ESCP Business School publishes first global carbon footprint calculation

The process to calculate ESCP’s federal carbon footprint began in 2022 under the leadership of Professor Joe Miemczyk and Sustainability Manager Laetitia Langlois with the extensive support of on-campus representatives and students across ESCP’s campuses in Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid and Turin.

International experience is a key part of the curriculum and student development at ESCP. With our unique multi-campus model in Europe, ESCP’s students are required to study in at least two cities during their time at the school. This experience provides intercultural skills students need in their future careers and remains a key aspect of ESCP’s identity. But it is also a key challenge. In considering ESCP’s carbon footprint, we also feel the responsibility to take into account the impact of student mobility.

Moreover, each campus operates within a unique framework of legal regulations, energy infrastructures, and logistical challenges. It was essential for each local carbon footprint to be independently compliant with relevant regulations while also aligning with global reporting standards. Achieving this required precise data collection. For example, in Madrid, regulations mandated calculating the carbon footprint based on the calendar year rather than the academic year. In London, pensions had to be included in Scope 3 emissions, a requirement that differs from other campuses where pensions are structured differently.

Key Findings: ESCP’s carbon footprint calculation for 2022

The confirmed results of the carbon footprint report for ESCP for the year 2022 are the following:
Our total Carbon Footprint is 6,715 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2).

• Scope 1 Direct emissions: 1,517 tCO2 - gas emitted directly through combustion, fuel-burning processes, and fugitive emissions.
• Scope 2 Indirect energy emissions: 789 tCO2 - purchased electricity, heat, and steam.
• Scope 3 Other indirect emissions: 4,409 tCO2 - other indirect sources including purchased goods and services, business travel, commuting, and waste.

The carbon footprints of our campuses vary due to several key factors. For instance, the Berlin campus benefits from a green energy provider that exclusively uses renewable energy, which naturally lowers its carbon footprint. Our overall carbon footprint is primarily driven by three factors: student mobility, purchases, and energy consumption within buildings.

The next step is to implement our reduction strategy, with solid measures already in place, as seen on our newly opened Turin campus. With sustainability at the forefront of its design, the new campus includes solar panels, LED lighting, advanced thermal performance, and electric-vehicle charging stations, to significantly reduce both energy consumption and emissions.

We are also committed to minimising the environmental impact of student travel, a key component of our international curriculum. For compulsory short-term mobility programmes, such as the Designing Europe Seminar in Brussels, we have implemented low-carbon transportation solutions.