The commitment to the environment means that any strategic decisions made will respect the three pillars of sustainable development:

• Protection of the environment – slow mobility and the promotion of renewable energy, respect and promotion of local heritage.

• Social responsibility - ethical issues in the business world, awareness training for human resources.

• Economic development - sustainable value creation, promotion of local products.

Today it has become essential to take sustainable development into account when designing and launching products on the market. Clients are increasingly aware of their responsibility as consumers when making choices. It has therefore become necessary for enterprises to demonstrate responsible citizenship in running their enterprises and even to show that they are incorporating environmental concerns into their financial reports.

The Yverdon-les-Bains Région Jura/Lac Region has developed several environmentally friendly concepts including that of Green Meetings, or responsible citizenship seminars. A Green Meeting is defined as « a meeting that incorporates environmental considerations into each stage of its organizational planning with the aim of reducing negative impacts on the environment ». Possible actions include reducing the number of polluting factors such as travel in individual cars, use of plastic glasses or bottles, or non-recycling of waste. These actions, when added together and multiplied by the number of meetings and participants, can have an important positive impact on the environment.

In adopting sustainable development as a strategic goal, the Yverdon-les-Bains Region has committed to:

• Heightening its partners’ awareness of environmental concerns and taking concrete steps to engage in operations that are respectful of the environment, even in a modest way

• Encouraging those in charge of organizing seminars to make environmentally responsible choices

• Positioning the Yverdon-les-Bains region according to an element which is a strong part of its identity: nature, and the area’s untouched natural beauty.