Institutional commitment as a lever to engage students and faculty alike

BSB faced a clear engagement challenge: although students increasingly expressed interest in social impact and the faculty was developing related content, these efforts remained fragmented and insufficiently integrated into core academic life. A governance-level response was therefore needed to align initiatives and move beyond isolated actions.

Since 2018, BSB has structured its societal impact through the DD&RS labelling process, the main national framework assessing the social and environmental performance of higher education institutions in France, through five key areas: governance, teaching, research, environment, and social policy.

This structured approach has led to tangible outputs, including the participation of students in the CSR steering committee alongside faculty and administrative staff; the signing of the French Higher Education LGBT+ Commitment Charter; the launch of three annual awareness weeks on sustainable food, disabilities, and equality; and the development of a new eco-campus.

Outcomes demonstrate measurable progress. In programmes, the number of course modules integrating sustainability issues has risen from 30% in 2018 to 49% in 2025, and 86% of students are satisfied with this integration in 2025. In research, 44% of projects were related to at least one SDG in 2025. Regarding inclusion, there was a+21% increase of disabled students supported by the school over the last few years. These efforts culminated in the awarding of the DD&RS label in 2024.

“Jointly developing a structured approach to manage our societal impact has strengthened our alignment between students and faculty.” Anne-Laure Brochet, CSR Manager