Olga Cervera has been at the helmof the Foro Huesca Excelentesince January. This initiative was launched thirteen years ago with the clear objective of promoting social development, and it continues to grow day by day. Today we talk to its president to find out more about how it works and its future goals.
What does the Huesca Excelente Forum do? What are its objectives?
The Huesca Excelente Forum was created 13 years ago on the initiative of a group of businesspeople concerned with promoting quality, social responsibility, business excellence, and closer ties between the business world and the world of education. Our goal is to actively contribute to the development of society.
We have never considered the companies that form part of the forum to be excellent in themselves, but we do share the conviction that the path to excellence is a constant process.
What role does it play in society?
The Huesca Excelente Forum plays an important role in society, promoting and developing the values of quality, social responsibility, and business excellence. One of our fundamental pillars is bringing the world of business and the world of education closer together, because we firmly believe that this connection is key to building a better society.
Our commitment is to continue sowing actions that inspire more companies to become aware and join us on this path toward excellence, always with our sights set on the common good.
For example, during the pandemic in 2020, thousands of protective screens were manufactured thanks to our colleague Julio Luzán, from the company Tecmolde. These screens were distributed personally by businesspeople and executives from the forum, in their own cars and vans, throughout Spain. We would also like to highlight the solidarity shown after the disaster in Valencia: on All Saints’ Day, vans loaded with aid left Huesca. It was a quick, effective, and deeply humane response that reflects the spirit of the Forum.
What projects are you currently working on? Are there any that stand out above the rest?
It should be noted that we are 31 member companies and 42 allies. One of the projects we are carrying out is “Entrepreneur for a Day,” in collaboration with the Faculty of Business at the University of Zaragoza. This program allows students and, this year, also professors from the Business Administration and Management degree programs to spend a day at Forum companies, learning firsthand how they operate.
In addition, in collaboration with the Aragon Volunteer Platform, we are developing a manual for responding to natural disasters, such as the recent DANA storm. The aim is to establish a clear and effective protocol.
We are also developing agreements and synergies with entities such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Aragon, and Aragon Empresa.
What stage is Foro Huesca Excelente currently at?
We can say that we are at a stage of maturity. The road has not been easy: as with any long-term project, there have been ups and downs and difficult moments. But, as good entrepreneurs and managers, we have been able to overcome them.
Today we are more united than ever, and our commitment has even been publicly recognized. But there is something even more valuable that the forum brings us: mutual learning. Each of us is constantly learning from our colleagues. The forum offers us a space to share experiences, advice, successes, and mistakes, helping us to improve in all aspects.
From the eyes of an expert. What is the current state of entrepreneurship in Huesca? And the educational centers involved?
The business situation in our country is complex. It is not the most favorable environment for starting or maintaining a business. We often feel unrecognized; sometimes we even feel persecuted. Even so, our attitude is constructive. We are going to continue working and contributing from where we are so that things improve. We are not content with criticizing: we take action.
As for the connection between the business world and the world of education, it’s true that historically there has been a significant gap. From the very beginning, at the Huesca Excelente Forum we have been committed to reducing that gap. And although there has been progress and it is positive, the pace of the education system and the administration is slower than that of the business world.
INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS
You will soon be celebrating six months at the helm of the forum. How would you assess this period?
First of all, I would like to sincerely thank all my colleagues for the trust they placed in me to take on the presidency of the Forum. I felt very supported from day one. Taking on this role, succeeding people who have set a clear and firm course, is a source of pride and a great responsibility.
In these first six months, we have made steady progress. New companies have joined the forum, such as the Mas Farré group, which strengthens our network and our capacity for action. We have also visited leading companies in Aragon, such as Levitec, and signed an important agreement with the Aragon Volunteer Platform.
These months have allowed me to see the dedication and generosity of many people who, in addition to running their own companies, take time to contribute to the common good.
What does it mean to be at the helm of a forum that is so important to Huesca society?
Without a doubt, leading the Huesca Excelente Forum is a great responsibility, but also a unique opportunity. It means representing a group committed to improving society from the business world and building bridges between business and the social, educational, and institutional environment.
For me, it is a mixture of pride, commitment, enthusiasm, and learning. It is also a way of taking on responsibilities beyond the management of my own company and contributing to something that has a real positive impact. In short, it is another goal in my life, and an experience that I am living with great dedication and gratitude.
Are you achieving all your objectives in this role? What were they?
Although it is still too early to make a full assessment of how my term is going, I can say that one of my main objectives—to encourage the active involvement of members and consolidate the forum as a true space of trust—is being achieved.
I see increasing commitment, participation, and collaboration among member companies, and that is very exciting. I hope to continue moving forward and achieve many more goals that will benefit not only the forum but also society as a whole.
What do you think is the best and worst thing about being President of the Huesca Excelente Forum?
The best thing, without a doubt, is seeing how business leaders and social entities collaborate on projects that have a real impact on society. Seeing that the efforts made by the companies and individuals that make up the Forum are bearing fruit is deeply gratifying.
And the worst? Honestly, I haven’t found it yet. When you work with enthusiasm, desire, and a firm belief in a project that is based on solid principles—in my case, from the ground up, from the concrete foundations—it’s hard to see anything negative.
What do you expect in the future? What projects do you have in mind and what points do you plan to implement?
Above all, I hope that the role of entrepreneurs will be increasingly recognized and respected in the future. Entrepreneurs and workers must be a team. Similarly, the public administration should be an ally, not an obstacle. Only then can we move forward together towards a more prosperous, fair, and balanced society.
I am also confident that, little by little, we will continue to achieve the objectives of our mission as a business forum: to promote quality, social responsibility, and excellence, always in the service of the common good.
