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ACIDD is a European association of communication and information for sustainable development.

The democratisation and massification of global communications has been accompanied by an unparalleled rise in awareness of the environmental, social and cultural issues facing this century.

Climate change, resource over-exploitation, social imbalances, global financial and economic crises… By way of response to these challenges, groups of men and women are continuously innovating on the economic, social and environmental fronts: ‘ordinary citizens’ or individuals within an array of organisations – commercial enterprises, associations, media, regional authorities, universities and schools – are re-examining the responsibility and role of organisations and individuals in their social and natural environments.

Given that information and communication technologies (ICTs) are potent means both of empowerment and of creating novel forms of exchange and collaboration, they are also of interest in the realm of sustainable development, in that they help cut energy consumption in buildings, promote sustainable mobility, foster new economic models, nurture education and training, and so forth.

These unparalleled challenges call for the participation and mobilisation of large numbers of stakeholders and the involvement of all areas of expertise. The situation requires us to be creative and to establish new partnerships between organisations and between individuals.

Accelerator of change

ACIDD is a not-for-profit organisation involved in accelerating the dissemination of innovative ideas and tools capable of meeting the challenges of sustainable development, creating links between individuals and networks, trialling new modes of collaboration and communication, and facilitating the concretisation of sustainable development projects.

Communicating ideas…
Sustainable development calls for joint effort. Success is predicated on incorporating the diversity and richness of differing points of view. ACIDD offers forums on a regular basis to all kinds of organisations (associations, commercial enterprises, authorities, government ministries, universities, research institutions…) and to individuals with a range of agendas as a means of encouraging the dissemination of original ideas. Since 2002 ACIDD has welcomed more than 500 participants to its various sustainable development forums. ACIDD helps promote sustainable development among the general population via means such as the Be Green film festival and its sustainable development ‘pocket film’ competition (maximum length of submissions: three minutes).

Weaving links…
The establishment and realisation of sustainable development – a venture that requires a collective approach – calls for the forging of a bond of trust between individuals. In this regard, ACIDD organises regular encounters between communication, sustainable development, digital, education, regional and other networks as a means of fostering co-operation between them:
• Summer universities in sustainable development communication have, since 2003, been bringing together one hundred or so contributors specialising in communication and/or sustainable development
• The TIC21 programme, launched in 2005, has been helping build bridges between actors involved in new technologies, the internet and sustainable development
• The international TIC21 forums, three of which have been held in Valenciennes
• The European forums of the Committee of the Regions in Brussels since 2007
• Themed days (tools for measuring and publicising carbon emissions in Paris)
• ‘ICT and sustainable development’ training courses (regional nature parks)
• Think tanks, groups tasked with discussing and drafting proposals (DIACT)
• The Campus TIC21 programme ‘Sustainable development training via the internet’

• Coming soon: the international ‘Sustainable development 2.0’ forum, which embraces all these themes

Facilitating projects…
This research into joint and transverse cultures helps facilitate the concretisation of sustainable development projects: ACIDD is a willing partner in such projects and always contributes more than is required. ACIDD’s numerous collaborations have persuaded it to propose and/or press for the realisation of initiatives that concretise sustainable development and which feature novel – even experimental – cooperation processes.

As a result, ACIDD has helped initiate ‘Ordi 2.0’ in association with the government agency Délégation aux usages de l’Internet, co-ordinated the drafting of the Guide de l’éco-événement, established the Observatoire de la communication et du marketing responsables, and worked with the MEDEF to prepare the plan for the development of the digital economy.

In response to a call for projects by the EU’s Information Society and Media Directorate General (DG INFSO), ACIDD has established, and co-ordinates ICT21-EE, a consortium of 18 structures in 10 countries aimed at establishing an ‘ICT for energy efficiency’ production platform featuring best practice exchange (buildings, mobility, behaviour).

Finally, ACIDD is heavily involved in setting up the Green and Connected Cities cluster, the object of which is to bring together 21 urban entities in France, Europe and the Mediterranean, 10 large companies, networks of experts and international organisations with a view to co-produce scenarios for the city of the future, and to carry through experimental projects. In 2009, the cluster’s endeavours will result in the creation of intermediate urban spaces for teleworking, co-working and telepresence solutions, thus driving sustainable development in the regions.

Some of ACIDD’s partners:
ADEME; European Environment Agency; World Digital Solidarity Agency; AMGVF; Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations; Canal +; Committee of the Regions; Comité21; European Commission; Délégation aux Usages de l’Internet; Département de Vaucluse; DIACT; Eco-Emballages; European Partners for the Environment; FEDARENE; FING; Grenoble School of Management; Kraft Foods; La Poste; Ministère de l’énergie, de l’écologie, du développement durable et de l’aménagement du territoire; Orange; Pricewaterhouse Coopers; Région Nord-Pas-de-Calais; Région PACA; Région Rhône-Alpes; RTL; Villes Internet; etc.
ACIDD was established in 2000 and currently maintains a membership of 350. Employing seven full-time staffers and four external associates, it maintains offices in La Bastidonne (Luberon), Paris and Grenoble.

President: Gilles Berhault, gilles.berhault@acidd.com
Contact: Solène Bourdais, solene.bourdais@acidd.com