LUBS x Morrisons Sustainability Business competition 2026
The LUBS-Morrisons Sustainability Competition gives you a chance to gain real-world experience working alongside the fourth largest supermarket chain in the UK. You'll develop your skills, boost your CV, and help promote sustainable business practices along the way! This page explains how you can create your team and get involved.
Why you should enter
Not only will you have fun along the way, you'll be supercharging your CV with highly sought-after experience working with real challenges, and innovating in the field of sustainable business.
By entering the competition, you will:
- Develop your knowledge of sustainability and business practices and work with a high profile international organisation
- Build essential skills for career success: research and analysis, problem solving, teamwork, networking, communication & presenting
- Enhance your CV and employability!
In addition, Morrisons will be sponsoring a prize for the winning team and an Insight Session for finalists!
Come and find out more!
We will be holding an information stall in the MK Foyer on Thursday, 19 March, from 10:00 to 17:00
Come and ask any questions you may have about the competition!
In the meantime, you can also check the FAQ section further down on this page.
How to enter
All current LUBS students can enter.
The competition is a team event - you have two options to make a team:
- Create a team from your programme or with friends studying other LUBS programmes. You should aim for four members, but no more than six.
- Enter alone - we will assign you to a team with other students who have entered alone, so you can work together.
Complete the entry form
Once you have either created a team, or decided to enter alone, you need to complete the short entry form using the button below.
If you decide to enter as a team, only one person needs to submit a form for everyone.
Note: Everyone who signs up will be invited to a launch session on Thursday 26 March, at 1-2 pm, in Newlyn SR 1.01
Come along to hear more about the project briefs, get further information about the timeline, and learn more about the business sustainability brief you will be working on.
It will also be a great opportunity to get to meet your team members!
Planning your time
You'll have five weeks (including the Easter Break) to dive into your research and put together a presentation to showcase your insights and solutions.
Previous student entrants suggested 4 to 5 hours each week to stay on track and create something you're proud of.
Further questions
If you cannot see an answer to your question on this page or in the downloads linked in the "information session" box above, you can email the wonderful Student Sustainability Champion co-organising this project:
Sebrina Lam, email: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Signing up as a team or individual
You can sign up as a team of 4-6 students within LUBS or as an individual. We will allocate teams after the sign-up deadline on 25th March.
Is there a minimum number of team members?
We encourage teams between 4 and 6 members for team collaboration and workload distribution. However, if there’s any attrition, teams can continue even if only one person remains.
What are the key dates for the 2026 competition?
- 25th March: deadline to sign up
- 26th March: launch event – where we will launch Morrison’s research briefs
- 30th April: submit presentation slides and executive summary
- 11th May TBC: final presentation event
What are the briefs about?
Briefs are generally broad and ask for strategic insights regarding a sustainability issue faced by the organization. In previous years the competition has focused on the introduction of e-bike charging stations at Coop stores (2022); the treatment of sustainability performance in franchise operations to provide recommendations for the Coop (2023). In 2024 and 2025 we partnered with Oxfam who set business issues focused on diversification of its stock sourcing strategy (2024) and solutions to keep non-wearable donated footwear out of landfill and upcycling of non-wearable textiles.
The research briefs for the 2026 competition will be provided at the competition launch session on 26th March.
How much time do I need to commit to the competition?
Previous participants spent approx. 4-5 hours a week through the 5 weeks that are given for research and for preparing the final presentation. 4 of these 5 weeks are during the Easter break.
How long should the presentation be?
Presentations are generally 10-15 minutes long, with 5 minutes allocated to responding questions from the panel of judges. The number of slides depends on the content and the team, but approximately 20 slides are appropriate for the allotted time.
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.
Is there a limit on the number of people who can present?
No, you can decide how and who you wish to present, though we encourage all team members to contribute to the presentation delivery.
Will there be any resources available from Morrisons or the university to conduct the research and prepare the presentation?
We will provide a variety of resources available on the 2026 LUBS x Morrisons Sustainability Business Competition Teams channel regarding sustainability, teamwork, effective and engaging presentations, etc.
The business issues can generally be researched through publicly available information – e.g. external case studies and best practices from other organizations. Depending on the focus of the 2026 brief(s), additional data may be made available by Morrisons.
We also recommend enrolling in the University’s free, 4-week e-learning Climate Action Training (CAT) – see: Climate Action Training (CAT) | LUBS Student Guide which equips you with the knowledge and tools to challenge the status quo, champion climate justice and help shape a fairer, more sustainable world.
Is there a requirement to conduct primary research?
No, the focus is on reviewing available secondary data, however, some previous participants have conducted primary research to further their insights.
Who will be the judges in the final presentation?
A small panel of judges including LUBS Sustainability Blueprint team members and representative(s) from Morrisons. The judging criteria will be shared on the Teams channels prior to the presentation.
Will there be any certificates of participation once the competition ends?
Yes, you will receive a digital certificate for your participation.
Any other questions?
If you have any other questions about the competition, please email Sebrina Lam, our student sustainability intern supporting this year’s competition: [email protected]
Affordable and good quality food is at the heart of Morrisons. To achieve this, we need to maintain a healthy planet, strong communities, and foster a commitment to transformative change.