The Agreement

Business districts, as economic growth drivers for cities and international showcases, represent a concentrate of urban challenges: social desegregation, population flows, environment, energy, pollution, corporate governance, etc. They are also areas for experimentation in architecture, building techniques, transportation etc.

Sustainable Development Agreement for Business Districts
As the economy and environmental and social issues are not global, EPAD (Etablissement Public d'Aménagement de La Défense), the French public company responsible for developing the La Défense business district close to Paris is proposing that the world's business districts federate their efforts around strong, concrete and measurable commitments contained in a Sustainable Development Agreement for Business Districts.

Project genesis
The project to draw up an Agreement was born in 2006, on the occasion of the launch of the La Défense regeneration programme, initiated by EPAD. This programme constitutes an in-depth reassessment of business districts and places the priority firmly on sustainable development.
During the summer of 2007, a Scientific Council, comprising around fifty experts and professionals, met to draft a document intended to serve as the basis for reflection on resources, transportation, social and spatial desegregation, knowledge sharing, governance and international cooperation.
To enhance the document's content, French and international experts met at La Défense on 8th November 2007 to consider the sustainable development challenges facing business districts, the possibilities for a universal commitment and the sustainable nature of such a commitment.

Concrete expression
The 1st World Business District Summit for Sustainable development to be held on 14th and 15th February 2008, at La Défense, under the patronage of Mr. Nicolas SARKOZY, President of the Republic and in the presence of Joseph STIGLITZ, Nobel Laureate, will mark the starting point of a movement to reconcile economic requirements and environmental and societal urgencies.
EPAD is inviting representatives from the world's business districts and cities concerned to attend the Summit to commit to working jointly on proposals for action.

Agreement signatories
The Sustainable Development Agreement for Business Districts represents a series of commitments concerning the issues of energy, water, waste management, transportation, spatial desegregation and governance. It will also open the way for business districts to become more welcoming living spaces.
The Agreement is intended to be signed by representatives of the world's business districts, i.e. Mayors or business districts management bodies.

>> Download the Agreement