A Reality Check on Sustainability: Bringing industry voices into the classroom

Dr Ananya Bhattacharya, 2026

Purpose

Dr Ananya Bhattacharya.

As the lecturer of Global Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management, Ananya Bhattacharya's primary goal has always been to ensure that students move beyond theoretical concepts and develop a realistic understanding of sustainability in practice. Sustainability challenges are often complex, multifaceted and influenced by economic, social, environmental and regulatory considerations. To provide students with this essential “reality check”, Ananya actively pursued collaborations with leading industry practitioners and sustainability experts whose contributions across diverse sectors have been transformative – partnerships designed to expose students to real-world sustainability issues, enabling them to understand both the opportunities and challenges organisations face when implementing sustainable business practices.

Practice

To bring industry perspectives directly into the classroom, Ananya established strong partnerships with award-winning sustainability leaders from both local and global organisations, contributing through guest lectures, panel discussions and site visits that provided students with hands-on learning experiences complementing academic content. Every year, around 15 to 17 industry experts from sectors including packaging, food retail, financial services, manufacturing, hospitality, logistics and non-profit organisations shared their experiences and insights, discussing topics including responsible sourcing, circular economy initiatives, waste reduction, sustainable packaging and ethical supply chains. Importantly, the experts also highlighted the practical challenges involved in implementing sustainability initiatives – such as balancing profitability with environmental goals, managing stakeholder expectations, and navigating regulatory requirements – and shared strategies they have used to overcome these barriers. Industry visits further enriched the learning experience by allowing students to observe sustainability practices in action and engage directly with professionals responsible for driving organisational change.

Output

This extensive industry collaboration created a powerful bridge between academic theory and professional practice. Students were able to connect sustainability frameworks and concepts learned in class with real business applications, gaining a deeper appreciation of how sustainability is operationalised across different industries. By engaging with practitioners and examining authentic business challenges, students developed innovative and evidence-based solutions informed by both theoretical knowledge and practical insights – transforming classroom learning into a dynamic, experiential process that encouraged active participation, critical inquiry and problem-solving.

Outcome

The impact of these industry partnerships has been significant for students. Exposure to industry leaders fostered a deeper sense of professional responsibility and ethical awareness, inspiring students to consider the broader social and environmental implications of business decisions. Students later join industry with a realistic understanding of sustainability practice, greater confidence in addressing contemporary business challenges, and an enhanced ability to contribute to sustainable development outcomes – and some return to Ananya's classes later in their careers as guest speakers themselves, inspiring the next cohort.

Impact

The collaboration has also generated substantial benefits for industry partners. By engaging directly with students – the next generation of professionals – organisations have the opportunity to share current industry realities, emerging sustainability challenges and evolving workforce expectations. These interactions help prepare students for professional practice while enabling industry partners to influence future talent development and shape graduates' understanding of the skills, mindsets and capabilities required in the workplace.