The two countries with a shared interest in sustainability

Fernando Fiat grew up some 5,000 miles from Denmark, but perhaps his path was always destined to lead him to the Scandinavian nation. Given their sustainability ideals, these two seemingly unrelated countries share more common ground than might first appear.

“Coming from Costa Rica we have this really big sustainable culture, so that’s part of my background,” Fernando explains. “And also I feel like you should also give something back. It’s not only [about] taking for you, it’s also making the world a better place. So that’s also something that really drives me.” (01:55)

Fernando’s home is well-known for its commitment to sustainability. Nearly 100% of Costa Rica’s energy comes from renewable sources, and ambitious reforestation efforts increased its rainforest cover. Nowadays, it is considered a sustainability pioneer in Latin America. Meanwhile, Denmark is pioneering in Europe.

Denmark enacted a range of environmental initiatives in recent decades. It is ranked 2nd in the Global Sustainability Index, thanks to its widespread use of renewables, reduction in carbon emissions, and zero-carbon climate pledge. 

If Fernando’s seeds of sustainability were sown in Costa Rica, they would flourish in Denmark. He applied for the MBA program at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) to advance his career and further his interest in sustainability. His bachelor’s degree in business and administration allowed him to work in a variety of roles and industries.  First as an offshore analyst for an investment bank in the United States, then in healthcare, oil and gas, IT, and finally at a real estate company in Costa Rica. With the MBA, he hoped to take his career to the next level.

And at CBS, Fernando found a school centered around his deeply rooted sustainable values. However, the ways that Denmark differed from life back home made him want to stay.

Diversity in Denmark

Although Costa Rica and Denmark share similarities in their approach to sustainability, the classroom experiences are rather different. Fernando admits that when he first arrived in Denmark, the sheer diversity of the Copenhagen MBA took some getting used to.

“This experience was completely different from my previous educational experiences,” he recalls. “It was completely international, which was something that I was looking for in an MBA. We were a small class, we were only 32 people, but there were 16 different nationalities in the class, so that was very interesting.” (02:25)

Yet Fernando’s classmates weren’t just diverse in terms of the countries they came from. They also came from a wide range of different professional backgrounds – among them, a doctor and a professional golfer. For Fernando, this diversity enriched his experience and changed his approach to problem-solving.

“Having that many people with all different backgrounds and experiences trying to solve the same problem, you can see that the problem can be solved in many ways,” he says. “So that also opens your mind a little bit to understand that maybe there are better solutions out there than the ones that you are aware of.” (03:15)

He may not have realized it then, but these new experiences and ways of working would be the building blocks for Fernando’s MBA career change.

Discovering a new way of working

Fernando’s time in the CBS MBA opened his eyes to a different work culture. His first exposure to the local work culture came from a consultancy project with a Danish startup. The company has developed an affordable device to analyze brain waves to detect epilepsy. (08:31)

The project gave him insights into what it’s like to work somewhere that seriously values work-life balance.

“When I came here, everybody was talking about this great work and life balance that the Nordic countries have,” he says. “And sometimes it even feels like it’s not real, compared to what I had experienced back home.” (07:29)

Fernando notes that the Nordic work values encourage people to fulfill their work responsibilities while making time for personal affairs. This balance prompted him to seriously consider a career change.

How the Danish work culture inspired Fernando’s career change

Studying in a country famed for its sustainability, diversity, and progressive working culture, has allowed Fernando to see his career path in a whole new light. Looking back on his time at CBS, he acknowledges how his MBA altered the direction of his career.

“It has changed completely,” he says. “First, I’m now working here in Denmark, in the headquarters of one of the biggest companies that are here in the country. My development and impact in the company have changed completely compared to my previous experience, which is also great because it feels like you’re doing more important work.” (06:42)

From working in the real estate industry in Costa Rica, he has now moved into transport and logistics at Maersk. It is a change that has lent Fernando a fresh drive in his career. It wouldn’t have been possible without his experience at Copenhagen Business School.

“If somebody is thinking about doing an MBA program, I think it comes [down] not only to what can I get out of it but also what can I give back,” he says. “Because when you interact with so many people and so many professional people you also want to bring something to the table.” (09:37)

An MBA degree can take your career in unexpected directions. What you plan to do at the start of the program won’t always be what you end up doing. For Fernando, an interest in sustainability brought him to CBS, but the unique Danish work culture kept him here.

If you want to learn more about studying an MBA in Denmark, feel free to reach out to one of our Copenhagen Business School MBA ambassadors.