Terra institute was founded in 2010 by Evelyn Oberleiter and Günther Reifer, two sustainability pioneers who were aware of the need to reconnect the economic system with nature.
Over the years, Terra Institute has established itself as a strategic consulting and management training company, a leader in guiding companies towards sustainability and the circular economy, with an interdisciplinary team of experienced consultants and trainers, empathetic, courageous professionals, and innovators.
Major sustainability issues, such as climate change, deforestation, water scarcity and biodiversity loss, are becoming increasingly relevant in the public and private sphere. However, few solutions are proposed and translated into effective action. Problems are often complex and difficult to solve due to incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that usually involve multiple stakeholders whose values are different, sometimes even opposing, lack a clear definition of causes and may have solutions that are neither right nor wrong, but may be better or worse.
To support the sustainable development of companies, Terra Institute is engaged in all areas of sustainability-related consulting.
It accompanies organizations that feel the responsibility to transform themselves to contribute to global change to structure their business strategy according to the principles (and rules) of sustainability, thanks to a drive that is often regulatory (see European Green Deal) but also ethical, of ‘meaning’. Processes such as decarbonization, revision of the business model according to a circular logic, materiality, dialogue with stakeholders, and sustainability reporting are part of the services offered.
To complete its mission, Terra also focuses on the internal and external growth of individuals and organizations, because sustainability means balance and awareness, resilience, caring, adaptability, and medium and long-term perspectives. To support corporate strategies and be prepared to deal with an increasingly complex world, both a new perspective on the present and future scenario and the transformational skills of sustainable leadership are needed. Terra Institute, accredited by the UN as a Center of Competence for Training in Sustainable Development, offers managers and companies sustainable leadership programs, specialized courses on hard and soft skills through the Terra Academy, talent management, coaching, and mentoring.
In the field of tourism, culture and services, Terra Institute offers sustainability certification training with its partner Earthcheck, the world’s leading sustainable tourism consultancy, as well as monitoring and benchmarking of environmental performance through the Terra Footprint platform.
The goal is to support individuals and organizations to reach their full potential, promoting the development of an equitable and regenerative living space that fosters and ensures that the needs of human communities are met and acts to respect and protect the planet’s load boundaries.
