All teams outside the Houses of Parliament

Sucseeds and Greenify team members

On 5 December 2024, Business and Management Studies students on the Leadership Foundations module, convened by Senior Lecturer Alison Bailey, presented their team projects to a panel of politicians and business leaders at the House of Lords.

The Rewired Cities project, organised by Rewired Earth, set student teams the challenge of researching a local sustainability issue and finding an innovative business solution. The student teams had just three-and-a-half weeks between project conception and the panel presentation in London.

The winning teams, announced on 20 December, were Sucseeds and Greenify.

“The Rewired Cities project by Rewired Earth is a pioneering initiative that gives people a genuine voice in shaping the communities they want to live in,” said Lord Iain McNicol of West Kilbride, co-founder of Rewired Earth. “I was inspired by the enthusiasm of the students involved and thrilled to provide them with the opportunity to present their ideas directly at the Houses of Parliament. Their insights into building a more sustainable future were as practical as they were thought-provoking.”

Sucseeds is made up of Monica Deakin, Ben Foreman, Emily Johnston and Bibusa Chifwanakeni, and Greenify is made up of Kee Cheng, Isabel Keast and Sofia Zacharia.

The winning teams will share £1,000 in prize money between them to develop their projects and each team member will be offered a coveted internship with organisations such as PwC.

Bibusa Chifwanakeni, a student from the winning Sucseeds team, said of the experience:

“The Rewired Earth project is a unique approach to addressing sustainability challenges, by involving university students in creating real-world solutions. It was refreshing to work on a group presentation that focused on teamwork and meaningful outcomes rather than just grades.

“The project allowed us to develop our critical thinking in a supportive environment that encouraged creativity over perfection. Presenting in a professional setting also improved our confidence and presentation skills beyond the classroom.

“The presentations highlighted key global challenges and offered actionable, accessible ideas, with a strong emphasis on using technology and sustainable practices to create positive change.”

Rewired Earth is a UK-based non-profit that works to create the conditions for a just green transition within business and financial services. In collaboration with businesses and universities, Rewired Earth aims to embed transparency and accountability throughout global value chains.

The Rewired Cities project is part of a series of campaigns designed to better understand citizen priorities around sustainability challenges. The campaigns are based on a behaviour Change Framework developed with the University of Sussex.

“The Rewired Cities project empowers citizens to unlock a better future, shaping stronger communities in the process,” said Seb Royce, Chief Brand and Communications Officer at Rewired Earth. “Our partnership with the University of Sussex has been a landmark success, creating a replicable model of student involvement that can be expanded to universities across the UK and beyond.”