Enhancing the environmental responsibility of student life through NOISE’s labelling framework
The student life ecosystem at emlyon business school continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability by integrating a structured labelling model for studentled events. Coordinated by the audit division of the student association NOISE emlyon, this process assesses the environmental impact of initiatives and supports associations in their continuous improvement efforts.
A labelling framework to guide student life through the lens of environmental responsibility
A CSR framework supporting the quality of student events
Following the school’s CSR charter, emlyon business school introduced the requirement for each student association to obtain a label for at least one major annual event. This approach aims to reinforce alignment between the School’s institutional commitments and the activities carried out by its associations, by structuring practices around clearly defined environmental criteria.
NOISE emlyon’s audit division plays a pivotal role in this process, accompanying associations in the assessment of their events and the identification of concrete avenues for progress.
Ecofest and Ecollab: two complementary labels for varying levels of ambition
To capture the diversity of events organised on campus, two complementary labelling frameworks are employed:
Ecofest, a nationally recognised label created by Impact GEM, based on eight environmental criteria (waste, food, transport, communication…), designed for large‑scale events.
Ecollab, developed by NOISE emlyon, offering greater flexibility and suitable for a wide range of formats through targeted thematic analysis (waste, food, social impact…).
A three‑step audit methodology
The labelling process relies on a rigorous and standardised methodology coordinated by the audit division:
Initial scoping meeting: definition of the criteria to be analysed and recommendations tailored to the event’s context.
On‑site audit: data collection on waste management, plant‑based food options, reduction of giveaways, and other measurable indicators, supported by material evidence.
Final assessment: rating based on a structured evaluation grid and attribution of the label depending on the criteria met.
This method ensures rigour, objectivity, and comparability between events.
Key figures from NOISE’s event labelling work
Today, NOISE’s labelling framework has become a foundational component in the organisation of major association‑led events at emlyon.
An approach fully aligned with emlyon’s action learning pedagogy
For associations: a first applied experience of CSR
The labelling process invites student organisers to engage with CSR principles through concrete operational questions, encouraging them to:
reduce waste at the source rather than simply improving sorting systems,
anticipate resource needs to limit food waste,
select suppliers aligned with their sustainability commitments,
adopt more responsible communication practices.
This exercise also exposes them to trade‑offs comparable to those faced in professional settings: balancing ambitions for environmental impact with budgetary and logistical constraints.
For NOISE auditors: a real professional experimentation in impact assessment
Members of the audit division develop competencies directly transferable to careers in sustainability, consulting, or project management, including:
the design and refinement of evaluation grids,
the collection and analysis of environmental data,
the formulation of actionable recommendations,
stakeholder engagement at varying levels of awareness and maturity.
They learn to defend assessments based on objective criteria and lead an iterative improvement process.
A concrete illustration of action learning teaching model
This approach is fully aligned with emlyon’s pedagogical philosophy: learning by doing, doing to learn. It offers students a real‑world environment in which to develop essential skills such as impact measurement, indicator design, structured evaluation, accountability, and initiative‑taking.