Moving sustainability and responsible management practices forward

Aditya Joshi (MBA 2015)
Aditya Joshi holds a senior position in France as a management associate for FM Logistic, where he currently works in continuous improvement and best practices and will move into a role benefiting FM Logistic Corporate in France and its counterpart in India.

Aditya’s position gives him the opportunity to learn the work culture of various company departments while taking part in projects related to quality, health, security and environment. He works with warehouses and distribution centres in a variety of sectors, such as pharma chemicals, health and fast-moving consumer goods. “It gives me a wide scope to understand all sectors and how their supply chains work,” he says.

The initial challenge of the job, Aditya notes, was French language, but now that he is over that hurdle, he can focus on formalising ideas and communicating them in a convincing manner. “Implementation of ideas on such a large scale is a challenge – but quite the kind of challenge that I love to work on!”

These challenges have also been accompanied by some pleasant surprises. Going into the job, Aditya didn’t expect special recognition from his director for his knowledge of sustainability and responsible management practices – a key part of his programme at Audencia Business School. “But I was given a representative role for the local governmental conferences on energy management and ecological measures, where I played an instrumental part in guiding the company towards new labels and standards for sustainability.” Aditya notes that the company was already moving forward without a formal process, and that this is a great next step.

Aditya will also be piloting a corporate-level sustainable development project in France under the guidance of his director. “I guess the MBA at Audencia, along with my passion to continue contributing to the world in some way, is useful!”

Aditya plans to implement sustainable practices in every role he pursues. “Eventually, I want to be able to manage operations in a larger role – possibly taking on an entrepreneurial challenge within the next decade.”

Passions:

Aditya has three guiding principles that help him stay passionate about work and life:

1. Always keep evolving and learning, whether it’s academic, cultural, travel-related, arts, music, sports … you never know where your next lesson will come from.

2. Failures are just springboards to success!

3. Use your interests to enrich your relationships with people and how you see the world. (For Aditya, this includes environmental initiatives, football [soccer] and music.)

Most memorable experiences at Audencia:

When asked about his time pursuing his MBA in Responsible Management at Audencia, Aditya says that what really stands out is “having friends and colleagues from almost every corner of the world and every possible work background.” He has fond memories of get-togethers, library study sessions, projects and parties with his Audencia classmates.

Advice to international students looking to work in France:

Aditya, who is from India but now lives in France, has some practical advice for international students hoping to work in the country after graduation: “Speak French, make connections, go out there and meet more people! You never know where you will find your next referral or job. Back it all up with a clear CV and a good LinkedIn presence.”

He notes that Audencia gives career guidance but, of course, cannot promise placements. “It is on you to keep the right attitude and go out and make great connections. You can’t expect instant results.” He says that the period between the end of his internship and the start of his position with FM Logistic was challenging, but he managed not to lose hope.

“If you have the grit, the right sense and perseverance, something will come along!”

Staying in touch with Audencia:

Aditya says staying in touch with his Audencia classmates is very important to him. They share info, business partnership possibilities, advice on different regions, countries and sectors, and more. They primarily use social media to stay in touch. “We also help each other out with project recommendations and by connecting classmates who have not yet gotten the jobs they want.”

Aditya tries to share any job openings he’s aware of with the Audencia network. “I always look for Audencia alumni whenever new positions are needed within my company or those of acquaintances. I hope to complement Audencia Career Services’ great guidance!”