Gil addressed Integral Ecology at UCP as a way of seeking an ethical and evidence-based response to global challenges - culture and environmental sustainability; intergenerational justice; the green economy and the fight against systemic poverty; economic growth and sustainability, among others.

“How can we transform the university so that knowledge is not just a disciplinary silo?” asked the UCP president, stating that “the challenge of Integral Ecology is to revolutionise the scientific method”. Of the various initiatives highlighted, the UCP president named the Insure Hub as an initiative that is creating an ecosystem between academia and the business sector that promotes a holistic vision for more sustainable business and, consequently, for a better society. She also emphasised UCP's new doctorate in Integral Ecology - unique in Portugal and the world - which interconnects different areas of knowledge, allowing for a broad vision and “an understanding of our contemporaneity”.

The topic of “Sustainability and Innovation” was addressed by the chairman of the Board of Directors of Corticeira Amorim, António Rios Amorim, who stated that at Corticeira “sustainability is horizontal in all business areas”.  During his speech, he spoke of the company as an engine for research & development in a product that is 100 per cent natural, such as cork. A material that is currently used in industries such as aerospace, automobiles, construction and architecture, sports, energy, design and wines, among many others.

 

A new auditorium that breathes sustainability

The inauguration of the new Corticeira Amorim auditorium at Católica in Porto campus is the result of a strategic partnership between Universidade Católica Portuguesa and Corticeira Amorim.

Isabel Braga da Cruz, pro-rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto, said that “the name of the new auditorium carries with it the prestige and leadership of the cork sector, recognised worldwide” and represents “a partnership that we are very proud of”. “This auditorium is testimony to a solid relationship that looks to the future,” she adds. “The partnership with Corticeira reinforces our commitment to aligning academia with business practice” and the new auditorium, among other initiatives linking the two organisations, is “a reflection of the convergence of values that both organisations share, namely the commitment to a sustainable world.”

The event, which took place on 9 September, also featured a round table on the theme of ‘Sustainability, Innovation and Business’. Moderated by Célia Manaia, member of the executive committee of the Porto Regional Centre of UCP, Isabel Barros, director of Sonae MC, João Pinto, dean of Católica Porto Business School (CPBS), and Manuela Pintado, director of the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF) took part.

Asked about the barriers to sustainable innovation, João Pinto highlights three main challenges: “the challenge of leadership, the challenge of funding and the challenge of sustainability literacy.” The CPBS dean also emphasises innovation as “fundamental to sustainable development”.

Manuela Pintado shares that “sustainability makes sense when we look at it as an integrated chain. This integration is fundamental.” For the CBQF director, “innovation must be ethical and inclusive, so as not to create more inequalities.” 

Isabel Barros said that “when sustainability is at the core of the business, there's no other way to do it well without innovation as a lever”. “It's what allows us to transform the business and find solutions,” she added. Isabel Barros also emphasised that “in retail, there is a great concern to enlighten the consumer and that there is much more to be done for consumer sustainability literacy”.

A debate that reflects the UCP’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. A commitment that is also reflected in the partnerships signed, such as the one with Corticeira Amorim, in line with the university's sustainability strategy and also with a policy of proximity and strengthening the relationship between academia and companies. “The Corticeira Amorim Auditorium, so named under the partnership, was completely remodelled in line with the latest technology that benefits students in their experience, underpinned by the values of sustainability that this partnership also reflects,” said Isabel Braga da Cruz, pro-rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

The event was attended by around 100 invited participants, including many of the UCP’s partner companies.