Register your team here

Quick Links

Student Team registration closes Sunday, 6 October!

2023 Top Teams

2022 Top Teams

2021 Top Teams

Contact:

competitions@gbsn.org

GBSN welcomes university students from various fields to form teams and engage in an international virtual contest centered on devising solutions for social logistics issues. Upon finishing the competition, participants have the opportunity to earn an international micro-credential.

The Social Logistics Challenge is designed to immerse learners in a digital environment that promotes team-work, encourages collaboration, and stimulates innovation in addressing societal problems using logistics principles and technology.

Background

The Social Logistics Challenge integrates core logistics principles and methods with a search for human centered solutions for societal issues, in the innovative realm known as social logistics. The challenge presents a unique opportunity for business students to address a relatively under-explored set of questions in collaboration with peers from different fields, integrating their expertise to create business solutions emphasizing social responsibility and awareness.

Solutions are invited to address a range of social logistics issues, including food supply and distribution, crisis response and disaster relief, healthcare and medical supply chain, transportation and mobility, and more. Submissions are encouraged to draw from diverse fields including conventional supply chain knowledge, humanitarian logistics, communication, programming, and technology.

This is a team-based virtual contest and GBSN encourages the forming of teams that promote interdisciplinary and multi-university cooperation.

The Challenge.

Identify and define a social logistics problem in a community and propose an actionable business solution to address the problem. Social logistics involves applying logistics principles and methods to solve societal issues by considering human factors. The proposed solution should be relevant to the local community, outline the involved stakeholders, and demonstrate its alignment with one or more of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Teams are encouraged to identify any technological disruptions within the problem and/or illustrate the role of technology in their solution.

How does it work?

Register your team.

We encourage multi-disciplinary teams of 2-5 students from different schools, disciplines, and levels. Schools are welcome to have more than one team. GBSN will not accept individual registrations. Teams must consist of students who are currently enrolled in a higher education institution.

Identify a local problem.

Use your logistical knowledge and training to improve a societal problem. Be sure to identify the community impacted by this problem, the multiple stakeholders involved and, most importantly, how addressing this challenge supports one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Develop your solution.

Develop a unique and implementable solution that can be relevantly applied in a specific local context. Demonstrate that solution in a creative format. This year, we are encouraging highlights of technology disruptions or solutions.

Deliverables

Each team will prepare and submit a Solutions Package that incorporates a written report and a visual creative illustration.

Solution Package – PART I

Written Report.

The Written Report must be no longer than 5 pages in length (double spaced) and must be in English or with English translations. It should be submitted as a PDF and should be organized into the following:

Problem Statement:
- Social logistics related problem
- Understanding the problem as it relates to its context
- Proof of research
Solution development and implementation plan:
- Business concept(s) applied in the solution
- Proof of research
UN Sustainable Development Goal(s) addressed:
- Define the UN SDG
- Illustrate how the solution addresses the UN SDG
The role of technology:
- Technological disruptions within the problem / the role of technology in the solution

GBSN does not require a specific template for submissions, MLA, APA, etc. is suitable. We are mainly concerned with the content.

Solution Package – PART II

Creative Illustration.

Creative Illustrations can include any visual format, such as videos, slide presentations, interviews, infographics, posters, podcasts, etc. They can be submitted in PowerPoint, Google Slides, MOV, MP4, JPEG, and PNG files. Teams are encouraged to think outside of the box, engage local participants in their field work, and capture local perspectives from key stakeholders.

The illustration must be in English or with an English translation. If videos are submitted, they must be limited to 3 minutes in length and include English subtitles, if relevant.

Creative illustrations should address the following:

Region represented
Social Logistics problem clearly identified
Business solution
Human factor
Related UN SDG(s)
Role of technology

Timeline

Student Team Registration Deadline

Sunday 6, October

Challenge Submission Deadline

Sunday, 13 October

Preliminary Judging Period

Monday, 14 October – Wednesday, 23 October

Top Five Teams Announced/Scheduling Begins

Friday, 25 October

Award Guidelines

Thanks to our Sponsors, a $5,000 scholarship prize will be awarded to the 1st place team, and $1,000 to the 2nd and 3rd place teams! The awards will be transferred via the students’ respective institution’s financial department and evenly distributed among the winning team members. The funds must be used towards educational expenses such as school materials, housing, tuitions, and programs. Any scholarship funds are to be distributed among team members and applied toward the students’ education via their enrolling institutions. Teams are advised to consult with their universities about their disbursement policies.

In addition to the 1st-3rd place prize money, the team that best addresses the following question:

“What strategies or initiatives would you propose to help create more resilient communities, especially in the face of natural disasters, social challenges, or economic disruptions?”

will receive a scholarship to attend a Resiliency Academy, a virtual workshop on managing crisis response offered by The Resiliency Initiative. This scholarship opportunity will be available to all team members of the winning team. If selected, The Resiliency Initiative will work directly with the winning team to handle the scholarship logistics.

Preliminary Judges

Dr. Kamran Chatha
Senior Lecturer in Management Science and Operations, Director of Doctoral Programs
Loughborough Business School, Loughborough University
United Kingdom
Larry Clay
Assistant Professor of Business and Management
Marymount University
USA
David Elchuk
Program Officer
UQ Ventures, University of Queensland
Australia
Ingrid Greene
Clinical Professor and Academic Director of the Masters in Global Entrepreneurship and Management
Loyola Marymount University
USA
Sandy Hassan
Assistant Professor
Heriot Watt University
United Kingdom
Sherwat Elwan Ibrahim
Associate Professor of Operations Management & Chair at UN PRME Chapter Africa
American University in Cairo
Egypt
Ana Martins
Associate Professor
Instituto Universitario de Lisboa, ISCTE-IUL
Portugal
Dr. Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik
Associate Professor of Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Head of Research for Marketing & Operations Department
Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University
United Kingdom
Lydia Novoszel
Research Associate, Institute for Transport and Logistics Management
WU Vienna University of Economics
Austria
Dr. Zakiya Abdul Samad
Assistant Professor
Heriot Watt University
United Arab Emirates
Jorandi Scholtz
Impact and Partnership Development Manager – MBA Corporate Engagement
University of Exeter
United Kingdom
Laura Steele
Reader of Business Ethics and Sustainability
Queen's Business School
United Kingdom
Ha Ta
Assistant Professor of Logistics
Florida International University College of Business
USA
Jelena Vlajic
Senior Lecturer & Associate Professor
Queen's University Belfast
United Kingdom
Cheyne Wooderson
Academic Tutor and Doctoral Researcher
Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University University
United Kingdom

Finals Judges

Fatima Ait Bendawad
Head
Global Humanitarian Logistics Competence Center (GHLCC), DHL
United Arab Emirates
Roberta Blankson
Consultant
African Development Bank
Ivory Coast (Cote D`Ivoire)
Andrea Davis
President & CEO
The Resiliency Initiative
USA
Andre Kreie
Director Logistics Education – Emerging & Developing Countries (LEED)
Kühne Foundation
Switzerland
Dr. Obiora Madu
Chairman/CEO
Multimix Group
Nigeria
Aziza Menouni
Researcher
Katholieke Universiteit of Leuven
Belgium
Dr. Shereen Nassar
Associate Professor in logistics and Supply Chain Management
Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University
United Kingdom
Pamela Steele
Supply Chain Transformation Director
Pamela Steele Associates
United Kingdom

Judging Process & Criteria

Judging for this competition will happen in two phases. Phase 1 (preliminary judging), determines the Top Five teams to advance to the Finals Round. The Finals Round involves LIVE presentations to a panel of judges, who ultimately determines the 1st Place Winner.

Each Solutions Package should illustrate and consider the following:

The solution must address a social challenge related to logistics
The solution must clearly demonstrate components of logistics principles, including, but not limited, to supply chain management
The solution must benefit society, on a local or global scale
The solution must be locally relevant and multidisciplinary
The solution must clearly address one or more of the 17 UN SDGs
The problem and/or solution must integrate a human aspect and digital element

In addition, preliminary judges will also evaluate submissions on the following dimensions:

How well your team describes the problem and its local relevance
Whether or not your team demonstrates creativity
Whether or not the solution your team develops is feasible
How your solution addresses one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
How does your solution address the intersection between people and technology?

Apply to become a preliminary judge

Team MIT Sloan presentation in 2021 HUMLOG Challenge.

Finals Round: LIVE Presentations + Judging Panel Q&A

The Top 5 teams will deliver a LIVE presentation to an panel of judges, followed by a Q&A with the judges. The full session will be recorded.

10-minute pitch LIVE presentation

All team members must participate in the LIVE pitch for the team to be eligible to win the prize. Participation is defined as a minimum of 1 minute of speaking during the presentation.
Teams can include supplemental materials to support their LIVE presentations in the finals round, including, but not limited to the previously submitted creative illustration.

A 15-minute Q&A with the judges.

All team members must remain present for the virtual Q&A
The Q&A will be moderated by a GBSN staff member to keep time and ensure equal distribution of participation between judges and teams

Examples of Qualifying Solutions

The following are a few examples of previous qualifying social logistics solutions. Please make sure to integrate technology for this year. You can email the GBSN team if you would like us to check your problem/solution!

Example 1

As GBSN has learned from working with CIPE in Papua New Guinea, starting a business is challenging due to economic climate, government regulations, and local support. A student team from PNG could develop a solution surrounding logistically establishing a business incubation site in their local community.

Example 2

Ethiopia is a large producer of honey wine, known as Tej, however, local sellers are having difficulty storing and selling large quantities to wholesalers, especially in the current war-torn environment. Student teams could collaborate to configure a plan for mass production of Tej to assist their local economies, while keeping the businesses safe.

Example 3

Crane and Company has been providing paper for the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing since the late 17th century. As the digital age becomes more apparent and less businesses take cash, there are several problems that can arise. Several emerging economies, especially in the Caribbean and Latin America still rely on the US dollar for forms of payment. How can students find a solution to help the printers, distributors, and users of cash?

Example 4

Even in very economically developed countries, such as Australia, people become equal in the wake of climate change. Floods, droughts, and wildfires are among the largest forces to affect Australia’s natural habitat. How can students develop a safety preparedness logistics solution to protect the natural environment in the event of these wild occurrences and keep people safe?

Example 5

In the United States, school and mass shootings have unfortunately become widely prevalent. California has set itself apart with more shootings than any other state. A logistical solution could explore the supply chain of guns in specific cities within the state, including a look into which stores are selling weapons, and how they are abiding by the law.

Example 6

As we all know, the invasion of Ukraine has affected nations across the globe, especially in neighboring European countries. As countries, such as Germany, are sanctioning Russian oil, there is a massive effect on transportation within the country. German students could look into alternative transportation logistics or even gas/oil supply chains within their communities that do not support the war.

Example 7

Education in several countries in Africa is a challenging feat, but especially in territories affected by militias and war, such as in Northeastern Nigeria, affected by Boko Haram. How can students come together to develop a solution that helps children in these areas achieve education safely?

Example 8

In the Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, refugees depend on food assistance, usually in the form of vouchers. Oftentimes, these are not always the most nutritious foods, rather they are inexpensive and easy to ship. What solutions can be developed by teams to provide nutritionally sustainable foods to these camps?

The Social Logistics Challenge

About the Social Logistics Challenge