Corporate social responsibility
mvt/ architectes is determined in its CSR policy
To reinforce this commitment, the firm provides financial support for humanitarian projects in the construction and education sectors. Its 1 ‰ project enables our clients to join us in our commitment. As it is our conviction that building is a way of creating the world, we pay the greatest attention to the impact our work has on our surroundings. Ever since it was founded in 1986, mvt/ architectes has championed the inclusion of a respect for the environment and the well-being of the occupant in architectural design. Our expertise in the ecobiology and geology sectors enables us to design projects for our clients that meet the requirements of sustainable development. More recently our firm has decided to apply a determined policy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) that is a commitment to our clients, our staff, our partners and the other companies we work with.
Partnership with IECD
As part of this commitment, we decided to provide financial support for humanitarian projects for construction and education, two issues that are particularly close to our hearts. To accomplish this goal, in 2015 mvt architectes entered into a partnership with the Institut Européen de Cooperation et de Développement (IECD). Created at the initiative of entrepreneurs and universities in 1988, this organization's mission is to promote development by strengthening peoples’ capacities and those of local partners. IECD is currently running over 45 projects in 14 countries.
1 ‰ project
We offer you the opportunity to join us in supporting IECD through our 1 ‰ project. As an mvt client, you can donate the equivalent of one thousandth of your construction costs. You can also donate the equivalent of 1 ‰ of the cost of any commissioned work. mvt undertakes to double every franc donated by its clients or from commissioned work and allocate all donations to selected projects. You will be kept informed of the progress of these projects. Bakery school in Vietnam We are currently supporting two IECD projects. The first trains disadvantaged youngsters in the Hué region in Vietnam to become bakers and confectioners.
The training is provided by La Boulangerie française, a school that trains a dozen youngsters each year. The school is a social enterprise that sells the students' produce in a tea room in the centre of town. The revenue pays for the apprentices' training and daily lives at the Thuy Xuan orphanage. For administrative reasons, the school has been forced to move and would like to build a new centre to ensure it has a future. It would also like to double the number of apprentices it takes in and improve the quality of their training.
Educational centers in Lebanon
The second IECD project mvt/ architectes is involved in aims to improve access to education for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon. IECD has been consolidating its presence in the country since 2007, as the war in neighbouring Syria gradually forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. In the summer of 2015, Lebanon took in 500,000 refugee children, 200,000 of whom were not receiving any appropriate schooling, according to UN sources. Through its three education centres at various locations in the country, IECD gives hundreds of children access to education along with quality psychological support.
With our clients' support, mvt has been able to donate almost CHF 100,000 to IECD in support of these two projects.
Let's persevere in our commitment to building a better world.