Innovating for real change at RMIT's Sustainability Impact Challenge

The Sustainability Impact Challenge opened a stage for students, like the winning team HAKTY, to transform classroom knowledge into practical solutions and sharpen their ability to turn ideas into action for more sustainable business.

The Sustainability Impact Challenge (SIC), a six-month initiative led by RMIT University with partner universities and industry, invited students to tackle real-world sustainability challenges. For two RMIT students from Team HAKTY, Nguyen Cam Tu and Dang Truong Minh Huong from the Professional Communication program, who won with Bosch’s brief, the competition was more than just a contest but a journey that deepened their commitment to sustainability and sharpened their ability to turn ideas into action.

Team HAKTY with Bosch leaders after their win.

Beyond the challenge

For 6 months, students joined training workshops, company visits, and mentoring sessions to develop practical, business-ready solutions. In the final round, the top eight teams pitch their proposals, and four winning teams are selected for the impact of their solutions.

Student teams work on real-world sustainability problems provided by industry partners such as Bosch, Panasonic, MOTUL, and Rize. Each team addresses a specific challenge from its assigned company.

Both students carried personal motivations into the SIC. “I grew up in Europe where sustainability was part of everyday life,” said Cam Tu. “Recycling, avoiding plastic bags, being mindful of energy use, it all became second nature. When I moved back to Vietnam, I continued those habits because they’re part of who I am.”

Huong, meanwhile, found her passion through school projects. “In secondary school I joined environmental activities, and later in high school I expanded that into scientific research. So when the Sustainability Impact Challenge came along, it felt like a natural continuation of that journey.”

Their journey deepened when Bosch, one of SIC’s key industry partners, challenged Team HAKTY to reduce plastic waste from employee food orders and improve waste sorting efficiency. Training sessions and company visits revealed how even small adjustments in one stage of a process could ripple through and affect outcomes later on. It was a lesson that true sustainability requires careful design and ongoing refinement.

With guidance from Bosch mentors and real workplace insights, the students learned to shape ideas that were not just creative but also practical and lasting. “The workshops were interactive, with guest speakers and practical guidance,” Huong recalled. “They helped us think more strategically and ensure our ideas could make a real impact at Bosch.”

What proved most valuable was the chance to work side by side with Bosch employees. Instead of relying on secondary research as in class, the team could listen, observe, and test their ideas in context. “By hearing their experiences firsthand, we came up with solutions that were closer to reality and fit the company’s culture and habits,” Huong said.

Towards a practical sustainable solution

The team quickly found that with Bosch’s constant flow of new interns, a short-lived communication campaign would never be enough. What the company needed were changes that could live within its system that simple and practical interventions that would continue to shape green habits no matter who came and went within the office.

Rooted in Bosch’s culture of self-motivation and self-discipline, Team HAKTY designed interventions that encouraged Bosch employees to take ownership of sustainable habits. Instead of relying only on campaigns, they focused on small but meaningful changes: promoting a culture of bringing home-cooked meals to enjoy lunch together, and redesigning trash bins into smarter, more engaging stations with clear sorting guides that would nudge people to act responsibly on their own.

They also suggested collaborating with vendors to minimise packaging at the source.

“Taking time to observe Bosch employees in their daily work and talking to them directly gave us a clear sense of what had worked before and how to realise our ideas to make them practical,” said Cam Tu. The team also learnt that role models can be very powerful in promoting sustainable habits. They suggested that each department leader could act as a ‘green ambassador,’ influencing and inspiring staff to follow sustainable practices. Other ideas included a personal ‘green scorecard’ that allowed employees to track their daily habits, let them to make greener choices and even spark friendly competition among colleagues.

Through the process, both students came to see that practicality mattered more than flashy, abstract ideas. Even small changes in company operations could trigger significant impacts, or unintended consequences, so every solution needed to be designed carefully to avoid greenwashing. What companies truly need, they reflected, are initiatives that can be applied directly and fit seamlessly into their existing culture.

Both students say the lessons continue to shape how they see their roles in creating impact. “For me, the key lesson is that sustainability is not just about one-off actions,” said Cam Tu. “It’s about keeping the bigger picture in mind and applying that mindset to any workplace I join in the future.”

Inspiring the next generation

Sustainability Impact Challenge aims to build a culture of sustainability that connects universities and industries across Vietnam, while equipping students with the skills to drive meaningful change.

For participants like Nguyen Cam Tu and Dang Truong Minh Huong, the journey went far beyond developing ideas. It became an opportunity to learn, grow, and collaborate with real-world changemakers. As Cam Tu reflected, “Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword but the things I’ve lived, learned, and practiced through this competition. And it’s something I will continue to pursue in whatever I do next.”

Huong echoed this, emphasising individual responsibility: “A lot of people think sustainability is the job of governments or corporations. But it’s also about what we do every single day. Small actions, when multiplied, make a huge difference.”

Celebrating the winning teams with judges, contestants, and audiences on award day.

The team recognised how ideas take shape in the real world and the ripple effect one person can create. As Cam Tu said, "Influencing my friends, colleagues, and future workplaces lets that impact grow." Huong added, "It’s not about perfection, but mindfulness. Small conscious actions add up to something powerful."

She continued, 'That same mindset guided our approach in the challenge. By going deep into research, we understood our client better and shaped a solution that was practical and ready to launch. Those are what truly set us apart and win.'

The challenge’s first round drew hundreds of students from across more than 50 universities. By the end, students not only deepened their understanding of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and systems thinking, but also carried new habits into daily life, sharing knowledge with peers and practicing sustainability themselves.

Story: Written by Pham Thanh Thao, Professional Communication student. This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam as an institution.

22 September 2025

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