Our impact
How does CIRAD's research contribute to sustainable development in tropical and Mediterranean countries? How can we build research operations that optimize its impact on that development?
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Science with and for society
Society's confidence in scientific research has been put to the test lately, notably due to the many crises affecting humanity. This has prompted CIRAD to take a stand in favour of new relations between science and society.
The aims of CIRAD's science with and for society are to support public decisions, fuel democratic debate and enable every citizen to
understand the world around them and play a part in it. CIRAD's commitment rests on a position defined in accordance with its values (see the link to the position paper below). A commitment to sustainable development, openness and exemplarity are the three pillars that guide our operations in favour of science that works with and for society. Within that framework, seven interacting priorities have been built on several existing operations and internal structures.
A commitment to sustainable development
CIRAD conducts research that is determined to assess its impact, with sustainability as its watchword.
At the same time, in line with its commitment to sustainable development, CIRAD strives to conduct science of use to public action in that field.
Informing public policy
One of CIRAD's roles – as a public targeted research organization – is to inform public action, policy and instruments. This relies on the scientific knowledge co-produced with our partners in tropical and Mediterranean countries. One specificity is our ability to work on a range of scales, from local to global.
Openness
Open science allows more cumulative science, backed by the sharing of scientific content. It serves to accelerate innovation processes, notably in order to help societies in tropical and Mediterranean countries achieve the sustainable development goals.
Open science
Open science is a global movement for dissemination of and free access to scientific knowledge, to which CIRAD is committed. This drive aims to foster sharing and comparison of scientific research results, and the development of closer interactions between science and society.
Civil society organizations have always been preferred partners for CIRAD, which sees targeted research as a process associating a wide range of stakeholders: NGOs, think tanks, associations and others.
A partner for CSOs
CIRAD works with civil society organizations in many ways... funding, joint R&D projects, co-publications, advocacy, etc.
Exemplarity
From quality of work life to corporate responsibility through a determined environmentally friendly approach, CIRAD is striving to set an
example in terms of its environmental and social impact.
Social responsibility
CIRAD is convinced that the social and environmental aspects of development transcend economics. It has put sustainable development firmly at the heart of its remit, and strives to set an example in terms of its practices and their impact. From responsible business travel to procurement procedures that promote the circular economy, through quality of work life and sustainable mass catering, it sees a range of social responsibility issues as levers for action.
That exemplarity also applies to its relationships with its partners, whether from the global North or from tropical and Mediterranean countries.
Our partnerships
Research in partnership is in CIRAD's DNA. Over nigh on a century, it has allowed us to build a unique wealth of relationships, knowledge and expertise. CIRAD is a member of several alliances, serving as a catalyst fror a range of networks, notably the platforms in partnership for research and training (dPs) it launched in 2008.
CIRAD also strives to lsets an example in terms of ethics. That commitment is reflected in its Ethics and Research Integrity Office, backed by an ethics watch committee with seven members covering various types of professions at CIRAD, and also, on a collective level, in its participation in the INRAE-CIRAD-IFREMER-IRD Ethics in Common committee.
Our ethical commitments
For CIRAD, responsible research operations mean rigorous scientific and partnership strategies and practices, to guarantee the integrity of its research and the reliability of its results. In its code of ethics, the organization sets out the ethical standards expected of its employees, with particular emphasis on research for development partnerships and collaboration with the private sector.