News
Erasmus+ GenNZ project closed at the Creta Maris Resort, Heraklion
With the aim of sharing the Upskilling Generation NetZero project results, gaining feedback and ideas for the next potential stages of the GenNZ teaching framework, a project closing event was hosted at the Creta Maris Resort, Hersonissos Heraklion.
The venue was selected for its sustainability credentials and we were grateful to Ms. Konstantina Vougioukalou, Sustainability Engagement Supervisor, Metaxa Hospitality Group, for her presentation about how the resort converts sustainability policies into practical action.
Specific people with experience in workplace education and in management roles within the tourism and hospitality sectors in Greece were invited. The people who attended the event were influencers and enablers who have a keen interest in improving and scaling access to workplace ‘green skills’ developments across the tourism sector.
The discussions were lively, informative and provided valuable insight into the next phase of the GenNZ skills development towards a new-zero transition and decarbonised economy. Several attendees from HEI, VET and tourism/ hospitality organisations expressed interest in further co-operation and collaboration to enable scalability and wider access to the GenNZ framework.
This short film shows some of the highlights of the GenNZ closing event and insightful comments from some of the attendees. The film is recorded in English for wide dissemination, but will be subtitled in Greek and Slovenian on YouTube (links to follow).
5th October 2025
ESA Crete, Corporate LiveWire Global Award Winner 2025
In this interview with ESA Founder Sharon Jackson you will hear about how ESA was set up in 2011 to address the lack of knowledge and skills in sustainable business management. Sharon explains why learning ‘green skills’ in organisations is essential for addressing the business challenges of the future and for taking action against the terrible damage of climate change.
Sharon explains the importance and sustainability impact of the Erasmus+, EU Co-Funded teaching programme ‘Upskilling Generation NetZero - GenNZ’ which has been designed and piloted during 2025 for the tourism sector in Greece and Slovenia. The tourism and hospitality sectors are known as one of the most environmentally damaging sectors across the globe. However, the sector has the opportunity to educate travellers about waste, reducing single-use plastic, understanding how carbon footprints can be reduced and the role that every person can play in reversing global environmental destruction.
30th September 2025
ESA wins global award for best sustainability educator
ESA Crete has been given a Global Award for being voted as 'Sustainability Education Provider of the year 2025'.
It is wonderful that our work, helping people develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) for managing and leading sustainable business towards a decarbonized, net-zero, global economy has been recognised.
The crystal award will arrive at ESA Crete in October and will live a lovely life there in the beautiful off-grid, natural materials, biophilia, bioclimatic designed building, among the stunning rocks, olive trees and nature of Drapanos near Chania, Crete.
Our recent Erasmus+ GenNZ programme is one of our groundbreaking teaching programmes which has contributed to this award. An interview from the awards event, with ESA Founder, Sharon Jackson will be available soon.
1st September 2025
Upskilling Generation NetZero (GenNZ) Summer School Launched
The Erasmus+ GenNZ project induction session brought together a range of 40 people from diverse roles in the tourism and hospitality sectors of Greece and Slovenia, and also some people with aspirations of future roles in tourism.
At the online onboarding sessions on 7th May, the participants met for the first time to hear about the next 8 weeks of learning new ‘Green Skills’ for driving the transition towards a strategic sustainable tourism economy of the future. Everyone is enthusiastic to learn, achieve a MicroCredential certification and excited about the end of GenNZ Summer School ‘party‘ and graduation ceremony in September!
The Summer School participants truly represent the ‘Generation Net-Zero’ and are leading the way as pioneers of a future model of tourism. A future model that is less harmful on the environment and more economically successful than today, with new ‘green products and services’ to offer, without greenwash marketing!
They are leading the way in helping to pilot and modify this programme, which is co- funded by the EU, so that others can get the essential green skills that will help them to gain employment of the future.
7th May 2025
‘BBC 100 Women’ in 2025
We are delighted that ESA Associate Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza has been celebrated as one of BBC’s 100 women in 2025. You can see Rosa and her work featured in this BBC 100 Women documentary, which shares the story of her work with stingless bees - guardians of the rainforest, master pollinators, and keepers of ancient knowledge.
BBC 100 Women documentary:
10th March 2025
Decarbonisation in Hotels and Hospitality in Greece
ESA Founder and Managing Partner, Sharon Jackson was invited to speak at the Energy in Buildings conference in Heraklion, Crete on Saturday 8th March, organised by the ASHRAE HELLENIC CHAPTER.
She introduces the European Sustainability Academy’s 'Upskilling Generation Net-Zero' (GenNZ) Erasmus+ Green Skills in tourism training programme to hotel owners and hotel managers attending the conference.
She presents findings from ESA studies from 2024/25 with a focus on the business opportunities from ESA, green transition and decarbonisation strategies in the hotel and hospitality sectors.
28th February 2025
Micro-Credentials for Green Skills in Tourism
Sharon Jackson, Founder of ESA was joined by Erasmus+ partner Andrej Korpar from EMC – Entrepreneurship Movement Club, Slovenia at Tallinn University ‘Symposium on Qualifications, Training, Micro-Credentials and Sustainable Development’ to present a research paper as part of ESA’s ‘Upskilling Generation Net Zero’ (GenNZ) EU co-funded project on Green Skills in Greece and Slovenia. There were many excellent presentations from around the world which illustrated how micro-credentials for skills development are gaining momentum.
A micro-credential is a qualification of new skills and career progression. Courses are short, very often online, free or very low cost and usually practical and workplace relatable. Digital-certification is increasingly recognised and valued as evidence of learning achievement.
Micro-credentials can speed up skills and knowledge development towards sustainable tourism in Greece and give tourism employees qualifications that increase their chances of employment and are transferrable to different countries.
Between May and June 25, European Sustainability Academy - ESA Crete will host a Summer School to pilot the GenNZ short course with micro-credentials. The course has been designed from listening to what people in the tourism sector are asking for.
For more details see GenNZ pilot, skills training programme
22nd February 2025
You can be part of Upskilling Generation Net Zero (GenNZ)
Upskilling Generation Net Zero (GenNZ) is a 13 months Erasmus+ project, co-funded by the European Union, led by the European Sustainability Academy - Crete Greece, in partnership with EMC - Entrepreneurship Movement Club, Slovenia. ESG auditing has arrived in the tourism sector in Greece!
We are creating a Green- Skills competencies framework and workplace teaching programme which will 'upskill' employees for responding to the increasing ESG business drivers across the tourism and hospitality sectors, including SMEs in the supply chain. The aim of GenNZ is to address the gap between 'green skills' teaching and the fast-changing 'world of work' towards a green economy.
If you are working in the tourism sector (large or small organisations) in Greece, or you are an educator in this sector, we would be very grateful for your advice.
Please complete this quick survey (5 minutes to complete)
For more details see GenNZ pilot, skills training programme
1st November 2024
ESA Sustainability Activators Workshop 2024
Managers from diverse organisations, from different countries spent a weekend in September together on a mountain in Crete.
They learned about how to develop and how to apply the essential knowledge skills and behaviours for driving the ‘green transition’ that is needed for the decarbonisation of industry to reverse devastating climate change.
ESA Sustainability Activators workshops
13th October 2024
Upskilling generation net zero (GenNZ)
The Erasmus+ 2024 Round 1. results have been published! European Sustainability Academy - ESA Crete application has been SUCCESSFUL!
We are very pleased and happy to be partnering with Andrej Korpar at EMC-Club Slovenia.
Our project: Upskilling Generation Net Zero (GenNZ) will start on 1st September 2024.
The project focuses on developing a 'Green Management Skills' competencies framework for driving sustainable tourism as part of the green transition.
The project will be presented between 13 – 14 September at ESA Crete.
We welcome collaborators from tourism, vocational education training and skills development sectors. Please email info@EuroSustainability.org
2nd August 2024
ESA Sustainability Activator from Crete becomes a changemaker in The Congo
Vincent Hoogstad attended the ESA Sustainability Activator workshop in 2022 as the founder of Animal Rehabilitation Crete. His mission, to provide education, knowledge and practical physiotherapy for injured animals on Crete and trying to change the prevailing mindset towards sentient creatures.
Unsurprisingly, Vincent encountered numerous barriers, disappointments and set- backs to his aspirations in applying his human physiotherapy credentials and expertise for giving relief to animals in pain.
Vincent attended the SA 2022 workshop hoping for some new inspiration. He never anticipated how much clarity of ‘purpose’ he would gain, a better understanding of his existing knowledge and skills and what new competencies he needed for momentum towards making the most impact. The critical learning for Vincent was how to identify essential stakeholders in alignment with his own aspirations, and how to communicate with those stakeholders with impact.
He realised that his true purpose is to work with primates to contribute to greater understanding about ‘pain relief’ in both humans and animals. He says it was a ‘lifechanging’ realisation for him. With this new insight Vincent methodically reviewed his current skills and researched what was necessary for him to follow his newly realised ‘purpose’. An experiential, in the field, learning programme at The Centre for Rehabilitation of Primates Lwiro | Democratic Republic of Congo (CRPL) became a clear choice for him for developing the specific skills that he realised he needed.
As a trained human and animal physiotherapist but not a veterinarian, there was no guarantee that Vincent would be accepted on the programme. Impressed by both the work of CRPL and Vincent’s commitment, ESA was happy to offer him sponsorship for his place on the programme. He was accepted, and his changemaking path has been ‘super boosted’ by the new knowledge and skills he has gained from that experience in June 2024.
Vincent will be sharing his experiences from The Congo and his insights about the importance of diligent stakeholder engagement at the 2024 ESA Sustainability Activators workshop 13 – 15 September.
3rd July 2024
Green skills competencies development framework
ESA designs a green skills competencies development framework for Greece sustainable tourism objectives
The Greek National Strategy 2030, for sustainable tourism does not currently have a management competencies development framework to drive the strategic transition. In 2023 a joint study by INSETE (Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation) and Deloitte found that around 60% of the responding tourism sector professionals do not measure their business sustainability impact because they do not know how to. Sustainability literacy and carbon counting skills are critical for a green transition in any sector.
During Q1 of 2024, ESA - Crete conducted our own study to get more understanding of what green management skills are required in the tourism sector in Greece.
Our key findings include:
- Generally, Greek tourism sector and hospitality professionals do not know what the terms Net Zero (carbon) or Green Transition mean, but they THINK they know which perpetuates a ‘talk – act’ gap and marketing ‘greenwashing’ across the sector.
- Generally, across the Greek tourism sector, biodiversity is not valued, or even noticed, as a contributor to the tourist experience, despite studies showing that tourists are making vacation choices based on sustainability credentials and will pay up to 38% more.
- The Greek tourism sector is not ready for the impending, mandatory ESG auditing and reporting across the sector.
ESA has created a CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK for knowledge, skills and attitude (behaviours) competencies development, which builds on the EU GreenComp and UK Leadership Apprenticeship, workplace learning models.
On 28th May, the ESA study authors Sharon Jackson and Rosa V. Espinoza will present their study at the international Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) Conference, hosted by the University of Maia, Portugal.
23rd May 2024
The European Sustainability Academy joins the EU Pact For Skills – Green Skills
At ESA we are delighted to have been accepted by the European Commission as a member of the ‘The Pact for Skills’ partnership.
A component of the EU Skills Agenda and EU Green Deal objectives, the Pact for Skills community aims to mobilise a concerted effort for quality investment in up- and reskilling Europe’s workforce. The Pact for Skills collaboration enables a platform for collaboration and co-creation in green skills development opportunities for driving the green transition towards net- zero by 2050.
ESA is currently working on innovative Vocational Education Training interventions and workplace learning models for the tourism and construction sectors which both contribute to high climate changing greenhouse gas emissions.
14th March 2024
The International Ecological Engineering Society (IEES)
ESA was delighted to welcome some of the IEES members from one of the technical tours of the ‘Closed Cycles and the Circular Society' conference at Platanias, Chania, organised by Prof. Alexandros Stefanakis from The Technical University of Crete. The guests enjoyed a visit to the circular economy Tzompanakis hand blown glass workshop before enjoying ESA’s locally sourced, exquisitely tasty Cretan vegetarian feasts. ESA Architect Zeta Chrysafaki and ESA Caterer Stella Diomandaraki delivered consummate professionalism and their attention to detail as always.
22nd October 2023
TransFIRe Research Hub Cranfield: Sustainable Materials Research Workshop at ESA Crete
TransFIRe is a UKRI funded Research Hub at Cranfield University, with 12 research organisations based in the UK and more than 70 project partners from across the foundation industries, trade associations, professional membership bodies, civic sector and government organisations.
Foundation industries cover: Chemicals, Metals, Glass, Cement, Paper, Ceramics.
Professors and Post Doctoral Researchers spent a week at ESA for a customised agenda of skills development workshops, visits to emerging sustainable businesses in Crete, waste management facilities (DEDISA) and academic exchanges with the Technical University of Crete.
The week was enhanced by the enjoyment of the usual ESA Cretan hospitality and nighttime starwatching.
An academic output of this programme was the LCA analysis of ESA as a sustainable event venue.
As one participant said: “The transition to a sustainable future starts with sustainable manufacturing. Let’s build a better world, one product at a time.”
Read more about the programme
28th April 2023
Essential skills development for Sustainability Activators
This is what the participants said about the new ESA Sustainability Activator and Changemakers skills development workshop
29th March 2023
Sustainability Activators and Changemakers Skills Development Workshop
The combination of many parts of the world now feeling the effects of climate change, every day, along with the COVID pandemic which touched every area of the planet, seemed to stimulate a new vigour of ambition towards sustainability action.
Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting became mainstream almost overnight. This has guided a significant amount of investment towards green technologies development.
The UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) are now frequently cited as the aims and aspirations of companies and communities across the globe.
At COP26 in Glasgow, 2021, there was a first ever commitment by nations to phase out coal, in the shift towards a Green Economic Transition that will meet the Paris Climate Target of 1.5 degrees increased warming by 2030.
It all sounds like we are on a good path towards a sustainable planet. Right?
Unfortunately, not so.
In June this year, just 6 months since those agreements at COP26, a report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) concludes, ‘The world is no longer making progress on the SDGs’ this means the world is falling behind the 1.5 degrees warming target.
WHY IS THIS? Firstly, most people on the planet still do not fully understand what climate change is, why it is happening and how it can be reversed.
Secondly, many people working in organisation that have the most negative, or potentially positive impact, do understand, however:
- (A) They lack the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to activate the ambitious aspirations for delivering the SDGs and a 1.5 degree heated planet.
- (B) Most businesses and public sector organisations function on a model from the 1990s, with the leadership taught by 1990s MBA models. These business formats are outdated and block sustainability thinking and progress towards a Green Economy.
WE HAVE A PROBLEM that many authors and orators are highlighting. At ESA we are attempting to address this problem.
PLEASE JOIN US, 15th – 16th September at ESA Crete, to be part of refining a pilot programme for cascading ‘Sustainability Activators and Changemaker Skills Development’. Follow the link to book your place.
We must all work together to break through this increasing problem that we all face.
18th July 2022
Health and wellbeing impact of Green Buildings
Our research on the health and wellbeing impact of Green Buildings on people (Biophilia), has been published in Springer Nature Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) series.
Congratulations and thanks to our co-authors in India, Lakshmikant Singh and Trupti Doshi.
You can obtain a soft copy of our research (Chapter 16) or the whole book which includes other excellent studies on Green Urbanisation via the publisher Springer.
2nd October 2021
Young Greek Greens
22 - 26 September 2021
Super to welcome the Young Greek Greens - Neoi Prasinoi to European Sustainability Academy - Crete for their 5 day, experiential learning, summer camp. Congratulations to Andreas Karadakis for his excellent event organisation. It was fantastic to hear these bright young people talking about ACTION and discussing HOW to engage people in changing their behaviours.
SummerCamp DAY 4. Learning a lot and having fun too at European Sustainability Academy - Crete.
Thank you Eleni and Eleanora from Eleonora’s taverna for the fantastic catering.
And, of course, the beautiful visit from K. Marika Bolaraki (91 years young), bringing flowers from her garden, was treasured by all of us.
4 trailers of garbage collected from the beautiful Koutalas spot Kokino Chorio, Apokoronas
WELL DONE to the participants NeoiPrasinoi SummerCamp for taking action. NOW. We need to change behaviour and STOP people from dumping in and destroying the beautiful Natural Environment of Crete. BeBraveGreenGreece.
SummerCamp Day 5. A WONDERFUL FINAL DAY: Learning about the natural environment IN the natural environment. From the morning energizer, the training sessions, to the end of programme closing party with delicious Dourakis Winery Cassiopeia Cretan Sparkling wine, AMAZING fully vegetarian dinner at To steki tou Leonida in Drapanos, and the final surprise for everyone, watching the planets in a perfectly clear night sky with our 'always fantastic' ESA_Crete resident astronomer Christos Sotiropoulos.
THANK YOU to everyone in Drapanos who helped us to create the perfect setting for Neoi Prasinoi Summer Camp 2021 and THANK YOU Andreas Karadakis for choosing European Sustainability Academy - Crete. It's been a pleasure.
27th September 2021
Be Brave for a Greener Greece
22 - 26 September 2021
Getting ready at ESA to welcome: YOUNG GREENS of Greece
"Be Brave for a Greener Greece" Summer Camp hosted by The Federation of Young European Greens at ESA.
A wonderful agenda for young people who want to be part of a unique international project and help build a better Europe.
Training topics include, social rights, collective decision making and green economy.
How to use online and offline tools for engaging active participation of young people in civil society.
Developing organisational and leadership skills for engaging community action.
Understanding wider issues of diversity and inclusion and the reality of feminism.
11th September 2021
Joint Animal Welfare Society
ESA hosts Tea Party with Joint Animal Welfare Society - JAWS for PAWS.
A HUGE shout out to the Joint Animal Welfare Society - JAWS for PAWS organisers and the helpers who pulled off a FANTASTIC event at ESA. Everything was wonderful... the sandwiches, the cakes, the wine, the service, the presentation, the singing from Prue and an all round fabulous feeling of being part of humanity again! An EXCELLENT fundraising achievement of €2000 for The Souda Shelter Project and Cretan Animal Protection. Both very hardworking and deserving organisations.
THANK YOU to all of the guests who reached deep into their pockets to donate so generously.
12th September 2021
Shinrin Yoku
Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing) will be one of our new offerings at at ESACrete as an important element of Sustainability and Leadership.
Sharon Jackson has recently completed the course with a distinction.
18th May 2021
Circle the Med - The Mediterranean Online Forum 2020
Integrating Strategies for Sustainable Development. Circle the Med Forum 13.11.2020
The new, SDG, oft spoken phrase 'leave nobody behind' is easy to say and less easy to make happen. This focusses on basic, effective communication about concepts such as circular economy in a way that makes sense to people who are expected to integrate and scale-up 'strategies' that seem 'abstract' and distant from their daily reality. This is a call for action in widescale future leadership 'competency correction' through new, rigorous vocational and apprenticeship training standards. The old-style leadership model has no agency in a 1.5 degree planet.
Sharon speaking about Integrating Strategies for Sustainable Development And Cohesion
22nd December 2020
SEC Showcase of Toolkit for Young Entrepreneurs
Saturday, 21 November 2020 11:00
Thursday, 26 November 2020 20:00
How to make young people aware of entrepreneurial opportunities.
Have you considered educating young people about entrepreneurship? To help you, we have designed a ready-to-use toolbox!
This event is a demonstration of new tools for raising awareness of young people about the potential of youth entrepreneurship. Presentation of new youth entrepreneurship awareness tools developed by a European team from the Erasmus + project (France, Slovenia, Greece, Ireland).
Here is a video of the event:
17th November 2020
TEDx Countdown Videos - Climate Change
This online event was part of the TED Countdown global launch to share ideas and showcases solutions, technologies and actions for addressing the global climate change emergency.
Due to the current pandemic restrictions, diverse speakers gave live talks via webinar. Attendees were from diverse locations with many from island states, suffering similar climate change crisies as Crete. Discussions were built in to the agenda for knowledge sharing and collaborative networking. The event closed with a CALL TO ACTION! The content of these talks is very practical and grounded in suggestions for local action. There is no more time for abstract theories.
See The TEDx Countdown videos:
11th November 2020
CONGRATULATIONS Lefteris Arapakis
CONGRATULATIONS Lefteris Arapakis on being awarded the title 'Europe’s Young Champion of the Earth' by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The organisation he set up in his 20s Εναλεία (Enaleia)- Mediterranean Cleanup not only clears the ocean of plastic waste but also puts circular economy into action and teaches new skills for sustainable fishing practices to Greek fishermen of the past and the future.
Since its launch, Enaleia has collected more than 80 tonnes of plastic from the sea.
Lefteris is an inspirational Young Entrepreneur who is taking action to repair the environmental damage in the ocean.
5th November 2020
Making Sense of Climate Change on Crete
Making Sense of Climate Change on Crete - Taking Action
TEDxEuropeanSustainabilityAcademy – a LIVE online event.
Saturday, 17th October, 1300 – 1730, one of 500 events in 19 countries to launch TED Countdown, to share ideas and showcase solutions, technologies and actions for addressing the global climate change emergency.
The event aim is to share the voices of the people of Crete, with knowledge and experience from other islands to create a blue- print for climate change action and engage all leading stakeholders on Crete.
FREE TO ATTEND
Language will be Greek and English
Event hosted from the off-grid, PV powered, natural materials, biophilia designed building, European Sustainability Academy (ESA)in Drapanos, Apokoronas, Crete.
TEDxEuropeanSustainabilityAcademy - μια ζωντανή διαδικτυακή εκδήλωση.
Σάββατο, 17 Οκτωβρίου 13.00 - 17.30, μία από τις 500 εκδηλώσεις σε 19 χώρες για την έναρξη του TED Countdown, για την ανταλλαγή ιδεών και την παρουσίαση λύσεων, τεχνολογιών και δράσεων για την αντιμετώπιση του παγκόσμιου κινδύνου της κλιματικής αλλαγής.
Στόχος της εκδήλωσης είναι να μοιραστούν οι φωνές του λαού της Κρήτης, με γνώση και εμπειρία από άλλα νησιά για να δημιουργήσουν ένα αποτύπωμα για την αλλαγή του κλίματος και να προσελκύσουν όλους τους κορυφαίους ενδιαφερόμενους στην Κρήτη.
ΔΩΡΕΑΝ ΠΑΡΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΗΣΗ
Η γλώσσα θα είναι ελληνική και αγγλική
Εκδήλωση που διοργανώθηκε από εκτός δικτύου, φωτοβολταϊκο με φυσικά υλικά, κτίριο σχεδιασμένο με βιοφιλία, Ευρωπαϊκή Ακαδημία Αειφορίας (ESA) στον Δράπανο, στον Αποκόρωνα, Κρήτης.
Schedule · Saturday, 17 October 2020
14th October 2020
Countdown Global Launch
Watch the Countdown Global Launch, a call to action on climate change.
12th October 2020
