In my opinion | Invite only genuinely sustainable companies
Tomorrow, Tuesday March 7th sees the start of the Career Expo at TU/e, open to all the university's students. As in other years, companies like Shell and Tata Steel will be looking to recruit their future employees here. As a student who is deeply worried about the future of our planet, I call on TU/e to invite only sustainable and healthy companies to these kinds of career events.
Here at TU/e, technicians are being trained to produce the solutions needed to address the major challenges facing our world. The smart minds of our students are essential to finding the sustainable solutions our society so desperately seeks. A great many students are eager to help create a sustainable future, and thus keen to work for companies committed to this aim. This makes it both backward and worrying that companies like Tata Steel and Shell are still being admitted to career events like the Career Expo held this week at our university.
When it comes to impacting the environment and the health of local residents in harmful ways, these companies have a long track record. It is time for us, as a university, to shift our focus to companies that are working towards a healthy and sustainable future. Companies committed to creating a better world.
Our generation is not helped by companies that engage in greenwashing. They act as if their activities are sustainable and environmentally aware without actually implementing any substantial changes. Not only is this misleading, it is unfair for companies genuinely engaged in healthful and sustainable endeavors. This makes it essential not only that TU/e invites companies that say they are sustainable, but that their actual impact on the environment and society is checked. In this way, we will inspire students to make choices that help create a sustainable future.
As a student at this university, I know that we can and must work together to make the future sustainable. By focusing on companies that are helping to make this happen, we can make a difference, as students and as future professionals. Let's become aware of our choices and work together to create a better future for ourselves and for the generations who come after us. This will enable us to create not only a better planet, but also a greener, healthier and happier society. And TU/e, this what you want too, isn't it?
Emma van Beek (23) is studying for the Master's of Data Science & Artificial Intelligence at TU/e. She is also the GroenLinks candidate for the province of North Brabant in the provincial council elections to be held on March 15th.
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