CSR in 2019
The school's decision to commit to a sustainable development approach dates back to 2006. A commission was set up to put forward measures to improve campus management (buildings, energy, etc.), and monitor and assess action undertaken. This work has resulted in the implementation (completed or in progress) of new procedures (waste management, postal services), renovation and/or development (energy), etc.
Article 55 of the Grenelle I Act of 3 August 2009 requires all higher education institutions to implement a sustainable development approach (in economic, societal and environmental terms) as part of a "Green Plan". The Conférence des Grandes Ecoles has set up a reference framework for the implementation of this plan with an emphasis on continuous improvement.
This is broken down into five areas:
- Strategy & governance
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Since 2010, the establishment has carried out numerous actions: new training courses and specialisations, projects with local stakeholders, waste sorting, monitoring energy consumption, studies on buildings, etc.
New in 2019:
- Structuring: setting up a "social responsibility" steering committee (decisions), definition of an assignment letter for the CSR advisor and the head of the sustainable development committee (coordination), allocation of a dedicated budget
- Centrale Nantes is included in the Times Higher Education "University Impact Ranking" - this ranking assesses universities against 11 of the 17 United Nations sustainable development goals, in order to measure the impact of universities on society beyond their performance in research and teaching.
- Many student associations: BDE, Centrale Vert, Together for Earth, Bee With Me, ENACTUS, etc.
- The setting up of coordination by the "Groupe Ecologie à Centrale".
- Teaching & training
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New in 2019:
- At the beginning of the 2019 academic year: "Fresco of the climate" and conference by G. Férone for all new students.
- Launch of the "Net-Zero Emissions" student project: assessment of greenhouse gas emissions, signage and awareness raising
- Centrale Nantes participates in the "Climate and Higher Education" study initiated by The Shift Project
- 1st intake of the APTE Master's degree (Key Player in Energy Transition)
- Research
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Research at Centrale Nantes addresses many aspects of energy transition.
Of particular note in 2019, work on:
- theses on low-carbon construction (Edycem Chair) and
- CO2 capture by deconstruction waste (GeM)
- Environment management
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- Results of the study of electricity consumption: identification by use and by building
- Creation of a "solar roofs" working group: citizen photovoltaic park
- Creation of a "Mobility" working group: assessing and reducing the impact of travel
- Studies on heat recovery from the ICI supercomputer: the contract signed on 6 March 2019 between Nantes Métropole and ADEME, for 3 years, allows subsidies from the heat fund. The feasibility study can begin.
- Study on the ecological management and maintenance strategy for green spaces
- Sale of apples in self-service at the cafeteria : " apple store ".
- AMAP relayed by the students (BDS): fruits, vegetables, bread
- Installation of bee hives, they will welcome their first swarm in the spring of 2020.
- Social policy & local communities
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In 2019, the school renewed:
- its commitment to the Regional Trophies for Sustainable Development, which every year reward four candidate companies/organisations for their commitment and achievements in CSR. Engineering students from Ecole Centrale, Ecole ESAIP d'Angers, and ESSCA Angers analyse the approach taken by the candidates.
- its status as a member of the Regional CSR platform, and notably as co-rapporteur of the CSR working group.
- its participation in the Nantes Métropole CSR Committee
The school participated in:
- The creation of the "Citizen Lab" in Le Tertre: promoting and supporting student and citizen projects in the neighborhood (Nantes Métropole's "Energy Transition" roadmap).
- The Citylab Alliance Workshop (19_22 November) on the theme of mobility.
- and organized new editions of the Ecological Transition Mornings with Matthieu Orphelin, Vincent Liegey and Jean-Michel Buf.