Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) received one of the “Trophées des campus responsables”, the French-speaking edition of the Green Gown Awards, for its initiative towards refugees conducted in collaboration with the "Refugees Working Group" of the CommunautéUniversité Grenoble Alpes. Founded by the "Campus Responsables" network, these trophies reward the best sustainable development practices of six higher education institutions.
the "Positive Impact on Society" trophy awarded to GEM and the Communauté Université Grenoble Alpes
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), one in two refugees in the world does not have access to education. Around two-thirds of refugee children in elementary school will not receive secondary education. Only 1% have access to higher education. "Access to education and employment are key to the successful integration of migrants in a new country. It's an urgent matter which cannot wait one or two generations. This is part of GEM's mission which places geopolitics at the heart of its strategy and its training programs," explains Jaclyn Rosebrook-Collignon, Head of Sustainability and Global Responsibility at Grenoble Ecole de Management.
Since 2015, in response to the migration crisis, GEM created the « GEM Refugee Grant Program ».
This initiative aims to offer up to 10 places a year for qualified students with refugee status. This scheme is the result of a collaboration between GEM and the Communauté Université Grenoble Alpes, which heads the "Refugees Working Group". Other organizations, including charity groups (CROUS, RUSF, ADATE, ADA or APARDAP) are in charge of welcoming and supporting the students during the entire process. This cooperation led to the creation of a unique French "hub" which lists the training programs offered by the partners.
Winners In The Five Other Categories
- Socially Responsible Campus of the Year: ISA Lille – Yncréa - ISO 14001 Certification.
- Diversity, accessibility and quality of life on campus: TOULOUSE INP-ENSAT – Recipe for a campus where it's good to live.
- Student dedication: BDE ENSTIB (École Nationale Supérieure des Technologies et Industries du Bois) – Towards healthy and well-thought-out consumption, for life!
- Campus Ecological Transition: McGill University, Montreal, Canada – Phasing out the sale of bottled water.
- Local integration: Université́ Paris Nanterre – An apiary in the heart of Nanterre.
About UTOPIES
Established over 25 years ago by Elisabeth Laville, UTOPIES UTOPIES is the first French, and one of the first in the world, think-tank supporting and encouraging businesses to integrate social and environmental issues in their mission, strategy, and innovation approaches. The think-tank with approximately 50 consultants is most notably recognized for its work on brand strategy and positive innovation, but also for its expertise in socio-economic impact and local economy. The consultancy also practices what it preaches having been certified Great Place to Work and becoming one of the first to be certified B Corp in France (UTOPIES is also in charge of developing this latter international certification in France). With its historic headquarters in Paris, the consultancy also has teams in Grenoble, Bordeaux and for some years now in Sao Paulo and Mauritius.
About Campus Responsables
Established in 2006, "Campus Responsables" is the first University and Grande Ecole network committed to sustainable development issues. It aims to encourage and support higher-education institutions in integrating sustainable development across their courses and in the way they are run. With around 40 members in France and Belgium, the network is a project of "Graines de Changement" (Seeds for Change), an ideas and innovative solutions lab to support sustainable development. "Graines de Changement" was created in 2004 by Elisabeth Laville (founder of UTOPIES, the pioneering consultancy dedicated to sustainable development since 1993).
