For more than three decades, Rafael Sardá has helped shape the CEMS spirit – pioneering the integration of sustainability into business education, teaching over 70 Block Seminars across Europe, and co-creating the CEMS Climate Policy Course & Simulation, a Model UNFCCC. His influence extends far beyond the classroom, inspiring generations of students and colleagues to view business as a force for positive environmental and social change.
Here, he looks back on his journey and the values that continue to guide him.
What first inspired you to join CEMS and stay involved for nearly thirty years?
It began on a cold night in Cologne in 1996, when a small group of professors gathered to discuss environmental management. From that meeting, the first CEMS Block Seminar was born, held in Tata, Hungary, the following year. What started as an experiment became a lifelong commitment. These seminars have always been more than academic – they’re spaces where learning, friendship, and shared purpose come together. That sense of community has kept me engaged ever since.
You’ve been at the forefront of bringing sustainability to business education. What has driven this mission?
When I began teaching, environmental issues were rarely part of management programs. Yet our students wanted to understand the world they were inheriting. Together with colleagues like Rolf Wüstenhagen, we developed the CEMS Climate Policy Course & Model UNFCCC, one of the programme’s most impactful experiences. Later, we helped welcome WWF as a Social Partner – something students had long asked for. These steps reflect a shared conviction: business must lead in addressing global challenges.
Your concept of “Business in Nature” has influenced many. What message do you hope CEMS students take from it?
We need to rethink how we relate to nature. “Business in Nature” is about recognizing that companies operate within social-ecological systems, not apart from them. My goal has always been to help future leaders design strategies that respect natural boundaries while creating value for society.
After so many years, what does CEMS mean to you today?
CEMS represents a collective journey – one built on trust, friendship, and a belief that education can drive transformation. Every Block Seminar, every course, every conversation with students reminds me that what we do truly comes from the heart.
In the words of the CEMS community…
Rafael Sardá is a professor of ecology. (...) He works with masses of economic experts in a research institute. He publishes in major journals. His nearly two hundred scientific articles have received nearly five thousand international citations. As a natural scientist, he has been shaping the worldview of masses of young economists for almost thirty years with great commitment and credibility.
