Sustainable development and schools of Mine-Telecom: two questions to Christophe Digne, chief mission Supervisor of the schools to the Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment. On June 7th, on the campus of Telecom Bretagne, the general secretaries of the schools of Mine-Telecom met within the framework of their 1st seminar known as “annual”. The theme for this 2010 edition was “sustainable development”. Christophe Digne, chief mission Supervisor of the schools of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employment, answered two of our questions about the bond between the schools of Mine-Telecom and sustainable development.

Christophe Digne : chief mission Supervisor of the schools to the Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment.

CL: From your point of view, what is the place of sustainable development in the schools of Mine-Telecom?

Christophe Digne: Sustainable development is an important work axis for the schools in the logic of the Ministry, who wish to include it in all its aspects, including the economic one. It is the reason for which this set of themes was retained for this seminar of the general secretaries. This work involves heightening awareness and training, because it requires a change in our modes of management and our lifestyles. It also involves searching for alternative modes of organization and solutions which make it possible to reduce the attack on the environment and to optimize the use of resources. The schools of Mine-Telecom must be coherent and apply themselves to what they consider necessary to implement in terms of good practices.

CL: How can we reconcile difficult budgetary prospects and implement a sustainable development project within the schools?

Christophe Digne: It is indeed the paradox of sustainable development. This is precisely why our global operating process is not sustainable. The economic constraint which is tightening, energy costs which are increasing… these are precisely two of the dimensions of the challenge that we must raise: to consume better, while consuming less. When one measures the carbon footprint of our establishments, one realizes that the largest contributors are travel, in particular international travel, and the energy consumption of our buildings. Concerning the second aspect, it is clear that it is necessary to be able to invest, but it is also necessary to raise the question of the rationalization of the use of workspace. For the first, novel modes of work must be put in place, and this is certainly as difficult.