A4S International Case Competition 2025/26
The Accounting for Sustainability organisation (A4S) aims to inspire action by finance leaders to drive a shift towards resilient business models and a sustainable economy. Each year they run an exciting competition which invites university students from across the world to innovate around a sustainable business issues - with incredible prizes on offer!
Who are A4S?
Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) was established with royal support in 2004.
Their mission is to transform the finance sector and support sustainable business practices. By addressing global challenges with modern solutions, A4S helps companies and financial professionals embed sustainability into their decision-making processes.
The vision is simple: to make sustainable business "business as usual".
Introducing the A4S Case Competition 2025/26
The A4S International Case Competition 2025/26 challenges students from across the globe to tackle a real-world sustainability case.
This year’s competition focuses on an inspiring challenge: making the business case for nature within the broader context of a fair and just climate transition.
Participants will explore how businesses interact with nature and what drives their actions. They will identify the most compelling opportunities for meaningful change, analyse both the positive and negative financial implications of those actions, and propose solutions that ensure all stakeholders are treated fairly.
The competition is a unique opportunity to develop sustainability-focused business solutions and present them directly to industry CFOs.
Joining the Competition
Who can enter?
The competition is open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students from any discipline.
Teams should consist of 3–5 students. While other business-related courses of study will be complementary, strong accounting acumen is recommended within the team.
You can either form a team yourself to enter, or sign up individually and be placed within a team by LUBS.
How do I enter?
You can sign-up either as a team or as an individual by completing and submitting the entry form by pressing the button below.
Team entries - one team member completes the form and provides details of all other team members.
Individual entries – complete the form yourself, and we will assign you to a team with other students who enter individually.
Registration deadline: 23:59 12 October 2025
Complete the short application form by filling in the link below:
Sign up now!
What can you win?
The competition offers fantastic prizes, with CA$10,000 for the winning team and CA$5,000 for the runner-up.
The best teams from LUBS will be submitted to the international competition for a chance to compete against business schools from across the world. The finals are being held in Toronto, Canada on 26-27 March 2026 - a travel fund will be available for any LUBS team who makes it all the way!
How can I learn more?
Don't delay - sign up for the competition using the button above, and you'll be invited to attend a LUBS A4S online information session on 16 October 2025 (details will be provided once you are signed up to the competition).
The session will provide a detailed overview of the competition and tips on how to structure your proposal. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Frequently Asked Questions
At the bottom of this page, you can also find an FAQ which may answer your question - read the FAQ
Last year's competition - LUBS at the final!
During 2025 a team of wonderful LUBS' students became the only team from a UK School to make it to the finals in Toronto - congratulations and huge thanks once more to "RefriGenius" for all of their hard work and commitment.
Watch the highlights reel from 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Signing up as a team or individual
You can sign up as a team of 3-5 students with other students studying on LUBS programmes (home Faculty must be LUBS) or as an individual.
We will allocate individuals to teams in the week of the 13th of October.
2. Is there a minimum number of team members?
A4S requires all submitting teams to have at least 3 students.
If any of your team-mates drops out throughout the competition, LUBS organizers will allocate remaining students to other teams to ensure their continued participation.
The deadline for any team changes is 30th October to give enough time to prepare competition entries during November.
3. Do I need to study Accounting or Finance to participate in the competition?
There are no restrictions on the discipline(s) you are studying, but the financial rigour of the business case will be carefully evaluated, so a healthy dose of business/accounting acumen within your team is strongly recommended.
If you sign up as an individual, LUBS organizers will aim to include at least one student per team with some accounting or finance background.
4. What are the key dates to have in mind?
- 12th October: deadline to sign up
- 16th October TBC: launch event.
- 30th November TBC: LUBS internal competition deadline
- 7th December TBC: LUBS internal shortlisting deadline
- 14th December: shortlisted teams submit entries to A4S by deadline
- 9th – 13th February: Online semi-finals
- 26th – 27th March: Finals in Toronto, Canada.
5. What is the format of the competition submission?
You will be required to submit a video pitch, executive summary and cost–benefit analysis.
6. What is this year’s competition theme?
The A4SICC 2026 is focused on the business case for nature. We are inviting students to:
- Select a company and identify its organization-specific drivers of action on nature.
- Build a persuasive business case to act.
- Propose action(s) to respond to the business case, considering commercial viability, tangible business benefits and impact on the natural world.
- Conduct a cost-benefit analysis to support your proposal.
- Prepare a compelling pitch to the CFO.
7. Which company should I base my entry on?
Your entry should be based on one of the world’s 2,000 most influential companies from the World Benchmarking Alliance SDG2000 list.
The SDG2000 list shows the 2,000 most powerful companies that will have a big impact on how things turn out in the future.
8. Do we need to have any previous knowledge about our selected company or developing a business case for nature?
Do we need to have any previous knowledge about our selected company or developing a business case for nature?
No, you don’t need to have previous knowledge about your selected company or developing a business case for nature. However, submissions should show an understanding of the company and showcase what you have learned about business interactions with nature. You should use your business and analytical skills to determine and explain your proposed actions – we do not expect you to provide lots of technological, engineering or ecological details.
You should also show your understanding of potential wider implications of your proposed actions, such as possible risks or unintended consequences. We provide detailed guidance on what your entry should consider and a reading list to help you.
9. What kind of financial analysis is expected?
The judges will scrutinise the numbers closely.
Your proposal must be commercially viable and supported by a cost-benefit analysis. Be prepared to justify assumptions about costs, capital requirements, consumer impacts, and potential financial risks (such as fines or subsidies).
10. Are we getting any mentors/coaching for this case competition?
Mentoring and coaching will be available for all semi-finalist and finalist teams.
11. How much time do I need to commit to the competition?
Participants will have a maximum of 6 weeks to prepare the competition entries as a team (from 12th October to 7th December).
It is recommended that you start the research early to ensure this can be undertaken alongside your studies.
12. Do slides need to include academic references?
You don’t necessarily need to make academic references throughout your presentation and slides.
Although this presentation simulates a commercial pitch of your idea, we do recommend you leave at least one slide at the end with your key references.
13. Will there be any resources available from the university to conduct the research and prepare the presentation?
We will provide a variety of resources available on the competition’s Teams channels regarding sustainability, teamwork, effective and engaging presentations, etc.
We also recommend enrolling in the Climate Action Training (CAT), an e-learning programme offered by the university that provides key knowledge about sustainability and sustainable strategies.
The research won’t require access to confidential company data; the business case can be assessed without this information through external case studies and best practices from other organisations.
14. What happens if we make it to the finals?
Finalists will travel to Toronto, Canada (26–27 March 2026) to present their proposals in person.
The finals include live Q&A sessions with judges, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities with international participants.
15. Is funding available to support travel to the finals?
Yes, financial support with travel and accommodation costs will be provided by LUBS for finalist teams.
16. Will there be any certificates of participation once the competition ends?
Yes, all participants who submit complete entries for internal shortlisting will be provided with a digital certificate upon completion.
Certificates will also be issued to teams who reach semi-finals and finals.
We must ensure that we are not battling to meet 21st century challenges with 20th century decision making and reporting systems.