It?s been almost a week since we landed back in the States, and I cannot believe I was actually in Portugal. The first week we spent in Lisbon, and the second week provided a lot more look inside some of the companies in the textile and wine industry.
We spent most of the last week in Porto. We traveled to the Douro Valley to visit a winery. We also visited Impetus, a textile company. Every company we visited kept reiterating the idea of Sustainability.? They emphasized a need for a balance between what the world offers and what we take to use for business. This was especially emphasized during the cork and olive oil visits during the first week. The wine companies also brought up the same concept. A lot of decisions that they make are based on long-term thinking. They?re trying to be sustainable now compared to the U.S, which only recently has made a big push to preserve the land and earth. But being sustainable now means they can continue to be sustainable 10 years from now. Cork trees take 25 years before they are used, so the cork industries? business plans are heavily focused on long-term goals.
Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity of learning more about Portugal and the way it conducts business. I think one interesting thing was the fact that all the companies brought up sustainability. In the U.S, businesses vary in the way that they operate or the values they function on. I hope to be back again one day!