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EUROPEAN SUSTAINABILITY ACADEMY

Leadership for positive impact

About Us

The local community were invited in to the launch of the ESA

The European Sustainability Academy is the realisation of the vision of Sharon Jackson, inspired by her experiences of running sustainable business leadership programmes in areas of breathtaking natural beauty such as Tasmania, Australia and Chamonix in the French Alps.

ESA provides training and development programmes for business managers, owners and organisational leaders to learn about sustainable business and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It is also a superb venue for corporate retreats – especially those with a view to bringing a sustainable perspective to their agenda.

The ESA teaching philosophy is one of 'applied sustainability'. That involves bringing the best academic research to inform practical business action. With a strong emphasis on action learning, all ESA management and leadership programmes are designed to be highly stimulating for participants.

Whilst there are a number of centres for CSR and sustainable business in the world, very few are truly sustainable in every way. We happily seek to collaborate with those that are on the same journey in our mission to develop the best teaching and research around sustainable business.

Crete was chosen as the location for ESA because of its ancient history of philosophical and ethical debate. The hilltop village of Drapanos is wonderfully suited because it is a rural sustainable community set in a beautiful environment.

Host your event at ESA     

Powered only by Cretan sunshine, ESA is a beautiful building rooted in the earth amongst ancient rocks and olive trees, surrounded by nature. Its construction is a leading example of sustainability in practice. ESA is an experiential and creative place where people feel enlivened, uplifted and creative. Great living and great learning happen at ESA. A perfect setting for:

Leading sustainable enterprise

Our passion is contributing towards co-created sustainable enterprise for positive impact on communities and the natural environment on a global scale. Leadership and entrepreneur issues of adaptation, resilience, authenticity, sustainable-self, values connected sense-making and the continued emancipation of women (WISE) to take up more leadership roles in the world are at the core of the ESA sustainability experience.

Make sense of sustainability

Crete is the sustainable destination of the past and of the future.

Home of the Minoans, one of the earliest civilisations on earth, nestled between Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Crete is rich with mythology, gastronomy, music, art and agriculture. You can have your own authentic experience of a sustainable lifestyle and feel first-hand the strong connection between nature and community.