Forum EPFL

Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman (ASL)

This year, we have chosen to contribute to the protection and preservation of our local environment by supporting the Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman (Association for the Protection of Lake Geneva).

Since 1980, the ASL has worked daily to safeguard the quality of the waters of the lake and the rivers of the Lake Geneva basin.

The ASL is committed to protecting the ecological integrity of Lake Geneva through scientific research, practical conservation projects, and the promotion of sustainable water management. Its work covers a wide range of activities, from field operations to raising public awareness about the importance of preserving aquatic ecosystems.

By supporting the ASL through the “Responsible Forum” option, you contribute to safeguarding the waters of Lake Geneva and its basin, strengthening the protection of aquatic ecosystems, improving water quality, and supporting long-term environmental sustainability.

ISO 9001, quality management

In 2013, Forum EPFL has become the first large event of its type in Europe to see itself certified ISO 9001. This certification was awarded to us following an SQS (Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems) audit, a globally recognised certification organisation.

ISO 9001 certification attests of the Forum EPFL’s committee’s approach towards quality management and demands. ISO 9001’s requirements follow four main areas: management’s responsibility, quality system, procedure identification & management and continuous improvement principle. Quality management procedures allow us to respond to the ever-increasing demands of companies through optimising the transfer of expertise from one edition to the next.

ISO 9001 standard guarantees the Forum EPFL’s professionalism and quality.

Project « Forum Responsable »

Each year brings the ecological question ever further up into considerations of every sector of activity. A new way of working is slowly setting up into businesses, associations and even into homes. Every player is starting to see, each at its own scale, its environmental footprint. Each player is realizing its daily power to make a meaningful change to the world.

Starting in 2009, the “Forum Vert” project represents our association’s awakening in regards of these issues. Initiated by two members of the committee, members of EPFL’s environmental engineering faculty, and it was immediately approved by the direction. From then on, a dynamic team worked a whole year long to give birth to what would soon become a first-time in Switzerland: a carbon neutral Forum, certified ISO 14001.

The organisation committee then wanted to combine this project with the ISO 9001 standard. This would prove the association’s professionalism as well as its continuous concerns with improving the quality of offered services. Doing this, the project morphed into the “Forum Responsable” project, a symbol for a stronger association with high standards.

ISO 14001, environmental management

This certification represents the main goal of this process. A complete revision of our way of working, this type of management provides us with tools to define our activities’ impact, to evaluate them and to find solutions to reduce the negative outcomes. As ideal solutions are not always realizable, we strive to find acceptable compromises while keeping our main mission in mind: to facilitate young graduates’ integration into the business world.

Environmental management is a process of continuous improvement. Obtaining this certification has demonstrated our will to constantly enhance our performances in a durable way. It is thanks to Dr Paolo Baracchini’s support, Professor in environmental management, REME collaborator and QS&P’s director, that these objectives have been fulfilled and this certification obtained.