Economic, Social, Environmental... these three pillars of Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility are now being addressed in all their complementarities throughout the three years of the Bachelor in Business programme.
Combining an experiential dimension with academic excellence, the common denominator is... green!
One of Excelia’s longstanding values
Excelia is a pioneer in this field, having been the first higher education establishment to introduce a Master programme in Sustainable Development, as early as 1999.
The objective is of this latest ‘green’ approach to equip our students and graduates with interdisciplinary skills in the field of social and societal responsibility of organisations.
This Bachelor in Business has been designed to offer students a broad academic overview of the environmental strategy of companies and public bodies, taking account of national and international policies, whilst also providing them with practical professional experience and engendering a sense of responsibility.
Why offer a ‘Green’ Bachelor?
- To save the planet! The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a roadmap for achieving a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone. They address the global challenges we are facing, including those relating to poverty, inequality, the climate, the environment, prosperity, peace and justice. All these goals are interlinked and, to ensure that no one is left by the wayside, each goal, and their associated objectives, need to be achieved by 2030.
- To meet the expectations of companies and organisations that are looking to achieve these SDGs! Excelia has always been committed to CSR, and one of our pedagogical objectives is to constantly develop human skills. The aim is to increase students’ employability by developing their versatility in ‘real life’ situations, giving them the opportunity to work alongside people who are seeking and designing solutions to present-day challenges!
- To educate our students to not simply become ‘good managers’, but rather managers with a genuine concern for what is happening around them. We want our students to be managers who show sensitivity, who are responsible citizens and vectors of progress… managers who are capable of adapting, of transmitting knowledge and making decisions. We are training our students to become the team leaders and project managers of tomorrow. However small and insignificant they may think they are, their contribution is vital to changing the world!
The current situation is critical! So, rather than simply worrying, let’s do something about it!
Three years of education, savoir-faire, experiential learning and soft skills:
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Year 1
Right from the very beginning of Year 1, students will be fully immersed in all that’s ‘green’!
To start with, they will participate in the ‘Climate Fresco’, an important element of the Bachelor in Business programme, which is a game designed to raise awareness and an understanding of climate issues. Players work as a team to find the links between ‘cause and effect’ in order to recreate the climate fresco, using data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In December, the first Climacité© projects take place, helping students understand how they can make a difference even close to home!
Initiated by the Heads of Programme and the Heads of Experiential and Personal Development, and launched at the end of 2020, Climacité©, a project focusing on climate issues, has been designed to complement Humacité©, Excelia’s hallmark pedagogical initiative which has been addressing solidarity, humanitarian and social issues for the past 15 years.
With some 300 Climacité© projects having already been organised across all programmes since its launch, our students are clearly committed to the environment, upholding the strong values shared by the entire Excelian community.
For the Bachelor in Business programme, 100% of our students have signed an internship agreement to carry out a Climacité© project within an association, a company or a public body. This is an impressive achievement given the current health situation and a second lockdown period.
The Climacité© project lasts three weeks, and can be carried out on a theme that is of personal interest to the student such as animal welfare, support for climate migrants, food waste reduction initiatives, etc. By participating in the implementation of certain measures, students become actors and potentially the driving force behind new solutions.
Both before and after the project, the Bachelor in Business and Climacité© teams are on hand to support students. They help in the search for an initial project opportunity, providing inroads into companies and organisations, and then work alongside students in analysing their experience… an experience which aims to shape values and forge convictions!
Those students who carried out a Climacité© project in December 2020 are best placed to talk about it…
Faced with COVID-19 and a second lockdown, the Loire-Atlantique’s PROTECTION CIVILE association set up an emergency accommodation facility to provide housing for 20 homeless people who were in a precarious situation. For the volunteers involved in this project, the objective was to enable the people being accommodated to be housed in total safety, respecting all barrier gestures, and offering them three meals a day. I wanted to undertake my project in this domain because I knew it would be a life experience to help me develop as a person by embracing the values of solidarity, altruism and kindness. These are key values for Excelia, but also for PROTECTION CIVILE, where I worked within a team, learning to respect protocols, in particular health-related, and to take on various responsibilities. Carrying out a Climacité© project is an opportunity to create links with other volunteers involved in community work and, more specifically, within an association.Mathilde Gastal, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
Having already had experience of sales in both the food and clothing industries, I wanted to widen my network, and joined ECR ENVIRONNEMENT, a sizeable company, ideal for a Climacité© project.Margaux Baudrit, étudiante en Management opérationnel, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
I wanted to do my Climacité© project in a local authority as they have a sustainable development department. I knew I would be able to experience the different facets of sustainable development, from clean energy, food safety and organic farming, to the fight against climate change… and all the while safeguarding health and well-being. I knew that by carrying out my project in either a larger company or a local authority I would be able to experience ‘collaboration’, understanding the different departments and how they work together. The local authority was therefore the perfect solution for me. Raising awareness of environmental protection issues whilst implementing initiatives to combat global warming are wanted to do my Climacité© project in a local authority as they have a sustainable development department. I knew I would be able to experience the different facets of sustainable development, from clean energy, food safety and organic farming, to the fight against climate change… and all the while safeguarding health and well-being. I knew that by carrying out my project in either a larger company or a local authority I would be able to experience ‘collaboration’, understanding the different departments and how they work together. The local authority was therefore the perfect solution for me. Raising awareness of environmental protection issues whilst implementing initiatives to combat global warming are challenges that really matter to me personally.Enora Bolteau, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
Marco Thoreau, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
The Climacité© project focuses on ecology and sustainable development, in particular the way each person perceives the environment that surrounds them. The Payré Estuary, an area listed as a ‘Grand Ensemble Naturel’ is in the process of being awarded the ‘Grand Site de France’ certification. Being particularly fond of this nature reserve, I chose to join the GROUPE ASSOCIATIF ESTUAIRE because of its initiatives relating to the balanced and sustainable management of species, biodiversity and the sand dunes. This project enabled me to have a better understanding of the stakes of sustainable development but also to ensure that the general public become aware of the environment that surrounds them and understand how to best preserve it. The environment really is an important cause for a better future!Manon Arrivé, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
Food waste is one of the elements that have a real impact on global warming. We don't always think about it, but there are tons of food that are thrown away every day, unnecessarily. The association REMPLIR LES VENTRES, PAS LES POUBELLES (Fill Bellies, not Bins) aims to raise awareness amongst the population by collecting food products from shopkeepers, supermarkets or at the market in La Rochelle, to produce meals! During my project, I had the opportunity to take part in various awareness campaigns and to help the volunteers distribute meals. This gave me a better understanding of what is going on and what can be done to avoid wasting food.Amandine Magnan, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
I had already participated in various ecological projects, such as Cleanwalks, so the Climacité© project was an opportunity for me to discover even more about ecology. Being lucky enough to live close to the Brière Regional Nature Reserve, I quickly saw the relevance for my project and decided to apply to the Reserve’s association. I was fortunate enough to be accepted thanks to my personal network. The Reserve is one of 56 nature reserves within France, recognised at a national level for its remarkable landscapes and natural heritage. The association’s role is to protect the natural, cultural and social heritage through an innovative policy of economic, social and cultural planning and development that respects the environment. During my project, I benefited from numerous professional experiences… writing a press release, attending various meetings, and gathering information on the environmental policies implemented in different companies, in order to promote ecology in the region.Léana Frocq, Bachelor in Business, Year 1
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Year 2
In Year 2, a new Environmental Culture module aims to build an inventory of all the ‘green’ solutions that exist in the world today, opening up avenues for discussion. The educational content is fascinating and motivating, all the more so as students can draw upon the theory from lessons during their experience in the field and vice versa.
Workshops are dedicated to the ecological impact of products and services on the environment. Although the three-month internship does not necessarily have to have a CSR or Sustainable Development focus, lesson content generally finds its way into practice, regardless of the host organisation.
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Year 3
During Year 3, students have the opportunity to choose a specialisation.
Whilst all students have lessons in CSR given by research-active Faculty members, in addition, it is possible to choose the Sustainable Development Manager specialisation, launched in 2020 with ten pioneering students, exploring the HR, legal, strategic and communications aspects of Sustainable Development.
In January, students undertake a Consultancy Project… fifteen intense days applying the concepts and fundamentals. Faced with real-life business issues, in all sectors of activity (fashion, hotels, retirement homes, etc.), students have to put forward CSR and Sustainable Development recommendations, within a given time frame.
A four-month end-of-study internship allows students to put into practice the knowledge acquired during the three years of their study programme.
The ‘Green’ Bachelor in Business has its very own patron!
Marion Martinez is a graduate of Excelia’s MSc in Sustainable Development, CSR and Environment. She has created her own company, Rupture Engagée, in which she accompanies organisations in their CSR approach, as well as providing training in CSR and the ecological transition.
In addition to being a lecturer for Bachelor in Business Year 2 students, and those in Year 3 on the Sustainable Development Manager specialisation, Marion is also a member of the examining board for the Grand Oral for students in Year 3.
Student testimonial… Clémence Williot
Why did you choose this specialisation?
“As I was looking to work in Human Resources, sustainable development seemed particularly relevant to me. (...) Committing to the protection of the planet is a way for a company to portray a positive image.”
Business professional testimonial… Géraldine Valentin
What is your role within the School?
“Today I offer my expertise and knowledge for the benefit of students and those working in the field, so as to jointly develop and facilitate the shift towards sustainable development in businesses. At Excelia, I have the pleasure of giving lessons in Event Management, Customer Relationship Marketing, Brand Development and, very soon, in Sustainable Communications.”
