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Center for Sustainable Business | CSB x SISA: Making the Case for Sustainability One Day Pitch Competition

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Case Competitions

Annual CSB x SISA One Day Case Competition

Each year, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) and the MBA student-led Social Impact and Sustainability Association (SISA) partner with a company to host the Making the Case for Sustainability Pitch Competition, a dynamic, half-day event where students develop innovative solutions to a company’s real sustainability challenge. 

About the CSB x SISA Making the Case for Sustainability Pitch Competition

Each year, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) and the MBA student-led Social Impact and Sustainability Association (SISA) partner with a company to host the Making the Case for Sustainability Pitch Competition, a dynamic, half-day event where students develop innovative solutions to a company’s real sustainability challenge.

This low-lift, high-impact engagement enables companies to collaborate with top MBA talent, surface new ideas, and spotlight their leadership in sustainability while contributing to the development of the next generation business leaders. Meanwhile, NYU Stern students deepen academic concepts through applied experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world business challenges. 

Companies that are interested in partnering for the pitch competition should reach out to sustainablebusiness@stern.nyu.edu. Please find our two-pager here for more information. 

Competition Model

A concentrated, fast-paced half-day format:

  • Prompt revealed day-of: Students receive the challenge at the start of the event.
  • 1-hour training session: Company representatives deliver context or skills-based training to help frame the challenge.
  • Team breakouts (~2 hours): MBA student teams develop solutions and a 4–5 minute pitch.
  • Presentations: Students pitch to a judging panel comprised of company and NYU Stern experts.
  • Winner selection: Judges determine the top three teams and appoint the overall winner.
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Past Competitions:

Universal Music Group Case Competition (2025)

Students designed mechanisms for UMG to engage, enable, and upskill employees in environmental sustainability, connecting it to their music-centric culture and sustainability strategy with a focus on the expected benefit to the business.

Seventh Generation Case Competition (2023)
Participants aimed to solve for how SVG should radically drive adoption of today’s sustainable laundry solutions, focusing on commercial solutions that range from where to buy to how to market and advertise solutions.

Making the Case for Sustainability with ROSI™ (2022)
Students developed proposals for a hypothetical company facing consumer pressure to replace disposable plastic packaging, making the financial case for a sustainable packaging redesign of a food, beverage, or personal care product.