The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), an agency attached to the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, has awarded its Sustainability Distinctions to five research institutes, including the Institute of Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio, CSIC-UV), which has received second prize, worth €5,000, and thus positioned itself as the second most sustainable centre.

Along with I2Sysbio, the other centres that have received the distinction are the Institute of Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (IDAEA-CSIC) and Geosciences Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC). In addition, the Barcelona Institute of Materials Science (ICMAB-CSIC) and the Barcelona Institute of Molecular Biology (IBMB-CSIC) have been awarded an honourable mention for their involvement in sustainability actions.

The awards ceremony took place last Friday in the CSIC auditorium in Madrid. During the event, CSIC President Eloísa del Pino emphasised that this distinction was created as a means of recognising CSIC institutes, centres and units that stand out for their development of exemplary initiatives and best practices in environmental, social and economic sustainability.

On behalf of the I2SysBio sustainability committee, researcher José Manuel Cuevas, a member of the committee, collected the award. He highlighted the work of all the members of the committee and their efforts to raise awareness through all the strategies and initiatives they carry out throughout the year.

In this regard, Cuevas advocated the slogan ‘the best way to raise awareness is with science’ and stressed the need to convey scientific knowledge to society at large in order to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability. The event was also attended by Gustavo Gómez, director of I2SysBio, representing the institute, and Ana Conesa, a researcher at the centre and one of the founders of the committee.
 

The I2Sysbio Sustainability Committee is formally established, has its own budget and operates on a regular basis. It carries out numerous actions covering multiple areas — real estate, ICT, mobility, accessibility, food, recycling and awareness-raising — and incorporates monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It should also be noted that in recent months it has been working to obtain two international sustainable research certifications: LEAF for laboratories and Green Disc for computing.

Sustainability Distinctions

This initiative is part of the 2024-2026 Sustainability Plan, the first of its kind promoted by the Council, whose purpose is to integrate environmental, social and economic sustainability across the institution's long-term activities. In particular, the Plan seeks to promote responsible and efficient consumption of energy and water, as well as more sustainable mobility for CSIC staff. It also seeks to strengthen social, demographic and egalitarian sustainability by promoting diversity, equal opportunities and work-life balance, and to foster a culture of sustainability and good governance geared towards a circular economy.