On 15 April 2026, Global Banking School hosted the GBS Hackathon 2026 at its Greenford campus, bringing together students and academic staff for a collaborative, challenge-based learning experience. 

Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), this year’s Hackathon focused on the growing issue of household food waste in the UK. With over 10 million tonnes of food wasted annually - 58% of which comes from households - the event challenged participants to explore innovative, scalable solutions that could drive meaningful change. 

Participants worked in interdisciplinary teams across three structured phases: problem framing using real-world data, solution development with guided facilitation, and final presentations delivered to a panel of judges. 

Seven teams took part, presenting a diverse range of ideas that addressed key areas such as behavioural change, food storage practices, and surplus food redistribution. 

 

Team 4 was selected as the winning group for their innovative gamified app concept. The solution introduced a points-based system designed to incentivise positive behaviour change, encouraging households to reduce food waste through everyday actions and community engagement. 

Beyond the solutions presented, the Hackathon provided a platform for participants to develop essential transferable skills, including collaboration, critical thinking, adaptability, and creativity. The event demonstrated how global sustainability challenges can be translated into practical, local solutions through education and innovation. 

Delivered under the CIFAL London programme of the UNITAR network, in collaboration with GEDU Global, the Hackathon contributes not only to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), but also supports SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). 

 

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