A sustainable development strategy

A historical environmental concern

Protecting the environment has been at the heart of our concern since the origin, and the founders chose “green zone for gray matter” as a slogan for a reason. Ever since, the industrials as well as their partners have been increasing actions aiming at optimizing man’s relationship to his environment in every aspect – waste management, saving resources, improving transport systems, etc. Consequently, an Environmental Management process was naturally engaged in accordance with Iso standard No. 14.001.

Therefore, inovallée is not only a land of technological excellence. It is also, and more importantly, a place for social innovation where the experiment of a new economic model is being conducted: sustainable efficiency.

A 3-step realization

2002: an environmental management system...

... Focused on three key points:

  • transports system: implementing a joint transport plan between companies
  • waste: opening municipal dumps to companies, implementing a joint collection of computer and electronic waste, a pilot operation carried out with the help of la Metro – a committee of local authorities – which consists in a selective sorting of paper and cardboard, implementing a collecting service to develop paper recycling, etc.
  • raising awareness in companies about sustainable development: articles, newsletters, conferences, breakfasts, events…

In 2005, when the association became Inovallée – until then it had been called la ZIRST, industrial zone of scientific and technical research – it confirmed its societal commitment by reversing the founders’ slogan. Besides, “Gray matter for green zone” is more than a mere slogan: it shows the fact that Sustainable Development has become a strategic key point of development to the park and the companies it hosts.

2008: a Sustainable Development Plan

Willing to take a new step towards our commitment to the planet, Inovallée has launched a Sustainable Development Plan, which now applies to the whole park. The purpose of this plan was for the signatory companies to adopt a general eco-attitude, in a continuous progress.

Energy consumption control, resources optimization, environmental impact limitation, waste reduction and recycling, as well as the respect of fundamental human rights… These are the main societal responsibility pillars we greatly encourage our companies to take.

Launched in June 2008, the Sustainable Development Plan got a hundred of signatures in less than 2 years, which demonstrates the companies’ crucial commitment.

2010: a portal to exchange Sustainable Development practices

In order to raise awareness to the non-signatory companies, help them in their initiatives by encouraging experience sharing, and shed a positive light on the most exemplary actions, Inovallée took advantage in 2010 of a funding from the European Union and La Region Rhône-Alpes (the Rhône-Alpes regional council) to develop a portal to exchange good environmental practices.