The AmCham Young Professionals Award 2023

Updates:

A Team Challenge on Megatrends

The Challenge: Megatrends

The 21st century is characterized by a number of major, transformative forces that are shaping the global economy, business and society: megatrends. Five megatrends are fundamentally changing how we live and work, now and in the coming decades:

	Rapid Urbanization
	Demographic Changes
	Climate Change and Resource Scarcity
	Technological Change
	Shifting Global Economic Power

Each of the megatrends presents us with specific sustainability challenges or opportunities. For this competition, we have looked at the global challenges laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals framework. Through innovation, we can find answers that positively respond to these challenges and opportunities.

Which sustainability challenges presented by the megatrends can you solve? Select one case from the list below and come up with an innovative solution that your company could deliver! Once you have found a promising solution, be sure to identify what its positive impact could be and what is needed to make it work! A strategic and creative solution can take the form of a product, service, or other initiative. We hope to see original ideas, well substantiated and well presented!

The Cases

The cases have been prepared in collaboration with AmCham's Young Professionals Committee. Each case covers a specific megatrend and explores a related sustainability challenge. Participating teams are requested to choose one case and inform us of the topic of their choice when signing up for the challenge (final choice should be submitted no later than September 15, when the registration closes).

Reimagining Tomorrow's Cities (Rapid Urbanization)
Fueling Equal Communities (Climate Change and Resource Scarcity)
Tackling the Gender Pay Gap (Demographic Changes)
No One Will Be Left Behind (Demographic Changes)
Where Technology Meets Net Zero (Technological Change)
Bridging the Divide (Technological Change)
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence in a Globalized Economy (Shifting Global Economic Power)

Download ALL CASES (combined).

For Whom?

The competition is open to members of the AmCham Young Professionals group and young professionals working for member companies of the American Chamber of Commerce in The Netherlands.

Team up with your colleagues or compose a cross-company team
2 to 4 people per team
25-35 years of age
Living and/or working in the Netherlands
Member companies can sign up multiple teams

Sign ups are already closed. Questions? Be sure to reach out.

Approach: How to Successfully Complete Your Submission?

Take some time to prepare before you get started on your solution

Familiarize yourself with the challenges and opportunities presented in your case;
Be informed: become familiar with existing initiatives and technologies in the domain of your choice;
Brainstorm possible solutions and find out if there are synergies as well as tradeoffs with other sustainability goals;
Decide which idea/solution you will substantiate.

Develop your proposal

When you have chosen a course of action, make sure you spend sufficient time on substantiating your solution: build the business case;
Push boundaries, dare to ask difficult questions and prove that it works;
Identify key strategic actions required to make your solution work;
Present how your solution will make an impact and to whom (think of the tradeoffs and synergies!);
Spend time on your storyline and make your presentation look great!

During the first round, the jury will evaluate all submissions in closed meeting (no presence of participating teams or audience). Teams can hand in their contribution in any form they like. There is only one guideline for the format of your contribution: you should be able to convey your story to the jury in 5-10 minutes. We encourage creativity! The jury will select 6 finalists to pitch and demo their solution on stage during the Grand Finale on December 1, 2023.

Criteria

The jury will evaluate all proposals on the following four criteria, which will have equal weight:

Originality: Is the solution new, creative, innovative or have we seen it before?
Feasibility: What is the business case? Will the idea work? How and when will it work? How will you implement your solution?
Impact: How big is your positive impact? To what extent is your solution contributing to achieving sustainability?
Quality of the Pitch / Presentation: Are you able to convey your message in a convincing and appealing way?

Timeline

Participating teams should register no later than September 15 and are asked to send in their proposal by October 13, 2023 – 12noon. In the week of October 23, our esteemed jury will evaluate all proposals. Six finalists will be selected and announced on November 1. The finalists can further develop their solution and work on their pitch throughout November. On December 1, 2023 all finalists will present their idea during the Grand Finale at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam!

June 30, 2023 - Registration opens for participating teams
Sept. 15, 2023 - Registration of participating teams closes – 5pm
Sept. 21, 2023 - Optional but warmly recommended – Inspiration & KickOff Event
Oct. 13, 2023 - Deadline for handing in your contribution – 12noon
Week 43 - Jury deliberation (jury only / no participants or audience present)
Nov. 1, 2023 - Announcement of Finalists
Dec. 1, 2023 - Grand Finale & Award Event at the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam

Jury

Confirmed jury members to date:

Ms. Rachel Martin, Global Sustainability Director, Elsevier/RELX
Mr. Conor McAuliffe, MD European Affairs, United Airlines
Ms. Ellen McCready, ESG Advisory, PwC
Dr. Piero Morseletto, Researcher & Lecturer Circular Economy, Rotterdam School of Management / Erasmus University
Mr. Marius Penninks, Vice President Ground Operations Benelux, FedEx
Mr. David Tannahill, Sustainability Enablement Director, Heineken International
Mr. Pim van der Velden, Head of Wholesale Banking Netherlands, ING
Mr. Pieter Waasdorp, Director Business Climate, Directorate-General for Enterprise & Innovation, Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy

The winning team will be awarded…

A return ticket from Schiphol to a destination of choice in mainland USA (U.S.48) offered by United Airlines for each member of the winning team!
For more information on United Airlines’ environmental commitment, please see here.
A tangible memento of the award.

Also the first and second runners-up and other finalists will receive recognition and a special prize!

More information?

If you or your company are interested in participating and want more information: please contact Elke Roelant at the AmCham office.

The AmCham Young Professionals Award 2023 is organized in close collaboration with:

And with the generous support of:

The AmCham Young Professionals Award 2023

Updates:

A Team Challenge on Megatrends

The AmCham Young Professionals Award 2023 is organized in close collaboration with:

And with the generous support of:

Past Editions