THE 2024 CHALLENGE FOR CORPORATE ACTION IS NOW CLOSED.
Do you want to join the fight against climate change? By taking part in this student challenge, you have a unique opportunity to help corporations to find solutions, as well as winning a prize, raising your profile, strengthening your future employability, and building a professional network.
Getlink (formerly Groupe Eurotunnel) and TSE are inviting Master's students to submit innovative strategies, ideas or solutions that corporations can adopt to effectively mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Your proposals can encompass a wide range of possibilities, including marketing initiatives, financial policies or accounting tools, incentive policies, management strategies, product or service offerings that influence the behavior of employees, clients, suppliers or other stakeholders, as well as work routines and much more. You can address any aspect related to climate change and GHG emissions, such as mobility, energy, food production and consumption, manufacturing, services, recycling, technology, health, and biology. There are no restrictions based on sector or geographical area.
The focus will primarily be on the economic and climate impact your idea can achieve!
Up to five finalist teams will have the opportunity to present their ideas to a diverse jury of members including corporate executives, academics, and other experts in the field.
The first prize awarded will be €3,000 per team, and the second best team will be awarded €2,000.
The challenge will take place between September 2023 and March 2024.
Prizes | Eligibility | Timeline | Selection criteria-Jury | How to participate | Useful tools | Organizers
The Challenge for Corporate Climate Action has reached its conclusion!
The first prize, worth €3,000, was awarded to Katinka Bjørndal Thomsen (TBS Education) and Anaïs Michel (TBS Education and Sciences Po Toulouse) for their innovative mobile application project called “Foodprint”. The second prize of €2,000 went to Shakila Boyer (TSE) and Maxime Pretotto (TBS Education and Sciences Po Toulouse), for their “Torrent” project focusing on water management.
The Formidable Rencontre du Climat organized by Getlink on April 24 was an opportunity not only to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Eurotunnel's entry into service, but also to reveal the rankings of the Challenge for Corporate Climate Action teams. The winning teams received their prizes and presented their projects to the 150 professionals gathered for the event at the Ministère de la Transition Ecologique et de la Cohésion des Territoires, in the presence of Minister Christophe Béchu and Getlink CEO Yann Leriche. Also taking part in the first part of the event were Vincent Ducros, Getlink's CSR and Sustainable Development Director, Anne Rigail, Getlink's Managing Director, Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar's Managing Director, Henri Poupart-Lafarage, Chairman and CEO of Alstom, and Frédéric Dabi, Managing Director of Ifop.
Discover this year's winning projects:
1st Prize - Project "Foodprint”
By Katinka Bjørndal THOMSEN (TBS Education) and Anaïs MICHEL (TBS Education & Sciences Po Toulouse).
“Foodprint” is a mobile application project enabling consumers to obtain direct information on the carbon impact of their food purchases. The app would be based on the principle of the social cost of carbon, offering an online shopping system (Drive), “low-carbon” recipes, informative content and an integrated social network to make the approach entertaining.
The application would use the concept of carbon pricing to display a price for each product, adjusted according to its environmental impact. The greenhouse gas emissions emitted by each product would be converted into monetary units, and added to or subtracted from the product's actual price.
In addition to this social cost of carbon, which would make environmental impact more comprehensible to consumers, details would indicate for each product the distance traveled, the source of its emissions, and display an eco-score ranking products from A to E (low to high environmental impact).Based on this data, the application could suggest alternatives to emitting products, and recipes incorporating them. The students imagined making it easy for users to share their creations and new recipes with their friends, or to propose baskets with low GHG emissions. Through its “social network” aspect and the formation of a community of users, “Foodprint” could encourage consumer involvement in the transition to sustainable consumption. This project places consumers at the heart of climate action, and encourages companies such as producers and retailers to act alongside them.
2nd Prize - Project "Torrent "
By Shakila BOYER (Toulouse School of Economics) and Maxime PRETOTTO (TBS Education & Sciences Po Toulouse)
“Torrent” is a project focused on water management, with an emphasis on rainwater harvesting and use. The project addresses issues linked to the circular economy and industrial and territorial ecology.
As a result of climate change, populations are exposed to extreme phenomena such as flooding and increasingly frequent periods of severe water stress. Added to this is the growing impermeability of urban surfaces and the under-utilization of rainwater, often lost through evaporation or mixed with wastewater. “Torrent” seeks to address this problem through the installation of water reservoirs (on rooftops and underground), coupled with rainwater harvesting systems and a connected water redistribution network. With the implementation of this mechanism, which could reach a wide audience (individuals, businesses, communities in both rural and urban areas), the potential of rainwater would be fully exploited to minimize losses and better manage urban water resources, relieving pressure on conventional water sources, and contributing to efforts to prevent flooding and other extreme weather phenomena.
Discover the event video:
We would also like to congratulate the other two teams who presented their projects to the Challenge Jury:
Profitable Recycling in Grocery Shops
By Neida Hida, Sara Jardan, Renada Maloku and Marjorie Roinsard (Toulouse School of Management).
Project inspired by the German “Pfand” deposit system and extending the concept to a wider range of consumer products.
NYDS App
By Sabeen Annan, Naomy Astete, Davini Chinacanen and Youssef Snoussi (Toulouse School of Management).
“Nature and Developing Sustainability (NYDS) is a mobile application designed to display the carbon footprint and pollution associated with each consumer purchase.
Read the complete TSE news published at the end of the Formidable Rencontre du Climat.
Presentation | Eligibility | Timeline | Selection criteria-Jury | How to participate | Useful tools | Organizers
Discover the four projects auditioned by the jury
NYDS App
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Torrent: a holistic solution for water management
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Foodprint
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Profitable Recycling in Grocery Shops
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A team challenge
The Challenge invites teams of 2 to 4 students from higher-education institutions or universities based in Toulouse, enrolled in any Master’s program.
We also encourage the participation of students in double diploma programs, students on a gap year, visiting students, and diverse student groups, including students from other universities and schools within France or abroad (with the condition that at least one team member is enrolled in a school or university in Toulouse).
Applications can be submitted in either English or French.
Presentation | Prizes | Timeline | Selection criteria-Jury | How to participate | Useful tools | Organizers
Prize-giving ceremony
The prize-giving ceremony will be held at the Ministère de la Transition Ecologique et de la Cohésion des Territoires on April 24, as part of the Formidable Rencontre du Climat organized by Getlink to mark the 30th anniversary of the Channel Tunnel.
Presentation to the jury
On March 4, 2024, the four student projects were presented to the Challenge for Corporate Climate Action jury. At the end of the presentation, two projects were unanimously selected by the jury. The Challenge is now entering its final stretch.
Foodprint
Mobile application enabling consumers to obtain information about the carbon impact of their food purchases, integrating a social networking approach. A project led by Katinka Bjørndal Thomsen (TBS) and Anaïs Michel (TBS and Sciences Po Toulouse).
Torrent: a holistic solution for water management
A holistic solution for water management, based on the installation of underground tanks and a water redirection system. A project led by Shakila Boyer (TSE) and Maxime Pretotto (TBS and Sciences Po Toulouse)
The applications for the challenge are closed.
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Selection criteria
Submitted proposals will be judged on:
- their impact on climate change,
- their economic impact (on the corporate sector, society...),
- their degree of innovation and their originality,
- their feasibility,
- their level of scalability.
Jury
The teams selected to present their proposals to the jury made up of 8 people, including:
Presentation | Prizes | Eligibility | Timeline | How to participate | Useful tools | Organizers
Participation in this challenge is FREE. Travel expenses for the two finalist teams invited to attend the prize-ceremony in Paris will be covered by Getlink.
Submit your idea
APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
- Complete the online form with a summary of your idea no later than November 20, 2023 (noon).
- Use the TEMPLATE for the summary of your idea. Ensure that the entire document does not exceed 3 pages and is in PDF format. It may be submitted in either English or French.
- At this step, your are expected to provide a description of your idea, of advantages and obstacles associated with your idea as well as of the potential users of your idea. Emphasize the economic and climate consequences in your analysis and keep in mind that your idea must be caracterized by its originality, feasibility and scalability too (selection criteria).
Present your idea to the jury
Up to five teams will be selected to present their idea to the jury. If your team qualifies as one of the finalists, you will be required to:
- Submit a detailed comprehensive description and analysis of your idea not later than February 16, 2024.
This final report is not bound by any specific template, providing you with the flexibility to present your concepts in a way that best reflects your vision. While originality and uniqueness are encouraged, we offer some suggested points that may assist you in structuring your final report effectively. These are optional guidelines to help you in your presentation:
There are no page limitations, so feel free to include as much detail as necessary to effectively communicate your innovative ideas. Only make sure that your document is in PDF format and is submitted in either English or French.
- Deliver a 10-minute pitch in front of the jury (online meeting), at the end of February - beginning of March 2024 (either in English or French).
Join the prize ceremony
The members of two finalist teams will be invited to a prize ceremony organized by Getlink in March in Paris. The first and second prize will be announced on the occasion of this event.
Terms and conditions
By participating in this contest, you automatically acknowledge and accept the official terms and conditions of participation.
For any question: feel free to contact us at challenge-cca@tse-fr.eu.
Presentation | Prizes | Eligibility | Timeline | Selection criteria-Jury | Useful tools | Organizers
We have selected for you a list of useful tools and resources to prepare your application:
Climate related resources
- https://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools-and-guidance
- https://www.cdp.net/en
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/set-a-target
- https://finance.ec.europa.eu/publications/high-level-expert-group-sustai...
- https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/climate-finance-tracking
- https://www.ebrd.com/what-we-do/get.html
- https://www.climatefinancelab.org/the-labs/global
Financial and economic analysis tools
- https://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/
- https://www.vernimmen.net
- https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our...
- https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/1264080948.html
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Toulouse School of Economics (TSE)
TSE is a centre for research and education hosting 2200 students and more than 150 international faculty including Jean Tirole, 2014 Nobel laureate in economics. Over the past forty years, TSE has emerged as one of the best economics departments in Europe. TSE is particularly renowned for its scientific contributions in industrial economics, finance, natural resources and climate economics and econometrics.
Getlink
Getlink SE (Euronext Paris: GET) is, through its subsidiary Eurotunnel, the concessionaire of the Channel Tunnel infrastructure until 2086 and operates Truck and Passenger Shuttle services (cars and coaches) between Folkestone (UK) and Calais (France). Since 31 December 2020 Eurotunnel has been developing the smart border so that the Tunnel remains the fastest, most reliable, easiest and most environmentally friendly way to cross the Channel. Since its inauguration in 1994, almost 490 million people and 101 million vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel. This unique land link, which sees 25% of trade between the Continent and the United Kingdom, has become a vital link reinforced by the ElecLink electrical interconnector installed in the Tunnel, which helps to balance energy needs between France and the United Kingdom. Getlink complements its sustainable mobility services with its rail freight subsidiary Europorte. Committed to "lowcarbon" services that control their impact on its environment (through its activities the Group avoids the equivalent of 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year), Getlink has placed at the heart of its concerns the place given to people, nature and places.
https://www.getlinkgroup.com
>>> TSE and Getlink have been partners since 2021 and together they have created the Initiative for Effective Corporate Climate Action. This research-based initiative aims to promote an objective basis for dialogue between companies and all their stakeholders and to develop tools and activities to support the collective climate ambition.
Contact
For any question regarding the challenge, or if something is not working on the webpage of the challenge, feel free to contact us at challenge-cca@tse-fr.eu
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