Our CSR Mission

As the thought-leader of the vanguard of Hospitality and Experience Education, we drive our communities and leaders in reinventing our industry to act now for a sustainable life.

We deliver impactful initiatives in solidarity with people, planet and prosperity to inspire a more gracious and hospitable world.

Agenda

10:30 Virtual Fair starts

13:30 Live Broadcast

Mark O'Brien - Director of Postgraduate Recruitment introduction to the event - 15 minutes

14:15 Virtual Fair continues

16:30 Virtual Fair ends

Benoit-Etienne Domenget

CEO Message

“Contributing to a better tomorrow has long been at the heart of Sommet Education. As educators, we have a mission to do what’s best for future generations. As leaders in hospitality management and culinary arts education, we focus on service, empathy, collaboration and human relationships.

Education is about imparting values, as well as skills and knowledge. For our students, this could mean learning about sustainability and social responsibility in class, running a campus restaurant with healthy, locally sourced ingredients, or volunteering in internal green clubs and local associations to contribute to the community and the environment. For our staff, this means participating in engaging programs that promote personal growth and a positive work environment.

The examples we set are key to achieving our mission. That’s why Sommet Education has a comprehensive CSR framework guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Through local and global action, we are committed to making a great impact on people and the planet.

Taking care of the future is our job. We are proud to embrace this responsibility and create the best for tomorrow.”

Taking care of the future is our job. We are proud to embrace this responsibility and create the best for tomorrow.”

5 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In 2015, the UN released 17 SDGs to encourage the business community to align their corporate strategies to better
serve a number of social, environmental and economic issues facing the world in the 21st century.

Sommet Education is committed to using our unique position in society to drive impactful change, focusing on 5 SDGs:

Good health GOOD HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING

Ensure inclusive,
equitable quality
education

Good health QUALITY EDUCATION

Ensure healthy
lives and promote
well-being

Good health DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Inclusive, sustainable
growth; productive
employment

Good health RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

Ensure sustainable
consumption and
production patterns

Good health CLIMATE ACTION

Combat climate
change and
its impacts

3 Dimensions

Icon 1

PEOPLE


We support the well-being and development of our people through key programs, fostering inclusivity and community engagement

Icon 2

PLANET


We take responsibility for the environmental impacts of our actions , striving to reduce our carbon footprint of campus operations and activities

Icon 3

PROSPERITY


We drive prosperity through education and support a sustainable development of our society and our global hospitality industry.

Achievements

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

Sommet Education firmly believes that ongoing, comprehensive reporting is necessary to measure our progress and steer the future of our CSR strategy. For this reason, every year we conduct an internal CSR report, collecting both quantitative and qualitative information from different entities. More than 200 indicators are analysed in areas such as social impact, environmental impact, supply chain, and governance and ethics.

This information is used to develop quantitative objectives and future actions to support the 5 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of our CSR mission.

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth

People Prosperity

Each year, Sommet Education organises internal initiatives to raise awareness of CSR topics while fostering a more positive workplace. These initiatives often coincide with internationally celebrated dates, such as International Women’s Day, World Kindness Day, and International Week of Happiness at Work.

We encourage all employees to take part in these initiatives by participating in company-wide challenges, sharing their experiences and exploring these topics further through additional resources. In doing so, we aim to spread knowledge of important social issues while providing opportunities for personal growth and development.

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

Unique at the European level, Swiss Triple Impact (STI) is a 3-year programme initiated by the non-profit organisation B Lab Switzerland and supported by several key partners, such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Sommet Education has participated in STI since 2020. As the first educational organisation to join STI, we take pride in forming part of this initiative for social and environmental good, and working with B Lab Switzerland and other key actors to build a sustainable future together.

The STI helps participating enterprises in Switzerland to:

• Measure their contributions towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Identify opportunities for improvement
• Take concrete action

All with the aim of stimulating innovation and developing a resilient economy in the Swiss ecosystem.

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

As part of our ongoing commitment to CSR, Sommet Education has developed an internal CSR Champions Network, which includes one representative per entity.

Our Champions are key to promoting CSR across Sommet Education. Serving their local entity, CSR Champions play a triple role as Ambassador, Reporter and Coordinator. They encourage employees to engage in CSR actions, report on outcomes and best practices, and help to implement global initiatives.

With the support of the CSR Champions Network, we work towards increasing solidarity, developing unified practices, boosting operational effectiveness, improving the company's image and fostering innovation.

Good Health and Well-being Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production

People Prosperity

As a cornerstone of our commitment to CSR, we have entirely reviewed Sommet Education’s Code of Conduct & Ethics for Employees (available in English and French). This document expresses the values, working practices and professional conduct norms that represent the culture of our company.

It is a key reference and contractual document that guides the company and all employees towards our success. By respecting our Code, we ensure that Sommet Education shall maintain an impeccable reputation for corporate trustworthiness. This means taking action to prevent violations of the law or this Code through a robust whistleblowing procedure and governance of the Code.

This Code describes our ambition, purpose and company’s culture and includes our commitments towards all our stakeholders:

• Developing talent in a caring environment
• Using information & assets responsibly
• Conducting our business in an ethical manner

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

On campuses in Crans-Montana, Switzerland and Marbella, Spain, Les Roches has established the Spark Innovation Sphere to foster the future of hospitality. As part of Spark, Les Roches and the Association of Crans-Montana Municipalities (ACMM) have teamed up in a new public-private partnership to work towards the common goal of developing a sustainable economy beyond tourism.

Founded in October 2020, Spark is both an incubation centre and a place dedicated to applied research. It is an open space for technology experts, Gen-Z students, entrepreneurs, innovators, start-ups and global as well as local companies. The purpose of this innovation cluster is to co-create the services and products of tomorrow's hospitality by reinventing the customer experience. While addressing industry challenges, students and businesses are encouraged to develop socially and environmentally responsible solutions.

The new multidisciplinary Spark Innovation Sphere reinforces Les Roches' commitment to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship while building a sustainable future. At the same time, Spark contributes to the dynamism and economic development of Crans-Montana and Marbella by bringing new expertise, companies and innovation to these regions.

Quality Education Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production

People Prosperity

Sommet Education is proud to partner with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to expand access to education and support the sustainable development of the hospitality industry.

As part of this collaboration, Sommet Education and the UNWTO have launched a Hospitality Challenge to provide education while developing sustainable industry solutions in light of the global COVID-19 crisis.

Both the UNWTO and Sommet Education share the conviction that this unprecedented challenge has created the opportunity for the hospitality industry not only to come back, but to grow better and hence stronger. It is a unique invitation to restart tourism in a more balanced, innovative and sustainable way, with hospitality as one of its driving forces. The time is right to foster new ideas, offer a new industry paradigm and shift consumption habits. World trade, travel and leisure can grow back while respecting limited natural resources and engaging deeper with local communities and businesses.

The Hospitality Challenge offers winners full-tuition hospitality and culinary scholarships. Through this Challenge, Sommet Education sponsors a total of 30 scholarships for undergraduate and graduate programmes at Glion Institute of Higher Education, Les Roches Global Hospitality Education and École Ducasse.

The objective of the Challenge is to support the hospitality industry's recovery while promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and diversity, in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Good Health and Well-being Quality Education

People Prosperity

Because teaching is our profession; because we have at heart to transmit and help each individual grow; because we carry the values of the sense of service, openness, development, distinctiveness and joint commitment; we deeply believe that the sharing of experiences and knowledge enriches us. Every person can be a guide for others in the company, helping each other to blossom within it.

At Sommet Education, mentoring individuals to grow is part of our cultural and managerial DNA. We have launched the mentoring programmes #MentoringTuto and #MentoringDev to give employees the opportunity to receive personalised support at important phases of their career within the company.

Good Health and Well-being Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

Every year, Les Roches Crans-Montana invites scholars and industry experts to share their insights during a 3-day festival on innovation and sustainability.

Formerly known as the Environment Festival, in 2020 Les Roches broadened the festival’s scope and launched a re-vamped virtual edition: ShiftIn' 2020.

From 18 to 20 November 2020, international scholars and industry experts representing hospitality, technology and other fields talked about innovation, sustainability and out-of-the-box thinking, particularly in light of today's "new normal". Topics included how companies adapt to crisis situations; why Doers outshine Thinkers; and why – with global travel much reduced – sustainability innovation within hospitality has gone local.

The annual festival is a great opportunity for students, staff and partners to exchange ideas, learn and raise awareness about climate change and sustainability.

Good Health and Well-being Decent Work and Economic Growth Responsible Consumption and Production Climate Action

People Planet Prosperity

As educators, Sommet Education is committed to doing what’s best for future generations. Ensuring that we engage responsibly with all commercial relations – including suppliers, subcontractors, agents, consultants and external business partners – is crucial to our mission.

We live in an age of increased transparency and awareness of the need for responsible, sustainable action. We make ethical choices as part of our day-to-day decisions – and expect business partners to uphold the same high standards.

As part of our CSR mission, we have completely reviewed our Code of Conduct and Ethics for Commercial Relations (available in English and French), developing a new framework that explains our principles and the environmental, social and governance criteria that reflect our CSR strategy.

Just as our Code of Conduct and Ethics for Employees establishes principles of appropriate behaviour and ethical conduct for Sommet Education employees, this new Code sets similar standards from suppliers.

We have also fully reviewed our Internal Procurement Procedure, which applies to any type of purchase carried out by Sommet Education.