European royalty to visit the Business School

European royalty to visit the Business School

Her Royal Highness Princess Birgitta of Sweden will visit The University of Auckland Business School tomorrow to attend a one-day symposium on achieving sustainability through collaboration.

The princess - King Gustaf's 71-year-old sister - will visit the Business School in the company of New Zealand's Swedish ambassador Karin Ehnbom-Palmquist, and will be welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

Based in Spain, the princess is married to German Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern. She is the first royal to visit the Business School since it opened its new facility, the Owen G Glenn Building, earlier this year.

"We are delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Birgitta to the Business School, and look forward to having her take part in an extremely important symposium looking at New Zealand's future," says Business School Dean Greg Whittred.

The symposium will address how Sweden has managed change and consensus amongst its organisations and communities facing a complex and rapidly changing world.

Sweden is recognised internationally as a leader in managing change, and has identified specific steps that need to take place over the next 50 years to ensure business practices are transformed from 'business as usual' to 'business as sustainable'.

Swedish Style New Zealand's Stig Ehnbom says those attending the symposium - organised in association with the University - will tackle the nine issues facing future sustainability that have been identified by the Swedish-based Tallberg Foundation.

These include safety, health, finance, sharing, agreeing, caring and the use of land, water and food.

"If you are currently risking the survival of humanity itself by placing short-term profits above long-term sustainability, is this a future you're proud to pass onto future generations?" Mr Ehnbom says.

"The symposium will allow the development of a clear vision of sustainability, and a plan to implement it."

Those speaking at the symposium include the Swedish Director General for Trade Anders Ahnlid, Swedish Environmental Research Centre of Sustainability senior adviser Dr Hans Lundberg and Ecologic Foundation director Guy Salmon.

University speakers include International Centre of Sustainability Engineering and Research director Dr Carol Boyle, and sustainability senior lecturer Dr Ron McDowall.

ENDS

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