Pablo Barrera Lopez is responsible for strategy development at Yara International, a Norwegian-based mineral fertilizer company that focuses on crop nutrition solutions. As director and head of strategy he is committed to enriching not only his company but also society. So he applied to Harvard Business School's Purpose and Profit: Creating Shared Value program to learn how to identify and capitalize on profitable opportunities that improve people’s lives. Barrera discusses the impact the program had on him
I got even more convinced that it's possible to create value for shareholders and society at the same time. The conventional theory that there is a trade-off is not correct. It's possible to do both.
Absolutely! The program was a great learning experience. The case studies were very interesting, and the in-class case discussions were facilitated in an engaging way by the professors. Also, the participants represented a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
I became more aware of how our business-as-usual activities create value for more than just our shareholders. I am now more impressed than ever by the work being done by my colleagues and our partners to improve societies and the lives of the people in them. Going forward, I will be much more vocal about how Yara creates shared value by highlighting how our strategy creates value for society at large. I will continue to look for profitable business opportunities that have a social dimension.
Yes, it was excellent. My living group had a diverse mix of participants who were eager, well-prepared, and motivated to engage in deep discussions and share insights.
This is a unique arena. It provides the opportunity to interact with people from different industries and cultural backgrounds as you learn theories and discuss how they work in practice. It is a very interactive setting with exceptional guidance by highly accomplished Harvard Business School professors.
