On Thursday 20th February, The Alliance for Sustainable Schools (TASS) held its second Sustainable Behaviour Change Hackathon in collaboration with Behaven – a European behavioural science consultancy. With the support of our three sponsors – Leela’s Lunches, Food Nation, and Emirates Global Motor Electric – the event brought together 19 teams of students and teachers from 11 UAE schools for an action-packed day of cognitive science, critical thinking and problem solving. We were privileged to be joined by guests from the UAE Department of Energy and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge.
Held at GEMS Founders School Masdar City (GFA), a TASS member and the first school in the GCC to adopt a net-zero energy strategy, the event was about more than just ideas, it was launch pad for action, as well as a showcase of best practice: students commuted on electric buses (which have 55% lower CO2 emissions per km than diesel buses) and enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch, reinforcing the event’s core message – sustainability starts with everyday choices.
Cracking the Code of Behaviour Change
Led by Fred Dorsimont, co-founder of Behaven, the Hackathon takes an innovative approach to tackling sustainability challenges, examining the factors driving unsustainable behaviour and exploring how behavioural science insights can be harnessed to encourage students to make more sustainable choices. Students were tasked with identifying a sustainability challenge in their school and developing a behaviour change solution in one of four areas: Food, Waste, Energy, and Travel.
Before the event, participants received three hours of hands-on training in behavioural science, learning how to transform broad sustainability goals—like reducing food waste in the canteen—into desired target behaviours. They also conducted observational studies to understand what influences people actions – identifying the barriers that prevent sustainable choices and the enablers that encourage them.
During the hackathon, students accessed a toolkit of 12 behaviour change interventions choosing four that best addressed their challenge. Working together they designed a strategy for implementing those interventions in their school and pitched their solutions to their peers. They were guided and supported by facilitators from their school to ensure that their ideas were practical and achievable.
Fuelling Innovation (and Students)
Sparking big ideas takes energy, so we made sure the food aligned with our sustainability vision too! Slices, GEMS’ in-house caterer, served three delicious vegetarian meals – Green Goodness Gratin, Rainbow Hakka Noodles, and Fusion Pulao with Kebab. Each dish had a carbon footprint 70% lower than a typical meat-based school lunch, demonstrating that school food can be both tasty and good for the planet.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Change Makers
Throughout the day, students took ownership of sustainability solutions in ways that inspired even experienced educators and industry leaders.
“Oftentimes adults think they have all the answers, but when you put it in the hands of the students, they actually know better than we do. Some of the solutions from today are things that I or the senior leadership could implement at our school immediately.” – David Gerber, Primary Vice Principal, Fairgreen International School
“The Hackathon was an inspiring experience. As a catering provider to schools, we were excited to contribute and observe innovative discussions around sustainability, especially in waste reduction and plant-based meal options, which align closely with our values.” – Magnus Mumby, Founder and Managing Director, Food Nation
“It has been a really great event – hands-on, student-centred, and full of exciting ideas that the students are eager to implement. It’s wonderful to see them shaping a vision for their own schools.” – Abida Khan, Sustainability Lead, Al Ghad School
“Every time we’ve attended an event with TASS, we’ve walked away with ample learnings to action on. The Hackathon was no different. During the event, we sat with children who will shape tomorrow, and their fresh, sincere approach to tackling real challenges was inspiring. We’re proud to support these future leaders as they lead the charge toward a sustainable world.”– Lavi Chandra, Co-Founder, Leela’s Lunches
What’s Next? Turning Ideas into Action
The impact of the day was clear: 100% of students surveyed said they now better understand behavioural science and how to apply it to encourage sustainable behaviour at their schools. The same number agreed that participating in the Hackathon has helped sharpen their critical thinking skills.
But the work is ongoing. Over the coming months TASS will support students and teachers as they implement their behaviour change interventions in their schools and track their impact to see how ideas can be turned into lasting change.
A huge thank you to our sponsors, Leela’s Lunches, Emirates Global Motor Electric, and Food Nation for making this event possible, and to GEMS Founders School Masdar City for hosting us at their pioneering campus.
Together, we’re proving that when schools work together and when students are equipped with the right skills and empowered to be agents of change, we can accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.
