Since its creation, ESSEC Business School has supported equal opportunity, diversity, and environmental responsibility, while striving to have a positive impact on local communities. Our commitment to training responsible managers is evident every day, and unites and inspires the ESSEC community as a whole.

As a pioneer in offering an apprenticeship program, opening its doors to women, or launching an equal opportunities program.

ESSEC has launched several research Chairs on themes closely related to sustainable development and responsibility such as:

• Chaire Entrepreneuriat Social
• Chaire Philantropie
• Chaire Economie Urbaine

Many ESSEC initiatives are at the core of this process:

Antropia
Handicap
Council on Business and Society

RSE Campus@ESSEC: Through many working groups, this initiative defines and shares the good practices across ESSEC many campuses and to its students, staff, professors, alumni, participants, visitors...

Tangible means to promote equal opportunities

A top business school – why not me?
Created in 2002, this program offers support and coaching to underprivileged high school students, teaching them to strive for excellence and manage pressures while giving them the tools to succeed in a top university. Nearly 1,000 students from 10 high schools and 2 junior high schools have taken part in this program to date. Meanwhile, some 500 ESSEC students have volunteered to tutor, 50 professors have offered their support, and more than 20 companies have participated in the program.

For every talent
Encouraged by this experience, ESSEC has since increased its support of other equal opportunity programs like the Prépas Egalité des Chances CAP ESSEC and CAP BBA, to help open doors to leading institutions like ESSEC. In addition, ESSEC offers multiple financial aid programs to make higher education accessible, regardless of cost.

A SPOC to prepare students for higher education studies
To take this initiative even further, in 2015 the Equal opportunities center launched a SPOC (small private online course) called “Preparing for higher education” for junior and senior high school students.

Centre égalité des Chances

A community bound together by its values

Humanism, innovation, responsibility, excellence, and diversity are the values shared by the entire ESSEC community. Students, Executive Education participants, professors, staff, and graduates are united by this desire to get involved, share ideas and participate in the events that are dear to this institution.

Students are also regularly encouraged to participate in the school’s charitable initiatives, through which they earn work experience credits. ESSEC today disposes of the largest charity and volunteer work network in France. 

Furthermore, our over 47,000 graduates are an essential component of the ESSEC ecosystem, and show their support in multiple ways. One of the ways they get involved in our community is through mentoring: matched with a student, they support their academic progress and advise them on future professional projects.

The ESSEC Foundation, created in 2011 under the aegis of the Fondation de France, supports ESSEC’s inclusive growth by issuing grants, scholarships, gifts, and more, in recognition of academic excellence.