The Greenprint series explores the distinctive sustainability identities of ESCP’s campuses, highlighting the people and initiatives shaping a shared vision for responsible leadership and collective impact.
As Sustainability Lead for ESCP’s London Campus, Christina Bartholomew heads the London Green Office and supports initiatives led by students, faculty, and staff to drive environmental and social impact. With a background in law, sustainable strategy, and education, she focuses on operationalising sustainability and fostering collaboration across ESCP’s London network. We spoke to her about how the campus’s sustainability work reflects its place, people, and purpose.
It’s been a great pleasure working with so many committed stakeholders across my own campus and beyond to build and refine our sustainability initiatives.
Christina BartholomewSustainability Lead, ESCP London Campus
Sustainability team at the ESCP London Campus
Emily Centeno De AbolsManagement
Christina BartholomewManagement
Vanezza ScanlonAffiliate faculty
The local lens
The London Campus’s sustainability identity is grounded in strong local partnerships and a commitment to social impact across its home in the London Borough of Camden. The campus is building relationships with the Camden Council, the Camden Climate Alliance, and a range of local NGOs designed to serve the interests of the community, from consulting businesses and addressing local challenges to pledging commitments and engaging the local community through social initiatives.
“Despite being home to major international companies such as Google and Microsoft, Camden also faces deep social challenges,” shares Christina. “The ESCP London Campus works with local partners to support community initiatives that address inequality and promote inclusion.” These collaborations position ESCP as more than an academic presence and an engaged community partner.
Since 2022, the London Campus has also effectively established a staff-student environmental, social and governance (ESG) committee, setting an example on how institutional sustainability strategy can remain both relevant and practical. The Committee’s work has been instrumental in rolling out a reusable eco-cups initiative for all staff and students, nearly eliminating single-use container waste on campus.
More recently, the London Campus has also been shortlisted in the 2025 Times Higher Education Awards, Outstanding Estates Team of the Year category, commending the School’s efforts in putting sustainability at the core of its 10-year Estates Masterplan that transforms its historic Victorian site into an innovative, sustainable and low-carbon space and supports ths School's growth, sustainability, and community engagement goals.
Initiative Spotlight: The Social Impact Festival
Each year, ESCP London Campus hosts the Social Impact Festival, a flagship event that reflects the campus’s commitment to inclusive leadership and social change. The Festival offers students a dynamic platform for cross-sector collaboration, innovation, and action.
Keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops bring together a wide range of changemakers from business, civil society, and academia to explore bold thinking and practical tools for creating social value.
“The Festival gives students from different programmes the opportunity to interact and co-create impactful solutions,” Christina explains. This event has become a cornerstone of the London Campus’s sustainability calendar — a meeting point between learning, creativity, and local engagement.
The Social Impact Festival continues to grow, with the latest edition being the biggest to date, focusing on critical, forward-thinking discussions exploring key themes like entrepreneurial talent and inclusion, social mobility and business as a force for good, balancing people, planet, and profit, and unlocking human potential.
Engaging with the ESCP community
As with all ESCP campuses, sustainability is embedded across the London Campus curricula, reflecting the School’s federal strategy to ensure that 100% of students are trained on sustainability throughout their studies.
This year, around 170 first-year Master in Management students took part in Climate Pitch, a conference-style workshop delivered by Planet on Stage. The sessions explored how students can respond to the climate crisis both individually and collectively, reinforcing the idea that every choice matters.
“The Climate Pitch was an opportunity to signal ESCP’s commitment to sustainability and to encourage students to join in the efforts, setting them on the right track for the two-year study ahead,” shares Christina.
As part of the curriculum for the MSc in Marketing & Creativity programme, students at the London Campus collaborate with various external partners who are at the frontlines of creating societal well-being and impact. For example, during the Entrepreneurship Festival 2024, ESCP students worked with Camden Council, One Kilburn, Think & Do Camden, and London Clean Air over a month to deliver entrepreneurial solution proposals addressing local needs. Later, ESCP further engaged with the council through a student consulting project for Good Life Camden, offering branding advice and outreach strategies to engage a diverse range of audiences.
Last year, the London-based Bachelor in Management students spent six weeks developing business plans for the Brent Cross Town regeneration project, focusing on the local park’s development, several of which are now under review for implementation.
At the same time, the London branch of ESCP's European start-up incubator, the Blue Factory, systematically seeks ways to engage the local community beyond ESCP and has also helped local startups such as Adexa Labz, supporting local innovation.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, Christina shares how the London Campus is focusing on deepening community partnerships and expanding opportunities for student engagement. “We are developing new impact projects for the coming year to give students a chance to draw from their learnings to make tangible social impact—and, importantly, nurture a conscious and impactful leadership mindset for their future careers.”
Beyond the classroom, student societies are also playing a crucial role in advancing the campus’s sustainability mission. This winter term, AGORA, ESCP’s international student union, is preparing a Green / AI Hackathon. The event will invite teams of students, corporate partners, and community members to co-design solutions to real sustainability challenges, blending innovation, teamwork, and purpose.
For Matti Lievenbrück, MSc in Energy Management student and AGORA Head of Sustainability, the hackathon represents how student-led innovation can turn ESCP’s sustainability principles into tangible outcomes. “The upcoming Green & AI Hackathon is a great opportunity to show how sustainability at ESCP can turn into something hands-on and collaborative,” he shares. “It’s exciting to see students from different backgrounds team up to tackle real environmental challenges using AI, skill, and creativity.”
“After working with many different stakeholders, I have greatly benefited from the strong support of the London Campus, whose members have actively contributed their experience and network. This shared vision is what makes initiatives like the Green / AI Hackathon possible and helps turn good ideas into real impact.”
—Matti Lievenbrück, MSc in Energy Management student and AGORA Head of Sustainability
Relevant links
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