Acquiring competencies and knowledge may contribute to sustainable development. Clearly conveyed values may help successful life choices. However, where is the public and private education in Brazil leading to? Can we say our children will have quality of life only with what they learn at school?
The panel “Education for Sustainability”, held at the 2008 Ethos International Conference, moved the audience by its relevance and cross-cutting nature. “What is the education for sustainability all about? Is it formal or informal education?”, questioned Oscar Motomura, president of Amana-Key.
“Real life takes place at the school yard and the teacher has no idea of what goes on there,” commented Motomura. Many values are conveyed during extracurricular activities. Children and teenagers share their experiences, tell about the video game they have completed, comment on the new song of a certain band, get to know each other and discover their own resources and limits, and those of their peers. At such moments, according to Motomura, certainly there are no teachers monitoring the steps of these kids. Do they have to be monitored all the time anyway?
Motomura questions: “What kind of life are we educating are children for? To become successful professionals?” He believes that educating someone to become a true human being can solve even the sustainability issue. “We compete to earn more and more, when we should compete to better serve society as a whole”, explains Motomura.
In his opinion, each one should develop his/her own background. After all, “80% of what we need doesn’t come from school, but from our life experiences and our choices”. Mario Monzoni, coordinator of GVces – Center for Sustainability Studies – Getulio Vargas Foundation), agrees with Motomura and adds that “a new incentives matrix” should be created, through which young people can choose their way based on sound values.
The panel moderator Oded Grajew, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Ethos Institute e participant in the Our São Paulo Movement, asked Monzoni what he would do if he were the president of FGV. Playfully, Monzoni answered Grajew with a question: “What would you do if you were Minister of Education?”. Without hesitation, Grajew answered he would force all politicians, whether mayors, town councilors, governors or the president of the Republic, to send their children to public schools. And he added: “Maybe then, school syllabuses would include subjects aligned with education for sustainability”.
GVCes has managed to include the sustainability theme in its programs. “We still have a few challenges, though. One of them is to meet the increasing demand. Many people are interested in the programs, but with different expectations. Some come to GVCes to learn how to develop schedules and spreadsheets, believing they can solve their sustainability dilemmas as if the solutions could be found in charts”, he explains. On the other hand, there is the supply upon which GVCes bases its mission of disseminating education for sustainability.
According to Monzoni, women are the majority in sustainability-focused programs. “Their view and sensitivity are important in the current situation. The change process has two axes: one that generates technological progress, and is more rational; the other that generates values, and leads to quality changes. Women are essential in the latter”, stated Monzoni.

The business world
Education in the business world was also addressed in the debate. Jane Nelson, director of the CSR Initiative - Harvard University, states that leaders’ education is a true challenge for the business community and business schools. She suggests getting the executives out of their offices and showing them other realities. “Community service provides executives with lots of learning and awareness. Meeting social challenges and becoming part of the community is great for building more engaged leaders”, she says. Jane believes sustainability-focused courses should be mandatory, but she agrees this is a hard task. In her opinion, there is still too much discussion on entrepreneurship and innovation. “We must give young people freedom to innovate. Innovate in processes, create more responsible work systems, seek transboundary leaders, enhance the academia role and link it to the business world.”
Jane listed a few priority items regarding education for sustainability. One of them is encouraging employees and executives to be creative and innovative. The working environment should be improved to become healthier. Jane concluded by saying that education is paramount for the sustainable and fair society we long for.