1. Eco-responsible policy of the Observatoire de Paris - PSL :
In 2021, the Observatory began a global reflection process to build its environmental strategy (https://scop.obspm.fr/directions-laboratoires-referents/les-demarches-environnement-et-developpement-durable-a-l-observatoire/politique-environnementale/article/strategie-environnementale-et-plan-d-action?trad=fr). This strategy, which will support all departments and laboratories until 2025, has led to a number of actions on our various campuses, including the completion of two greenhouse gas assessments, the structuring of a sustainable purchasing policy, the installation of bicycle parking facilities, the deployment of a soft mobility fund and the completion of flora and fauna inventories. Today, the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR) wants to see higher education and research establishments make a global commitment to sustainable development through the implementation of a sustainable development and social and environmental responsibility master plan (SD DD&RSE). This tool provides cross-functional support for the establishment’s projects, integrating environmental and societal components.
2. The sustainable development and environmental and social responsibility master plan :
The SD&RSE master plan sets out the roadmap for the establishment’s commitment to a global, cross-functional approach at the heart of ecological and social issues. It is intended to encompass all of the company’s activities, in order to convey the vision of a project designed to transform the company. Through the formalization of this strategy, a long-term vision is shared with the Observatory’s players : common services and laboratories, with a view to jointly achieving the objectives described in the action plan.
3. Drawing up a master plan for the Observatoire de Paris - PSL :
The first milestone was reached in 2021 with the development of the Observatoire de Paris - PSL’s environmental strategy. After conducting an exhaustive diagnosis of the establishment’s practices, the strong points and subjects to be worked on were highlighted. A collective brainstorming process (meetings, thematic workshops) then led to the development of an action plan covering some ten themes that make up the environmental strategy.
The company drew on this work to amend and consolidate its master plan project. At the same time, the approach was cross-referenced with the sustainable development objectives of Agenda 2030. This global approach - specified by UN member countries in 2015 - questions how sustainable development is taken into account according to a prism of 17 themes ranging from environmental and social, to governmental and economic. The aim is to come up with a structuring and global strategy for the Observatory, adapted to the challenges of the sites and in line with national and supranational dynamics.
4. Content of the Observatoire de Paris - PSL master plan :
Based on the recommendations of the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the establishment’s SD&RSE master plan is structured around the following 5 axes :
- A. Strategy and governance
- B. Teaching and training
- C. Research and innovation
- D. Environment
- E. Social policy
Each of these areas is then broken down into orientations and proposed actions. The latter are detailed at the end of the document, with objectives, timetables, sponsors, players and operational details in the form of action sheets.
In all, the Paris Observatory’s Sustainable Development & Corporate Social Responsibility Master Plan comprises 51 actions.
Paris Observatory Sustainable Development & Corporate Social Responsibility Master Plan
(https://scop.obspm.fr/IMG/pdf/schema_directeur_dd_rse_observatoire_de_paris_-_version_finale.pdf?22390/f2b37025e26e6a442b717c9f03a14e2a957b427be9e4df35a6732fc020ce9d99)
With the aim of building a cross-functional approach, the SD&RSE Master Plan integrates several sector-specific action plans that consolidate the establishment’s strategy and integrate specific target actions for each axis. The Paris Observatory - PSL master plan is thus cross-referenced with :
- The establishment’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessments (2019 and 2022),
- The Observatory’s 2022 - 2025 environmental strategy,
- Mobility Plan,
- Sobriety Plan,
- The Equality Plan,
- Psycho-social risk action plan,
- Internal regulations,