Graduate Story: Riccardo Pelizzeni

“The course promised me a better understanding of sustainability and it didn’t disappoint”

Riccardo Pelizzeni
Senior Program Manager
Diploma in Business Sustainability Graduate

Can you tell me about your professional background?

I’ve worked in the finance sector for 23 years. The last company I worked for was Dell, and my work mainly focused on project and programme management. At the moment, I’m not working as I’ve taken a break to focus on upskilling in sustainability. 

Why did you decide to do a business sustainability course?

I decided to take a business sustainability course as I was eager to gain more insights into this topic. I’m also keen to move into a career within the realm of sustainability in the future. 

Why did you choose the Institute of Sustainability Studies as your educational provider?

One main thing that appealed to me was the online and self-paced learning environment. While I was not working at the time, I was impressed to know there were course options out there that would allow me to balance studying with work. 

Tell me about your learning experience on the course 

The course promised to give me a better understanding of business sustainability, and it didn’t disappoint. From demystifying basic concepts to explaining complex frameworks, the course helped clear any confusion I had and enhanced my understanding of sustainability.

The content was very clear and had an excellent flow, starting with more basic ideas and later in the course, diving deeper into specifics. The course had a great mix of content, from text to videos and graphics, which helped when more technical concepts were presented. 

I was also impressed by how the course remained relevant to the latest information when sustainability is such an ever-evolving topic. The Masterclasses have also been a huge benefit because you get to see real-world examples and how the teachings in the course are applied. 

The individuals running the Masterclasses are experts, which is both insightful and motivating to see. The resources they refer to in the sessions are always fantastic. I’ve also been delighted to find that when I missed Masterclasses, the recordings were available on the community channel. I wasn’t the most proactive person within my cohort, but I did thoroughly enjoy being a part of one and have made some great connections. 

Since I want to advance to a career in sustainability, gaining these connections has been really valuable. The ISS learning support team were also fantastic. They were always available and very quick to respond to any queries I had. They were even instrumental in sharing some tips with me regarding the next steps of my professional journey. 

What has been the impact of doing the course?

I feel very positive that the course will help me in my journey to secure a role within sustainability. However, the course has not only had an impact on my professional life but my personal life too. The course motivated me, and I started to become more sustainable at home. I feel it gave me a good push towards better defining my personal boundaries. 

What would you say to someone who is on the fence about doing the course?

Do it – I’ve already recommended the course to some of the other students on another course I am currently doing. I’m also looking at pursuing further training with ISS, in particular, the Certificate in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). 

——–

Want to read more graduate stories?

• Graduate Story: Megan McKeown
• Graduate Story: Annill Daniel
• Graduate Story: Farai Makuyana