Renault joins forces with École Polytechnique, to promote equal opportunities in education

• On April 30, 2014, Renault and École Polytechnique signed a partnership agreement as part of the program “Une Grande École, Pourquoi Pas Moi” (GEPPM). The aim is to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds gain access to higher education through France’s most prestigious business and engineering schools;
• As part of this agreement, Renault will work with secondary school students taking part in the program between now and 2016, providing information on careers in the automotive industry as well as offering an insight into the key issues that companies may need to address.

“Une Grande École, Pourquoi Pas Moi” (GEPPM)

École polytechnique set up the program “Une Grande École, Pourquoi Pas Moi” in 2006, as part of its charter to promote equal opportunities in access to educational excellence, in partnership with three secondary schools in the Paris region: Lycée de l’Essouriau in Les Ulis, Lycée Albert Einstein in Sainte Geneviève des Bois and Lycée Doisneau in Corbeil-Essonnes. In 2008, GEPPM received the label “cordée de la réussite”, referring to the State program to promote equal opportunities in education as part of partnerships between higher education establishments and schools.

GEPPM is aimed at secondary school students who have potential from an educational standpoint but whose social backgrounds include no references to higher education. The program helps them to find new paths and to pursue ambitious studies in higher education.

The objectives of the project are to:

• Increase the opportunities for young people from modest backgrounds to pursue ambitious studies in higher education, by supporting them during their last three years at secondary school.
• Re-establish work and effort as positive values for young people, encouraging the personal development of each pupil in order to enable them to go as far as possible along their chosen path.
• Contribute to expanding the recruitment base of the Grandes Écoles to include a more diversified public, without adopting a quota policy.
• Bring future graduates of École polytechnique into direct contact with the broader realities of the society in which they will work in the future as managers.
• Play an active role in national planning and development.

Developed in 2002 at the ESSEC business school, GEPPM works on a mentoring basis: students from the “Grandes Écoles” act as mentors to pupils selected in partner schools and support them in their personal and academic development, from years 11 to 13, in association with partner companies. Renault has been a partner of ESSEC since 2011 through its After-Sales department.

Renault is the sole industrial partner of École polytechnique as part of the program “Une Grande École, Pourquoi Pas Moi” (GEPPM)

With the backing of Nadine Leclair, Senior Vice President, Engineering Project, and Mendi Ammad, Director of the Renault Cléon plant, Renault decided to take part in this program in order to provide secondary school pupils from years 11 to 13 with more information on the company and the careers offered by the automotive industry.

• Employees from the Engineering Department and Production Department will welcome year 11 pupils for discovery days at their various sites.
• Year 12 pupils will take part in conferences organized by experts on technical functions in the automotive industry.
• Immersion days will be organized for year 13 pupils, during which they will be able to spend a day in the field with an employee working in their area of interest.

Claire MARTIN , Vice-President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Renault, said: “ Joining forces with École polytechnique as part of the program “Une Grande École Pourquoi Pas Moi” is a means to give motivated young people an insight into the world of business and to interest them in industry. Renault is very much involved in education, and believes that it has a responsibility to help these young people in making difficult career choices ”.

Renault supports some 100,000 young people every year

This initiative is part of the active policy pursued by Renault to support young people, promoting professional expertise and qualifications, as well as equal opportunities and the development of knowledge and good citizenship. Every year, the company opens its doors to 1,500 young people on work/study contracts and 2,000 interns. In partnership with the national employment centre and local branches, it welcomes 200 non-skilled young people every year. The Group is also taking part in corporate philanthropy initiatives and a wide range of partnerships, including “Safety and Mobility for all” (a road safety education program that has reached13 million children over 11 years) and “Course en cours” (more than 10,000 secondary school pupils taking part in a team-based competition involving a technical project). Every year, Renault supports almost 100,000 children, teenagers and young adults.

École polytechnique, committed to equal opportunities since its founding

This commitment to greater diversity reflects the school’s duty to society and its conviction that diversity boosts performance. The year 2014 marks  a turning point in the school’s organization with the founding of the Diversity and Success centre, set up to encourage ideas and initiatives promoting equal opportunities in three main areas: social diversity, disability and gender equality.

Jacques Biot, President of École polytechnique said: “Diversity contributes to performance. Ensuring that the CSR issue is taken on board at all levels of management is essential to making progress on these issues. We are delighted that Renault, which is conducting a bold policy in this field, is joining us as part of the GEPPM program”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Cécile Mathey
Press relations officer – École polytechnique – Tel.: +33 1 69 33 38 70

Raphaël de Rasilly
Press relations officer – École polytechnique – Tel.: +33 1 69 33 38 97

www.polytechnique.edu