The Responsible Business Forum invites final-year students, master’s students and graduates to apply for Sustainability Starter 2026 – a programme that gives participants the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into working in sustainability, explore different professions and discover career development opportunities through expert-led sessions, practical work and an introduction to the business environment.
Sustainability today is not limited to a single profession. Today, it is relevant across a wide range of fields – from finance, human resources and communications to procurement, production, technology and supply chain management. This means there are many different ways for young people to connect their education, interests and skills with sustainable business.
The programme is run by Smart Kolektiv on behalf of the Responsible Business Forum and is intended for final-year students, master’s students and graduates who want to explore different professions and discover how their knowledge, interests and future careers can be connected with sustainable business.
From October to December 2026, participants will explore sustainability from different professional perspectives across three phases of the programme.
Throughout October, Starters will take part in online sessions with experts from Smart Kolektiv and companies including Lidl Serbia, UniCredit Bank Serbia, Coca-Cola HBC Serbia, Elixir Group, OTP Bank Serbia and Nestlé Adriatic S. Through conversations with professionals from different sectors working in sustainability, participants will discover that sustainability is now present across different professions, fields and industries – and that, whatever their professional field, there are opportunities to connect sustainability with their own interests and career path.
In November, the programme will move from conversation to practice. Participants will work in teams on the Sustainability Challenge, tackling a real business problem with the support of mentors from the business sector. This will give them an opportunity to experience first-hand how companies approach and solve real-world sustainability issues.
The programme will culminate on 3 December at the CSR & ESG Forum 2026, where participants will present the results of their work on the Sustainability Challenge and engage in discussions with company representatives and experts about the knowledge, skills and professions shaping sustainable business.
APPLICATION
- Who can apply: The programme is open to final-year students, master’s students and recent graduates from across Serbia.
- Application deadline: 25 September 2026
- How to apply: Complete the online application form
- Participation in the programme is free of charge.
Sustainability Starter is not about telling young people which profession to choose. Instead, it gives them an opportunity to meet professionals, discover different roles and explore career paths they may not previously have associated with sustainability.
Welcome to Sustainability Starter 2026!
