The idea behind Sustainathon

As world leaders arrived in Glasgow for the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), university students from across the UK played their part in promoting sustainability by competing in the first ever TCS UK Sustainathon.

Climate change is a global emergency, and we are at a vital moment in helping to reduce the scale and impact of it on future generations. Since the Paris Agreement of 2015, the UK has pledged toward producing net zero emissions by 2050 to fight back against climate change. This reduction of greenhouse gases must be achieved globally by 2050 to maintain a livable climate. To prevent catastrophic events from happening, we need urgent action at all levels.  

TCS’ goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 follows the Tata group’s firm belief in corporate sustainability. Building on this commitment, TCS has been running Sustainathon events globally for many years. Through these, TCS works in partnership with its clients and partners to help get young people engaged in sustainability. We believe that everyone, including students, has a role to play, and that technology and innovation can make an impact on the world we live in. 

UK and Ireland welcome Sustainathon 

In response to the growing urgency of addressing climate change, in October 2021, TCS UK&I launched its first-ever Sustainathon in the region. The TCS UK Sustainathon was aligned with COP26 in Glasgow, where leaders from across the world converged to discuss – and agree on – steps and policy to control the worsening climate crisis. Focusing on change through technology and innovation, the UK Sustainathon empowered university students to tackle sustainability issues and partake in conversations around climate, like those at COP26. 

The pilot edition of the UK Sustainathon addressed real-life sustainability concerns faced by some of the UK’s top companies. TCS’ Sustainathon challenge partners Aviva, EDF, Improvement Service Scotland, and Lloyds Banking Group covered topics as diverse as the environmental cost of sending emails to what financial companies could do to help students live more sustainably. 

Over a two-week period, students in groups of six helped innovatively tackle the challenge statements set by the Sustainathon’s challenge partners. The solutions offered companies a fresh perspective on how to address the issues they face, and how businesses and consumers could change behavior to create greater impact.    

Students at the forefront

177 students from across disciplines and universities registered for the TCS UK Sustainathon and during the two-week long event, they spent time with industry experts to uncover insights in the areas of sustainability and digital technology. 

The top eight teams were invited to present their ideas at the finale. Biophilic from University College, London, was adjudged the winner as they tackled Improvement Service Scotland’s challenge around empowering individuals to change to more sustainable behaviors using digital technology, by expanding the scope of the National Entitlement Card.

Local communities were given center stage in Biophilic’s solution. Their team member Hora Behnejad explained, “We developed an idea for an app that will work alongside the National Entitlement Card and will also make the card point-based, like a loyalty card. The aim was to combine technology and sustainability to increase community awareness and engagement, as well as encourage people from all demographics to make more sustainable choices.” 

Another team member, Eden Habtou, highlighted, “We loved the idea of helping communities not only from a sustainable point of view but having a positive effect on communities. Our idea is also suitable for universal application, it is not just specific to Scotland

Working together for the future

Improvement Service Scotland, who proposed the winning challenge statement, are leading by example and shaping their own response to the climate crisis in support of Scotland’s commitment to a just transition to net zero emissions by 2045.