In co-operation with Rio Tinto Alcan - HEC Montréal is launching Carrefour
E3, offering managerial expertise in energy and environmental management

MONTREAL, Nov. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - HEC Montréal is pleased to announce Carrefour E³, a platform for sharing and transferring knowledge intended to help small and medium-sized (SMEs) and large enterprises adapt their management practices to new challenges relating to sustainability and energy management. Rio Tinto Alcan, the first official partner of Carrefour E³, has donated $500,000 to support the new initiative through its Rio Tinto Alcan Canada Fund.

By combining the expertise of HEC Montréal faculty and that of actual energy managers from such firms as Rio Tinto Alcan, Carrefour E³ will provide valuable networking opportunities and allow HEC Montréal to offer training geared to the needs of current and future managers.

Carrefour E³ is co-directed by Alain Perez, Adjunct Professor with the Office of Research Development, Technology Transfer and Executive Training, and Stéphane Vachon, Associate Professor with the Logistics and Operations Management Department.

"An initiative like Carrefour E³ is not only original, but highly relevant, at a time when decisions concerning sustainability and energy management have to be taken jointly in our society," emphasized HEC Montréal Director Michel Patry. "We are delighted to be able to count on the valuable support of Rio Tinto Alcan, a firm that shares the School's objectives," he added.

"We are proud to contribute to creating Carrefour E³ and to be able to help HEC Montréal professors offer their students training tailored even more closely to today's requirements and businesses' actual needs," added Erik Ryan, Rio Tinto Alcan Senior Vice-President, Communications and External Relations, at the official launch.

"Other business partners will be invited to join Carrefour E³ in the coming months: firms, government partners, non-profit organizations, NGOs and professional associations."

Carrefour E³ will look at a wide variety of themes, from strategic management to government and community relations, human resources management, accounting (best practices), energy management (modelling, case histories and success stories), sustainability (best practices), government policies, marketing communications and operations management.

The knowledge transfer activities planned for Carrefour E³ include a seminar entitled "Challenges and Strategic Responses / La durabilité : défis et réponses," for its partners' staff, to be offered starting in April 2011.

About HEC Montréal

HEC Montréal was the first business school in North America to hold the three most prestigious accreditations in management education: AACSB International (United States), EQUIS (Europe) and AMBA (United Kingdom). The School has over 12,000 students in its 38 management programs, from the undergraduate to postgraduate levels, including certificates, and employs approximately 260 professors. HEC Montréal plays a leadership role in research thanks to some 50 research units (including 25 chairs), carries out projects around the world and is dedicated to training executives and senior managers. In the past one hundred years, the School has trained more than 65,000 students in a wide variety of management fields. 

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and NYSE listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Rio Tinto's business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminum, copper, diamonds, energy (coal and uranium), gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc) and iron ore. Activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southern Africa.

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