• The ESSEC Case Competition for High School Future Leaders 2022 allows students to learn about business, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
• 150 students from  Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Taiwan, South Korea, and India have risen to the challenge.
• Student teams gain exclusive access to workshops and coaching from industry experts.

Did you know that around one billion tonnes of food is wasted annually, contributing to almost 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions? Or that food insecurity is picking up and that in 2050, the world will need 60 percent more food to feed the people?

A Cause Worth Fighting For

Officially kick-starting on 20 August, the ESSEC Case Competition for Future Leaders was designed as an opportunity for high school students grade 10 and above to learn more about business school and develop their portfolios as they work to solve a real-life business problem.

This year’s case study partner is Confetti Snacks, a Singapore-based snack company fighting the food sustainability battle by upcycling food waste from imperfect produce or crop surpluses into gourmet snacks. With help from global humanitarian missions, it also donates a portion of its nutrient-dense treats to feed those in the poorest parts of the world.

It’s a meaningful mission with a significant impact on the future, and around 150 students from high schools across Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Taiwan, South Korea, and India have risen to support the Confetti Snacks cause.

Lessons on Business and Consulting

Students will work in teams of three to six members and have just two weeks to brainstorm, design, and refine a strategy to support Confetti’s goals. Like in a real-world consulting scenario, they will be tasked to create a pitch book and present their solutions to a panel of jury members for evaluation.

But they will not be walking through this journey alone. To ensure teams are up to the task, ESSEC Business School offers seven workshops with industry experts to equip them with the necessary tools.

For example, Mongi Buckens, ESSEC Master in Strategy & Management of International Business (SMIB) alumni and current Chief Strategy & Digital Officer at advertising and data company PT City Vision, is stepping in with a Problem-Solving workshop for them to learn frameworks to approach business problems with.

Marie-Laure Caille, founder and director of professional training firm The Human Factor, will lead the Business Model & Value Proposition Canvas workshop, covering tools crucial to creating business value.

To help develop marketing strategies that the audience will resonate with, ESSEC Asia-Pacific’s Professor of Practice and Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center, Julien Salanave, will run a workshop on entrepreneurship.

Other topics, like digital marketing, food technology, sustainability, and public speaking, will also be covered. As the cherry on top, students can access two 30-minute coaching sessions with seasoned business and public speaking coaches to refine their performance.

Rewards for the Future

With prizes ranging from SG$500 to SG$2,000 in Amazon vouchers and an opportunity for students to have a tree planted and tagged to their name, the stakes are high—ultimately, only three out of the 30 teams will prevail.

But some may say that all participants will eventually walk away winners. After all, the chance to step into the shoes of company executives, be coached by industry leaders, and perhaps most importantly, be given a platform to make a stand for our planet is a valuable experience with lessons to last a lifetime.

The final judging for the ESSEC Case Competition 2022 was held on 11 September. Find out how the teams performed.