Back

In early 2026, IÉSEG launched the Sustainable Impact Fund to spark social and environmental projects led by students, alumni, and staff. Designed to drive real-world action, the fund was made possible by a generous donation from the FRANCOURT family, in collaboration with the IÉSEG Foundation. It supports projects closely aligned with both the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and IÉSEG’s own sustainability and social impact strategy.

Each year, grants ranging from €300 to €3,000 are awarded to creative, innovative, and high-impact initiatives. Through this financial backing, the Sustainable Impact Fund raises awareness of social and environmental issues within the school and its wider region, while empowering the IÉSEG community to bring tangible, hands-on experiences to life.

A selective process to support innovative impactful projects

Applications for the Sustainable Impact Fund are reviewed by a panel that includes a representative from the Social and Environmental Impact Department at IÉSEG, the CSR head of a student association, an alumnus from the “IÉSEG For Change” club, and a professor or partner company representative.

Projects are evaluated on several criteria: potential impact, team motivation, feasibility, innovation, and structural soundness. After an initial screening, shortlisted candidates pitch their projects to the panel, followed by a Q&A session to discuss their vision and ambitions.

Mentorship to turn ideas into reality

Beyond funding, the Sustainable Impact Fund connects selected project leaders with dedicated coaches—recognized experts in the sustainability and impact space—to help them structure their ideas and maximize their real-world outcomes.

For this inaugural edition, the panel selected three projects:

« Let’s Talk about Sex (LTAS) », founded by Chloé BESSON, a master’s student in the Grande École Program, this startup aims to reshape how we approach sexual health education and relationships. Her project combines a chatbot designed to answer young people’s questions with workshops hosted at universities and schools. Chloé is being mentored by Elise THIBAULT-GONDRE, founder of the corporate volunteering platform Day One.

“Part of the Sustainable Impact Fund allowed us to attend ChangeNOW, where we had the opportunity to pitch to numerous partners, CSR experts, and investors. This gave LTAS a massive boost in visibility and credibility,” Chloé BESSON explained. “The rest of the funding is currently being used to develop Version 2 of our chatbot, which will run through June. This upgrade focuses on improving performance, enriching content, and strengthening data privacy—which is absolutely vital for the topics we cover.”

Chloé BESSON, founder of Let’s Talk about Sex

Sofia POTIER, a second-year student in the Grande École Program, is developing “Public Affair,” a second-hand fashion project that pairs curated, unique pieces with editorial commentary on overconsumption and identity building through fashion. Sofia shared: “This grant wasn’t just a financial boost; it was the vote of confidence I needed to turn a personal intuition into a structured media outlet and a high-standard archive, all while maintaining total editorial independence. Thanks to your support, Public Affair is moving from a ‘rough draft’ folder into a concrete reality, ready to shake up the secondhand market.”

Sofia is mentored by Pénélope CHAPUIS, an IÉSEG alumna and founder of the eco-friendly fashion brand “Binette.”

Finally, Soupact, led by Paula V. RAMIREZ and Ece DINÇKUL, both students in the Master in Management for Sustainability, tackles food waste by transforming unsold or “ugly” vegetables into healthy, seasonal soups offered at student-friendly prices. To boost its social impact, the project also plans to donate a portion of its production to people in need. Paula and Ece were coached by Xavier SEUX, IÉSEG alumnus and creator of THE BIG SHIFT!, a podcast dedicated to the ecological transition and practical solutions for taking action.

Each of these projects undergoes a mid-term progress review by the school’s Social and Environmental Impact Directorate, and project leaders will submit a final progress report by the end of the academic year.

With this new initiative, IÉSEG reinforces its commitment to supporting social and environmental projects driven by its community.