Excelia, together with Green & Blue and La Rochelle University recently launched the Chair in Ecological Transition & Working Practices to drive the shift to action.
For the next 3 years, the members of the Chair will conduct a series of experiments based on 4 themes: food, professional mobility, workspaces, and the use of digital technology. This collaborative and innovative project will be scientifically supervised by researchers from the three founding member organisations, with the ultimate aim of disseminating the findings. The Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales and Pôle Emploi have already joined the project.
A collaborative catalyst for the ecological transition
Launched in October 2023, the Chair in Ecological Transition & Working Practices has been designed as an accelerator for behavioural change, supporting organisations in their drive for greater sobriety and reduced carbon impact. Its objective is to demonstrate that the ecological transition is accessible to all organisations. With this in mind, it is working to identify the most effective levers for action to help organisations achieve their ecological transition objectives and more effectively involve their employees in this process.
Several major public-sector institutions have already joined the Chair’s founding members in this initiative:
- The French public body Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales (CNAF) and its benefits agencies Caisses d'Allocations Familiales in French départements 17 and 69
- Three different service divisions within France’s unemployment office Pôle Emploi: Performance through Trust, CSR, Training
Research involving members of the Chair in real-life scenarios
The innovative approach of the Chair in Ecological Transition & Working Practices is centred around a series of experiments determined by the operational and strategic needs of its members. It focusses on four very specific themes: food, professional mobility, workspaces, and the use of digital technology. These experiments will be carried out in situ by the Chair’s member organisations, as well as by groups of volunteer employees.
Over the 3-year period, there will be a number of different experiments carried out, including the following:
- Introducing a sustainable offer in a company restaurant
- Commuting by bike initiative
- Helping a team to embrace digital sobriety
- Setting up a shuttle or shared taxi service
- Bringing Your Own Sustainable Food
- Team coworking in third places
- Eliminating emails between team members
The findings of these various experiments will help to identify actions that will encourage employee participation in the ecological transition. A commitment agreement binds the members of the Chair to this project for a period of 3 years, with specific obligations.
A scientifically supervised research-action project
Results from the different experiments will be analysed by researchers from Excelia, Green & Blue and La Rochelle University. This partnership project between researchers and companies aims to produce knowledge on how to implement more sober and less carbon-intensive actions within organisations, and to anchor decision-making on a solid base of research findings. The results will be made available to the Chair's members in the form of a comprehensive, personalised report, providing them with the necessary information to implement a methodology suited to their organisation.
Widespread dissemination of best practices in sobriety
Widespread dissemination of best practices in sobriety The research findings from the experiments carried out as part of the Chair will be freely accessible.
Findings will be disseminated:
- at annual conferences for the general public
- by providing a teaching kit for primary, secondary, and high school teachers to raise awareness of the need to adopt eco-responsible behaviour
In order to accelerate the ecological transition of organisations, the three partners, Excelia, Green & Blue and La Rochelle University aim to widely disseminate best practices and the body of knowledge resulting from the work of the Chair.
