On the occasion of the plenary session held at Sorbonne University on the theme “HR and CSR: Better collaboration to achieve our sustainable transformations”, Anne Szymczak, the institution’s Director General, signed the Club’s commitment charter on behalf of CNED.
A long-term transformation approach
By signing this charter, CNED reaffirms its commitment to embedding sustainable development principles at the heart of its activities, operations, and partnerships. The institution is engaging in a comprehensive environmental, social, and educational approach, with the upcoming launch of an ecological transition plan covering all its activities. This plan will aim to:
- develop professional practices,
- integrate transition issues into learning methods,
- reduce the institution’s environmental impact,
- and actively train citizens to tackle climate and ecological challenges.
This initiative aligns with France’s national low-carbon strategy, which sets two main objectives: achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 (compared to 1990). To contribute to this, the government launched its Ecological Transformation Plan in March 2024, structured around 15 commitments. It aims to support public servants, improve their working, commuting, consumption, and resource management conditions. Led by the Eco-Responsible Public Service initiative, this plan brings together actions to make the State a role model in ecological responsibility.
A collective dynamic serving the public service
By joining the Club, which today brings together more than 160 public institutions, CNED commits to actively contributing to thematic working groups, sharing its best practices, and learning from its peers. It will notably co-lead, alongside the Canopé Network, the Training working group.
This commitment reflects a strong ambition: to contribute collectively to the transition of public institutions, by strengthening the integration of ecological issues into the policies, projects, and practices of the sector.
Educating and raising awareness on climate issues: an educational mission
Since June 2023, CNED has offered The ABCs of Climate and Biodiversity, the first public online learning platform dedicated to the major challenges of ecological transition. Accessible to everyone, this innovative resource recognizes acquired knowledge through a system of digital badges.
Developed by a high-level editorial and scientific committee, the content has been validated by experts from public research bodies (IPCC, IPBES), ADEME, the Office for Climate Education, and members of the Réveil écologiquecollective. Valérie Masson-Delmotte and Jean Jouzel, paleoclimatologists and IPCC members, are the platform’s patrons.
With over 320,000 visits and 84,000 badges awarded, the platform has established itself as a benchmark training resource. An enriched and updated version of the platform will be launched in the coming days.
Education is a key driver for achieving the ecological transition. As a public education and training provider, CNED has the responsibility to prepare everyone for the major environmental and societal challenges. This commitment is reflected both in our educational content, through flagship training such as the ABCs of Climate and Biodiversity, and in our internal operations, which we strive to make exemplary and sustainable. Joining the Sustainable Development Club means aligning our actions with a collective dynamic and contributing, at our level, to transforming the public service to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Anne Szymczak, CNED’s Director General:
Source: CNED, press release dated 10 June 2025
