Founded in 2021, the Chair COAST (“COmmunication And organizing for Sustainability Transformation”) at Montpellier Business School grounds upon two axes of work: “Communication”, envisioning to transform how we talk about the ecological transition, and “Organizing”, prefiguring to transform how we walk our talk. As academics, COAST chair members strive to transform ourselves and our organizations into embedded, resilient and just communities.

We believe that we can shape the present and future of our societies in deep awareness of our planetary boundaries, bringing them back into balance by questioning and adapting our managerial, policy, and societal choices.

MoISA – Montpellier Interdisciplinary Center on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems
Social and Nutritional Sciences

MoISA research deals with the practices of stakeholders and the institutional mechanisms that ensure food and nutritional security for populations, as well as sustainable agriculture and food systems. Its approaches focus on studying the practices of actors involved in food supply and demand through business science, market research, economics, sociology, political science, geography, epidemiology, and public nutrition.

MoISA employs 150 staff members, including 85 permanent positions, from five research and/or training centres (Cirad, INRAE, IRD, Institut Agro de Montpellier, CHEAM-IAMM). The unit has a significant international cooperation network and is currently conducting research programs in some twenty countries in addition to France, particularly in Africa, Asia, and the French overseas departments and regions (DROM).

We ensure a strong integration between theoretical frameworks and empirical data based on the collection of primary data on stakeholders' practices. The unit is organized into three research groups: "Organizations and Strategies of Actors" (OSA); “REGULATIONS" and "towards Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security of populations" (SAND).

Discover PÉPITE, an exclusive brand of organic dried fruits and nuts, gourmet and committed. For nearly 20 years, PÉPITE has travelled the world in search of the highest quality dried fruit. A range of more than 100 references, with many exclusives, incessant innovations, and a permanent commitment alongside its producers and the Planet.

Our 2030 vision: Since our founding, we have worked exclusively with organic producers. But after the CEC (company’s conference for climate)* in 2023, we had a wake-up call and realised we must speed up. One question captures our urgency: how can we feed a constantly growing population without exhausting the planet's resources and while respecting the minimum social standard? This question has become our compass, and we have set a new course for 2030: to commit to sustainable, plant-based food that is carbon neutral, that fosters biodiversity, respects soils and living systems, provides fair pay for everyone involved, is healthy and balanced, and is a source of care and pleasure.