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The CSIC has granted its sustainability recognition to three research institutes: the IDAEA-CSIC, the I2SysBio and the GEO3BCN.
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IDAEA-CSIC, which has received the first prize, has carried out more than 70 actions through its Sustainability Committee, active since 2020.
Award ceremony of the Sustainability Distinctions / Vinca Page (CSIC)
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) awarded its Sustainability Distinction this Friday to the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), the Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio) and the Geosciences Barcelona Institute (GEO3BCN).
The president of the institution, Eloísa del Pino, stressed that this is the first time this distinction has been awarded. It was created as a recognition tool for CSIC institutes, centres and units that stand out for developing exemplary initiatives and best practices in environmental, social and economic sustainability.
This initiative forms part of the 2024–2026 Sustainability Plan, the first of its kind promoted by the Council, whose aim is to mainstream environmental, social and economic sustainability across the institution’s long-term activities.
IDAEA-CSIC awarded first prize
In this first call for the Sustainability Distinction, IDAEA-CSIC received first prize, endowed with €10,000. The institute, which has had an active Sustainability Committee since 2020, has implemented more than 70 actions covering areas such as energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, universal accessibility, equality, waste management, responsible procurement, healthy eating and environmental outreach. Its scientific work addresses complex challenges through the One Planet, One Health, One Science approach, integrating human, animal and environmental health.
“The work of the IDAEA Sustainability Committee was strengthened when we aligned ourselves with the CSIC Sustainability Plan, reorganising our initiatives into ten strategic lines in line with the Council’s plan,” explains Clara Jaén, researcher at IDAEA-CSIC and member of the Committee.
“Receiving the Sustainability Distinction represents institutional recognition of the collective effort and genuine commitment of the staff who have voluntarily promoted and carried out these actions over the last six years. It encourages us to continue integrating sustainability into our research, internal management and organisational culture,” stresses Ethel Eljarrat, director of IDAEA-CSIC.
The Committee highlights that this award reinforces its transformation strategy towards a more efficient, inclusive centre that is aware of its environmental impact, and also opens the door to the development of more ambitious initiatives in this field.
Centres and institutes standing out for their sustainability
The second prize, endowed with €5,000, was awarded to I2SysBio for the effective implementation of the CSIC Sustainability Plan’s lines of action through a formalised Sustainability Committee with its own budget and regular operation. These actions cover multiple areas — buildings, ICT, mobility, accessibility, food, recycling and awareness-raising — and include monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. This joint centre of CSIC and the University of Valencia carries out research in three main areas: Systems Biotechnology, Systems Biology of Pathogens and Theoretical and Computational Systems Biology.
The third prize, with a €3,000 endowment, was awarded to GEO3BCN in recognition of its commitment to anticipating and expanding various sustainability measures. These include initiatives related to energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, internal training and staff awareness. This international research institute specialises in Earth sciences and contributes to industrial and societal needs through the transfer of knowledge applied to geological risks and to the exploration and exploitation of geological resources.
In addition, the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC) and the Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC) received an honourable mention for their involvement in sustainability actions.
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