300 Year Emergence of Sustainability as a concept - Where to Now?
Alexandra Gillies
- Region:
- Anywhere
- Notice Period:
- Regular (more than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Competent Speaker (Toastmasters trained/experienced) - A Rotary, U3A and a Women's Institute Speaker.
- Fee:
- Paid: £60 + travel expenses @ 0.45p per mile (statutory)
- Category:
- Business
- Updated:
- 18th October 2022
In this talk Alexandra explores the 300-year emergence of the concept of sustainability. From the early sustainability champions, through the last century of devastation on the planet, the repeated efforts to raise the awareness of the ravages of industry and exponential population increase on a finite planet, to the origin of the current United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals! Included in this talk, Alexandra also looks at the origins of the acronyms the 3 P’s (People, Planet & Profit), and the three E’s (Equity, Environment & Economy), and the triple bottom line approach to accounting introduced by British Entrepreneur John Elkington – what has and hasn’t worked - as part of the sustainability story. For this talk Alexandra draws on her roots and early career as a conservationist/researcher in Southern Africa, her 25 year international IT transformation consulting career and her own sustainability learning journey - the inspiration for setting up her own Alexandra’s Africa Safari business with operations in Southern Africa. Alexandra is also a part time PhD student at Winchester University - her specialist field is ecotourism destination sustainability. The talk will take approx. 45 mins allowing for a 15 min Q&A follow up - so 60 mins in total - it can be shortened if required. The talk can be offered via Zoom or in person.
Views: 1194 | Enquiries: 4About Alexandra Gillies
Current: An experienced Toastmaster and public speaker, Alexandra is MD of Alexandra's Africa Safaris, is certified in Sustainable Tourism and currently (between Safaris and running her company) doing a PhD in Sustainable Tourism through Winchester University. She has recently spoken at a number of Rotary, Probus, U3A, WI, WoW, events and she has also given a number of lectures via Zoom to students and lecturers in Switzerland, Dublin, France and Helsinki.
Background: Alexandra has spent 40 years exploring Southern Africa! UK born, she was raised and educated in South Africa and Botswana, studied zoology and oceanography at the University of Cape Town and worked in conservation in Namibia before moving into international IT consulting. Over a period of 25 years in the IT consulting world during which she completed an MSc in technology management, she returned often to southern Africa, drawn to continue exploring the vast game reserves of the drier northern areas of South Africa and the Tuli Block of Botswana.
Noticing the challenges as South Africa emerges from the legacy of apartheid, and inspired by the benefit of encouraging sustainable tourism into off-the-beaten track areas, she moved back to her conservation roots and set up Alexandra’s Africa in 2012. She now works with local South African based partners, suppliers and guides to showcase this beautiful region in a responsible/sutainable way.
In 2017 Alexandra was awarded a certificate in Sustainable Tourism by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, she has a BSc Hons. degree in Zoology and Oceanography, an MSc in Technology Management and is currently studying for a PhD in the field of Sustainable Tourism.
Alexandra is a keen photographer, and trail walker - as well as an ex-marathon runner. She runs her company Alexandra's Africa Safaris and Retreats from her New Forest, Hampshire UK base.
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