Now established in the heart of the city, emlyon business school has implemented an exceptional initiative for the 2024-2025 intake of its 3,300 new students, focused on sustainable cities and communities, stemming from the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11). This theme, addressed and illustrated through events organized by the School, is part of its mission of social and environmental responsibility, infused throughout all its activities.

Watch the recap of the School intake

Inaugural conferences and intake events: a common thread dedicated to SDG11 to think on urban challenges

In line with SDG 11 – making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable – four conferences hosted by Jean-Marc Jancovici, Sidney Rostan, Yann Bucaille-Lanreac, and Dr Emma Haziza identified ideas for reflection and transformation to improve the state of our cities and to grasp the major changes needed to face future crises.

Watch the replay of the inaugural conferences

Inaugural conferences and intake events: a common thread dedicated to SDG11 to think on urban challenges

With more than half of the global population living in urban areas, it is essential and urgent to redefine the characteristics and common rules that shape our cities, as well as reinvent the systems that underpin them in response to climate change, such as energy, infrastructure design, transport, and more.

Jean-Marc Jancovici's conference on the various ecological challenges facing urban areas addressed key topics, particularly the need to reduce their scale, adapt the energy mix, and shift towards degrowth.

Sydney Rostan, CEO of Bioxegy and a 2017 PGE graduate, presented the concept of biomimetism through several examples of innovations inspired by nature, helping to design the cities of tomorrow.

Yann Bucaille, co-founder of Café Joyeux and a 1993 PGE alumni, demonstrated to GBBA students, through his unique entrepreneurial journey, that it is possible to combine entrepreneurship with social impact.

Dr Emma Haziza's lecture on the water cycle, given to MS and MSc students, helped them understand the range of initiatives aimed at addressing water-related issues (supply, pollution) and reversing the depletion of this vital resource.

Check out the alumni interviews with the speakers: 3 questions for...

Local impact projects to enable students to engage on urban issues

emlyon's distinctive pedagogical approach is characterized by the close link it creates between reflection and action. The School co-designed an experience that is both human and educational, allowing new students to engage in a positive and concrete impact on their environment.

The goal of these 10 impact days was to introduce students to the socio-environmental challenges faced by cities at the very start of their education, while encouraging them to meet and exchange ideas on these issues.

Local impact projects to enable students to engage on urban issues

Here is a summary of some of the 6,000 actions carried out by students in the cities of Lyon and Paris:

  • Over 150 social outreach activities
  • Over 300 clean-up walks conducted
  • 1,000 people educated on food waste with Too Good To Go
  • 2,000 letters sent to seniors people
  • Over 200 establishments educated on gender and sexual violence with the #SafeBar association

These challenges, marking the beginning of lessons and experiments for all emlyon business school programmes, were followed by the 7th edition of the Responsible Engagement Forum: a dating event between students from the MiM – Grand Ecole Program and partner associations, for which they will carry out a volunteer project aimed at creating an impact during their academic studies.

emlyon’s back to city center of Lyon reflects its social and environmental commitment

The common theme of this academic year is also symbolised by the opening of the new campus in the heart of Lyon. Returning to the city center after 50 years in Ecully, emlyon reaffirms its local roots by moving closer to its economic and academic partners.

This strategic move is part of the school's commitment to addressing urban challenges. As a reflection of its educational and scientific ambition, the new campus serves as a hub for education and exchange for all stakeholders committed to a more sustainable and inclusive future.

emlyon’s back to city center of Lyon reflects its social and environmental commitment