The annual CSBxSISA Annual Pitch Competition presents NYU Stern MBA students with a hands-on opportunity to tackle real-world sustainability challenges and opportunities facing organizations today. On April 25, as part of Earth Month, we partnered with Universal Music Group to task students with developing innovative ideas to improve UMG’s environmental impacts and leverage their cultural platform to motivate others to take action. 

Universal Music Group (UMG), he world's leading music company, challenged MBA students to develop creative solutions for real-world environmental challenges in the music industry. The event empowered teams to harness business strategy, cultural influence, and a passion for positive impact.

Congratulations to Team Green Melodies, who took first place with a proposal that seamlessly aligned UMG’s cultural values with actionable climate goals. Their winning strategy focused on:

📚 Engaging and educating UMG employees on sustainability

🔄 Driving behavior change across the organization

🌱 Fostering long-term, purpose-driven climate action
 

Participating and winning the Universal Music Group sustainability pitch competition with my team has been an incredible experience. Throughout the MBA, I’ve been inspired to learn how to integrate sustainability into industries I’m passionate about, specifically music. I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with peers, challenge ourselves creatively, and contribute to meaningful change within the music industry. The challenge allowed us to stretch our creativity and strengthen our skills. This achievement is a great motivator for continuing to pursue impactful and innovative solutions in the music industry, and it has reinforced our professional confidence. Thanks to NYU Stern CSB, SISA, and UMG for this opportunity!
- Lizzie Devitt, MBA '25

Participating in the UMG Case Competition was a truly enriching experience that blended creativity, strategy, and business acumen. The opportunity to work on a real-world challenge in the music industry broadened my perspective on innovation and sustainability in entertainment. The mentorship and feedback from industry leaders were incredibly insightful and motivating.
Collaborating with a diverse, high-performing team under pressure was both thrilling and rewarding. I’m grateful to UMG and the organizers for curating such a dynamic and forward-thinking platform for aspiring leaders.
- Prasanna PVL, MS Student 

Tasked with developing innovative sustainability initiatives to support and engage UMG employees, our team combined creative thinking, business strategy, and a passion for environmental impact. We proposed a set of solutions that aligned UMG’s cultural values with actionable climate goals—focusing on employee education, behavior change, and long-term organizational engagement. Working alongside such a driven and imaginative team was a true highlight of the semester. This experience not only deepened our understanding of sustainability strategy in the entertainment industry, but also reinforced the importance of tying purpose to people—and music to mission. Grateful to Universal Music Group and NYU Stern for the opportunity, and excited to keep turning up the volume on climate innovation!
- Claire Lichtenstein, MBA ‘25