Understanding sustainability beyond theory
Sustainability within the ATPM industry is often introduces as a set of concepts: ESG reporting, circular thinking, reducing waste, or improving operations. However, throughout this year, my understanding of sustainability has developed into something much broader.
According to the ILO’s, a professional in this field should be able to think and work in a sustainable way with the aim of creating multiple value, not only economic, but also social and environmental. This made me realize that sustainability is not just about reducing impact, but about consciously creating value for people, environments, and communities at the same time. It is also about making decisions that go beyond short-term results.
Seeing the impact, from theory to reality
On one hand, tourism brings opportunities: economic growth, international connections, development of local businesses. But at the same time, I also saw the negative side: increasing pressure on local communities, changes in the authenticity of places, environmental impact through waste, transport, and consumption.
This made me move aware of the responsibility that comes with working in the leisure and tourism industry.
Sustainability is not only about what happens inside a company, but also about the impact is has on the destination and the people living there. It connects to the idea that professionals in this industry must balance profit with social and environmental responsibility.
Personal vision, creating meaningful places
This insight strongly connects to my personal future vision. In the long term, I would love to create my own bed & breakfast, ideally connected to surf, yoga, and a more conscious way of living.
For me, this is not only about creating a business, but about creating a place. A place where people can slow down, reconnect, and experience something meaningful.
However, through what I have learned about sustainability, I now see that building something like this also comes with responsibility. Questions I now ask myself are:
- How can I create something without negatively impacting the local community?
- How can I work together with local businesses instead of competing with them?
- How can I reduce environmental impact while still offering a high-quality experience?
This shows that sustainability is not something separate from my dream, it is something that needs to be part of it from the beginning
Sustainability in practice
Within the industry, a key development is the shift from linear thinking towards circular thinking, where resources are reused and waste in minimized. Through projects and lectures, I learned how organizations are increasingly required to reduce waste and material use, implement sustainable supply chains, and intergrade sustainability into their mission and operations.
For example, topics like waste management, reducing plastic use, and creating awareness among guests are becoming essential. This made me realize that sustainability is not only a strategic concept, but also something that needs to be visible in daily operations and behavior.
This broader understanding of sustainability is something I am currently applying in practice during my assignment at The Salty. Within my Sustainable Engagement Report, I focus on the issue of food waste during the breakfast buffet and tapas dinner nights. Through this assignment, I have seen how sustainability is often present as an intention, but not yet fully embedded in daily operations.
At The Salty, sustainability is recognized as an important value on an individual level, but there is a clear lack of structured systems to support it in practice. This made me realize something important: sustainability is not only about awareness or motivation, but also about systems. Even when people care about sustainability, it is difficult to act on it consistently without clear processes, structured communication, and shared responsibility.
Through this project, I also learned that sustainability challenges are often part of a larger system. In the case of The Salty, food waste is influenced by multiple factors such as communication, guest expectations, organizational cultures, and even external factors like suppliers. This connects to the broader idea that sustainability in the tourism and leisure industry is complex and requires a holistic approach.
What I am learning here is not only how to reduce food waste, but how to think in systems: understanding relationships between stakeholders, identifying root causes instead of symptoms, and designing solutions that fit within a real-life context. This experience strengthens my understanding that sustainability is not a separate topic, but something that needs to be integrated into every part of an organization.
Looking forward, I want to take this mindset into my future work, including my own dream of creating a bed and breakfast, by not only focusing on the experience itself, but also on the systems behind it that make it sustainable.
Reflection, what is means for me
Looking back, my understanding of sustainability has shifted from something abstract to something very personal. It is no longer only about “doing less harm”, but about making conscious choices that create positive impact. I also realize that sustainability is complex. There is no perfect solution, it always involves balancing different interests, such as profit, experience, and responsibility.
For me, this means that I want to approach sustainability not as a fixed solution, but as an ongoing process of questioning and improving.
In the future, I want to:
- Intergrade sustainability into my own ideas and concepts from the start
- Stay aware of the impact tourism has on places and communities
- And make conscious choices that align with both business goals and social responsibility.
Especially in relation to my dream of creating my own place, I want to ensure that I contribute positively to the environment and community instead of using it. This mindset will shape not only the way I work, but also the kind of professional I want to become.
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