
Education for all, fighting gender inequality, climate change & sustainable consumption, pacifying social and economic relations: how does GEM commit to social issues?
Business schools must evolve and Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) wishes to show the way to boost this profoundly needed collective change. The Institution works with all of its stakeholders to encourage a collective co-construction for society.
In the first step of its strategic plan (published end of 2019), GEM commits to four causes:
Education for all (odd 4), fighting gender inequality (odd 5), CSR & sustainable consumption (odd 13) and the pacifying of social and economic relations (odd 16).
What's at stake?
Education For All (ODD 4)
- 9 students, soon to be 11, with refugee status have benefited from the " Refugee Grant Program"
- Further to a survey, GEM and Unly launched the « GEM Financial Advisor » a chatbot dedicated to financial help for students, as contrary to popular belief, 47% of GEM students had to take out a loan to finance their studies, and 11% were refused a loan at least once!
- A support network dedicated to strengthening professional opportunities for atypical profiles (disabled, low-income, refugees…).
Fighting Gender Inequality (ODD 5)
...with WoMen[a]GEM, a group of students and the FERE Chair.
- One exhibition for International Women's Day – March 8th, 2019
- One yearly barometer on harassment to ensure that the place of women in the School and within the student environment as a whole is fully respected.
- One Day dedicated to fighting harassment - April 5th, 2019
Climate Change And Sustainable Consumption (ODD 13)
- A new participative dynamic for the CSR Committee that used to be senior management team exclusively and is now open to GEM students, faculty, and staff.
- A social responsibility contest with the support of local eco-responsible associations, sports clubs, and efforts towards zero waste…
- Engagement in the zero waste and circular economy guide published by REFEDD.
Pacifying Social And Economic Relations (ODD 16)
Inspired by the Economic Peace, Mindfulness and Well-Being at Work Chair, the first edition of the Economic Peace Trophies rewarded 10 French and international businesses, associations, public and private organizations for their projects focused on well-being at work, and innovative business/ public/societal relations.
How does GEMconvey its values to its stakeholders and the public at large? Two examples:
- Serious Games: ComPaRe (Community of patients for research /AP-HP) and GEM are organizing the first Medical Game Jam from November 15th to 17th, 2019. The purpose is to design games aimed at encouraging patients to participate in medical research on chronic diseases in 48 hours and in teams of six members each.
- A documentary directed by entrepreneur students: GEM students Eloïse Reybel and Clément Babinet launched Otravia, a documentary series on alternative businesses and the meaning of work, broadcast on Imago TV since June 5th (one episode per week).