Bring CSR activities to another level - HACKATHONS

Challengerocket.com
2017, version 1.0
Case studies
CSR Hackathons
How to effectively engage stakeholders in
the joint creation of ideas and solutions?
Author Contents partner
Honorary patronage

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Table of contents
Introduction 3
What is a hackathon? 7
7 key advantages of a hackathon 9
Case studies: CSR Hackathons 11
Sustainability Hackathon, Harvard University 12
Hack the Supply, Neste 14
Sustainability Hackathon in Uppsala, CleanTech Challenge and SWECO 16
The Power of Networks, BSR & QUALCOMM 18
#Connect2Effect, UN 22
How to organize a hackathon? 26
Conclusion 28
Bibliography 29

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Izabela Błażowska
Co-founder and CMO of ChallengeRocket.com – a platform
for fostering innovation and discovering talents via hackathons
“WANTED: 1000 Hackers to Help Change the World in 3 Days”, says the title of a United Nations’ press release from
February 2017. It refers to a hackathon called #Connect2Effect, which was held as part of the UN SDG (Sustainable
Development Goals) Action Campaign. Taking place in 9 cities on 5 continents, the event brought together hundreds of
“hackers”, who had 48 hours to come up with innovative solutions for 3 of the 17 SDGs. The hackathon yielded a whole
assortment of promising prototype solutions (hacks). The best of these will go on to be further developed by incubator
programs and mentoring.
Is this the future of quick and effective headhunting, and the generation of innovative ideas? Is this how social and
business problems will be solved from now on? It would seem so. The United Nations are not alone in their application
of hackathons. Every year, an increasing number of organizations and businesses aim to take full advantage of the
potential of hackathons. The hackathon formula entails gathering together people with various types of competencies
so as to work together toward a common goal. This type of cooperation, between individuals such as marketing
specialists, software developers, project managers, graphic designers and scientists, produces a whole range of
diverse, often innovative ideas, and at the same time, creates a friendly environment to meet talented and passionate
future coworkers.
Companies worldwide endeavor to make use of this sort of innovation ecosystem, creating miniature incubators that unite
universities, NGOs, startups and hackathon winners. The most promising ideas, those consistent with a company’s business
or statutory objectives, are given a chance to thrive as integral components within the company.
Isn’t that wonderful? Instead of asking just a few employees to dream up an idea, the issues under consideration are
assessed and tackled by tens or even hundreds of dedicated, impartial enthusiasts, operating under the assumption that the
sky is the limit. Instead of just a handful of ideas being produced, the organization arrives at dozens of innovative solutions in
a relatively short time as well as putting together a well-organized and motivated team, ready to bring any prototypes to the
next stage of development. More often than not, these hacks make use of cutting-edge technologies, which, needless to say,
is one of their real strengths. But wait, there’s more! Hackathons possess even greater comparative advantages over
traditional methods of obtaining and managing innovations. Agile methodologies are often employed, with multidisciplinary
cooperation being strongly encouraged. The innovation cycles are shorter and therefore, much better adjusted to rapid
fluctuations in markets.
Introduction

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The new technologies sector in the developed world is distinguished by its remarkable development dynamics. We are
all witnessing a rising number of technology investments as well as intensifying automatization and digitalization of the
economy’s various branches, all while experiencing an overall demographic decline. As a result, a lot of businesses are
unable to carry out their technological investments or are forced to postpone them, losing their competitive advantage
as a consequence. Moreover, employment costs are rising significantly, especially within technical professions. As
reported in the E-skills publication for the European Commission (2014), by 2020, the European labor market will suffer
a shortage of 1 million technicians, mainly software engineers.
Facing an “employee’s market” and a deficit of IT specialists, recruiters have little choice but to engage in more
audacious and daring ways of reaching their target group. The race for employees never stops, turning the previously
more commonplace practice of headhunting into a gradual trend towards employee poaching i.e. the targeting and
hiring of the competition’s personnel. It is not surprising then that hackathons are receiving more recognition as a
creative, cost-effective as well as ethical hiring channel.
Hackathons are now an important part of corporate social responsibility strategies, as they enable companies to obtain
innovative solutions and find talented specialists more easily. Hackathons are also widely acknowledged as a valuable
form of cooperation as reported by companies such as Cisco, IBM, Daimler, and Ericsson. Engaging stakeholders,
paying attention to their viewpoints, and implementing their solutions is one of the cornerstones of responsible
entrepreneurship. One of my favorite CSR experts, Wayne Visser, has coined the term “CSR 2.0”, which parallels the
notion of the transformation of WEB 1.0 to WEB 2.0. Visser has been quoted as saying: “(…) like the World Wide Web,
modern CSR should become more interactive, and engage consumers in the joint creation of ideas and solutions”,
a striking statement made during the Responsible Business Forum conference in 2012. This was also the year that
marked the start of the rapid global development of hackathons. CSR is constantly influenced by socio-economic
factors and technological developments. CSR also benefits from these new technologies as it becomes more
quantitative, speedier, more creative and more effective in combating economic, social as well as environmental
problems.
Hackathons can be applied to any number or type of challenges there are in an organization. However, our first
publication focuses on tackling socio-environmental problems. Contemporary CSR concentrates on cooperation with
stakeholders and the creation of turnkey solutions. And the formula of a hackathon is etched into the very DNA of
the CSR.
Did you know that the term hackathon is derived from words “hack” and
“marathon”? The phrase “hack” relates to discovering and creating exploratory
programming innovations rather than to cyber-crime (1999).

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Marzena Strzelczak
CEO and board member of the Responsible Business Forum
Dear Sir or Madam,
Modern futurology is viewed by some as no more than a set of science-fiction stories, while others regard it as a very
important contributing factor when it comes to their business strategies. Are technologies of the future, like artificial
intelligence, a golden opportunity or a nightmare for humanity? Opinions differ, but without a doubt, they are changing
the world with a ferocity previously unheard of.
In this context, questions arise as to our purpose and the overall role of business. New technologies give rise to
unprecedented business models, and modern software and applications are already facilitating the solution of social
and environmental problems. They provide opportunities for a better and more sustainable future by changing the lives
of people, whole societies, and nations. Innovative technologies are likely to have a huge impact on achieving our
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), our guideposts for responsible business for the next 13 years, which point
directly to some of the global challenges we face.
It was the SDGs that inspired the Responsible Business Forum team to organize Poland’s first hackathon
for sustainable development: #SustainHack. This dream may finally come true thanks to our cooperation
with ChallengeRocket.com.
#SustainHack is our first Polish interdisciplinary technological business marathon: a hackathon, coupled with our Idea
Challenge competition. Teamwork and business involvement are perfectly in line with the Responsible Business Forum’s
mission: to promote sustainable development and to inspire business that changes the world and provides a meeting place
for people who change business. This project could not have been brought to life without cooperation, one of the key
values of our organization. This is what makes the whole venture a perfect platform for cooperation itself to flourish.
The finale of the #SustainHack will take place during the 7th CSR Fair, Poland’s largest corporate social responsibility
event. The 2018 edition’s theme is, suitably, “Business in Cooperation”. The organizations participating in the
#SustainHack, in search of SDG new business solutions, will be introduced ahead of the fair.
In anticipation of this event, we present this e-book, which we are delighted to endorse as its contents partner. We trust
that this brochure will be another valuable source of inspiration for your businesses and all organizations striving for
innovation for the benefit of the planet and its people. Additionally, this type of event does not have deadlines, does not
take up space and does not require particular specialists in your organizations! We believe that our goals can be achieved
through cooperation, knowledge, openness, and diversity – values that are so important for the Forum and everyone who
longs for a more sustainable future.

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The author of the publication
ChallengeRocket is a rapidly developing start-up that operates globally in the fields of HR-TECH and
INNOVATION. Its core business is the comprehensive, automated recruitment of IT workers (sourcing candidates
and evaluating their skills), accomplished through the power of Artificial Intelligence. The company provides
consulting and executive services, harnessing the output of hackathons to generate innovative solutions and
spotlight talented individuals.
ChallengeRocket gathers creators from around the world, as well as companies, governments and non-
government organizations. The start-up has worked successfully with BZ WBK, Forum, and NVIDIA.
ChallengeRocket was proud to be awarded the top prize for innovation at the European Economic Congress 2017
in Katowice, and another first prize at the prestigious ABSL Congress 2017 in Łódź.
More at: www.challengerocket.com
More art: www.challengerocket.com
Contents partner
The Responsible Business Forum is the biggest non-governmental CSR organization in Poland. Its mission is to promote
sustainable development, inspire business that changes the world and connecting people who change business. The
organization was founded in 2000, supported by economic, academic and non-governmental circles. It enjoys the status of a
non-profit organization. Since 2002, the Forum has been a partner of CSR Europe – the network of CSR-promoting
organizations in Europe. The Responsible Business Forum is the first NGO in Poland to address the subject of corporate
social responsibility in a totally comprehensive manner.
More at: www.odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl

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A hackathon is a competition, a design marathon, where programmers, graphic designers, project
managers, marketing specialists and other creative people work together to come up with innovative
ideas relevant to a particular issue.
Organizers of these events reap the rewards in the form of numerous solutions to their problems, and
they then get the chance to meet the originators in person. Apart from competing for attractive prizes,
hackathon participants are presented with opportunities to make new contacts, extend their knowledge
and engage further in the development of the project.
Classifying hackathons
(This form of hackathon is of most benefit in the achievement of SDGs
(particularly 5, 10 and 13). It reduces the overall carbon footprint and
grants entry to everyone, regardless of location, age, sex, education or
disability)
What is a hackathon?
Classification by location
ONSITE HACKATHON
• Meeting in a specific location at
a definite time and date
• Can last from a few to 48 hours
• Limited and select number of
participants
An onsite hackathon is best used for
recruitment and “employer branding”.
ONLINE HACKATHON
• An event set up on a dedicated platform
(i.e. ChallengeRocket.com)
• Can last from 1 to 3 months
• Open access: anyone from around the
world can get involved
An online hackathon is suitable for
finding innovative solutions and
promoting technology.
Did you know that GroupMe, an instant messaging program allowing several people to hold a
conversation together (similar in concept to Messenger and WhatsApp), was conceived during
the TechCrunch conference in 2010? In 2011, it was bought out by Skype for an astounding $85
million!

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There are a lot of talented individuals out there who, because they are already employed, do not tend to
respond to job advertisements. Common traits among the most sought-after employees are ambition,
creativity, a thirst for knowledge, and particular specializations (i.e. software development). Hackathons
attract exactly this type of person, undiscovered talents who get to meet with the organizers and who
familiarize themselves with their projects, products, and services through taking part in the event. And, as it
often turns out, if a participant feels like changing jobs, or if an offer is made to them, the hackathon organizer
is invariably viewed in a favorable light by the candidate.
Hackathons are held by and for the benefit of some of the biggest global brands, such as Samsung,
Microsoft, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Amazon and Facebook. Their potential can be applied to almost any
branch and sector of the economy.
Classification by participants
INTERNAL HACKATHON
• Arranged within a company, among
its employees
• Its objective is to identify the best possible
solutions to given problems and situations
An internal hackathon is a perfect way to
stimulate creativity and novel-thinking
within a company and to go beyond the
humdrum.
OPEN HACKATHON
• It reaches beyond the organization’s ranks,
and is open to outsiders
• Aimed at finding unconventional solutions as
well as talented potential employees
An open hackathon is a great way to tap
into a huge range of ideas from people who
look at issues with a fresh pair of eyes, and
also meet potential job candidates.

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1. Gaining access to a wealth of innovative ideas and solutions, tailor-made for the problems at hand
and obtained in a relatively short time.
2. Opening up the opportunity to find new employees or whole taskforces in a quick and cost-saving
fashion. The candidates can be personally observed while performing tasks, working in a group as
well as when dealing with stress and under pressure.
3. Offering the prospect of promoting one's own API (Application Programming Interface, in other words,
a computer program's way of communicating), SDK (Software Development Kit - a set of tools for
developers, necessary to write applications using particular libraries), IT products and services to
technology enthusiasts and early adopters of these solutions. Without doubt, it is in a company's best
interest to promote its technology and to establish a developer ecosystem centered on the company's
brand.
4. Enhancing a company's image, its "employer branding" by distinguishing it as innovative and
moving with the times, while not shying away from unique solutions. It displays its capacity to follow
contemporary trends and continuously enhance its technology-driven competitive advantage.
5. Stimulating employee creativity within an organization via internal hackathons.
6. Expanding a company's CSR activities by getting involved in social innovations and building
forward-looking relationships with stakeholders.
7. Breaking geographic barriers with online hackathons. Garnering access to specialists from all
around the world. Granting entry to anyone, regardless of age, sex, education or disability.
Exploring the possibilities for remote cooperation by employing people to work from anywhere in the
world (all while reducing your carbon footprint).
7 key advantages of a hackathon
Did you know that the winners of the hackathon organized by
Salesforce.com in 2013 won a $1 million cash prize?

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PhD Associate Professor Bolesław Rok
Director of the Research Center for Positive Influence
Entrepreneurship, Department of Entrepreneurship and Business
Ethics, Kozminski University
Community building has recently become a number one priority for many Polish businesses, especially
those engaged in the difficult pursuit of real social responsibility. Educational activities aimed at
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been bolstering the role of the creative forces within society
so as to build a greater competitive advantage.
Contemporary open innovation models allow their environments to interact with them at various stages of
their development. Recently, these models have started to take the form of user-driven innovation for
sustainable development. They allow deep interaction with users and stakeholders, leading to the
conversion of passive stakeholders into active citizens, who can face up to the challenges of sustainable
development.
The co-participation of users, products, and services takes full advantage of a variety of technical and
business skills, creativity and professional knowledge. Users can engage in the process in many ways and
the outcome is a product that better answers the needs of the market and serves the common good. A
hackathon can be an extremely valuable source of innovative ideas and creativity. It provides an
opportunity to profit from the “wisdom of the crowd”, in order to fulfill both the market’s and society’s
expectations of a company. On top of that, a hackathon can act as a database of technological solutions
that can be incorporated into an organization’s structure, maximizing its effectiveness.
User-driven innovations are not just about new products and services. They also encompass the way a
company and its business model function. Certainly, social values and societal expectations will extend
more and more influence over the process of building strategies and management systems, as they
increasingly need to correspond to social priorities and shared values. Engaging stakeholders and
implementing innovations as a response to specific social needs and problems may contribute to
improvements in the quality of social capital, the building of more trust in social institutions (including
businesses), and reinforcement of the values relevant to the interests of cooperation and acting for the
common good.

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The earliest hackathons related to CSR and sustainable development were organized after 2010. This
method of devising innovative solutions and engaging specialist communities is now widely used by
companies, NGOs, and governments worldwide. This up-to-the-minute event format encourages interaction
with society in a manner which is invaluable nowadays. Hackathons make possible the use of a society’s
technical and business abilities, its creativity, and expertise. Hackathons have become a way of staying
receptive to customer suggestions, taking their ideas and opinions on board, which translates into more trust,
a more positive perception of the organization’s activities plus real business benefits.
The director of CSR International think-tank, Wayne Visser has come up with an original concept of CSR
development, equivalent to WEB 1.0’s transformation into WEB 2.0. He dubbed the process a revolution
which will change the way people understand and practice CSR. It is based on 5 rules, outlined below.
5 RULES OF CSR2.0
1. Creativity through establishing relationships with stakeholders and engaging more actively with them;
the joint creation of ideas and solutions (e.g. hackathons).
2. Scalabilityof ideas and solutions, following the example of Grameen Bank (3000 similar institutions in
50 countries, reaching 133 million customers); accessibility for everyone, not just a select few.
3. Responsiveness to society’s needs – paying attention to its opinions, increased transparency of reporting,
and the courage to challenge any sector or business model in order to answer the question: does what you
do provide a solution or does it add to the problem?
4. Glocality or, in other words, think globally, act locally; adapting to local contexts, but adhering to more
universal rules.
5. Circularity, focusing on the greater good, not the lesser evil (finding solutions based on a regeneration
model, as outlined by cradle-to-cradle philosophies, such as the “Evergreen” Interface).
Below we present several hand-picked examples of CSR/sustainable development hackathons, the
processes involved and the results that emerged.
Case studies:CSR Hackathons

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SustainabilityHackathon,HarvardUniversity
Organizer
The hackathon was conducted by the Harvard Environmental Action Committee and the Harvard Council on
Business and the Environment.
Program
The participants were divided into three groups and tasked with one of seven available problems. During the
event, the following concerns were tackled:
• wasting food, engaging private and public entities in sustainable development issues,
• ecological and economic commuting for Boston citizens,
• chemical waste management in laboratories.
Participants explored and researched their problems for the better part of the day. Next came the practical
part, when the groups presented the results of their work.
Projects
During the Harvard hackathon, students proposed the following projects:
• reduction of chemical waste through an electric system of waste disposal (using the Internet of
Things technologies),
• promotional activities, stimulating both private and public entities to engage in creating sustainable
environment initiatives.
Date: 12th
April 2014
Place: Harvard Innovation Lab
Participants: over 20 people from Harvard University and other Boston schools (including Cambridge)
Prize: certificates
Name: Sustainability Hackathon
Subject: environmental protection, sustainable development
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It should be noted that the participants put forward solutions solely targeted at problems at Harvard University
and the general Boston area. The projects presented included lists of well-thought-out, viable actions that
aimed at improving environmental conditions and raising awareness among citizens of the surrounding
ecology and sustainable development.
The projects were evaluated in terms of their level of innovation, practicality and their real impact on their
environment.
The outcomes
The hacks were presented to representatives of the Harvard University responsible for sustainable
development, who decided to put them into practice and integrate them into the university’s
environmental strategies.
Despite the relatively low attendance of the event and the negligible cost of its organization, the
university acquired a valuable innovative ideas database. The effective teamwork and brainstorming
sessions of many inventive and capable students with a fresh view of the world led to value-
added synergy. The solutions hit upon can be implemented much more rapidly than individual
initiatives, all thanks to the common efforts of the participants.
Organizing the hackathon has helped the university attract favorable publicity among its students and
employees. By inviting young scholars to discuss and by listening to their solutions, the university has
shown that it holds the students in high regard. That appreciation does much to convince the learners of
their personal, real impact on their environment, which in turn encourages them to willingly engage in
other projects.
And that, undeniably, is Harvard’s next success.
Did you know that many applications of systems such as
Android, iOS or MeeGo were conjured up during
hackathons?

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Hack the Supply, Neste
Organizer
Neste is one of the world’s biggest producers of renewable oil fuels, refined from waste. The company offers
products and services allowing its customers to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. It is in the top 100 most
socially responsible companies globally.
Program
In December 2016, Neste placed an invitation to a hackathon on its website, its objective being to find the
best ideas and solutions to facilitate the advance and further digitalization of Neste’s internal supplier analysis
system, with a view to reaching essential areas of sustainable development. In April 2017, a pre-hackathon
was conducted, where the participants formed project groups and presented their conclusions on different
issues. The most promising solutions were selected and their creators received invitations to a 24-hour onsite
hackathon.
The hackathon kicked off on 23rd May and all ten teams (7 in Helsinki and 3 in Singapore) worked diligently
on the assigned problems. The teams’ efforts were monitored by mentors, who supported and helped
the participants throughout the event. Once time had run out, the teams had 3 minutes each to present
their proposals.
Projects
Winning solutions:
• Team Fute (aka Future Technologies): a communication platform, allowing Neste’s teams to make decisions
about their suppliers in terms of sustainable development. The organizers emphasized Team Fute’s highly
pragmatic project, which uses old data in a new way. Additionally, the prototype system proved to be up to
the challenge of monitoring and managing risks to the supply chain.
Date: 23rd
– 24th
May 2017
Place: Simultaneously in Finland (Helsinki) and Singapore
Participants: 10 teams (after pre-selection)
Prize: 10,000 EUR
Name: Hack the Supply
Subject:SupplierDueDiligenceSystem
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• Team Openfeel: a comprehensive system integrating Neste, its suppliers and public entities, reinforcing the
company’s involvement in addressing global challenges to sustainable development. The team focused on the
suppliers, placing them in the center of the system as the key users.
• Team Lichens: a platform for a clear classification of the developing supplier network, using a
Sustainability flower as a visualization of the sustainable development activities.
The judges also spotlighted Team Nortal, for their impressive approach, based on openness and
transparency used to build a sustainable supplier ecosystem around Neste. The idea was to create a
LinkedIn-type system, dedicated to biofuel suppliers, who could create their own easily-verifiable profiles,
all while communicating more smoothly.
The outcomes
The organizers and mentors of the Neste hackathon were delighted with the output. They were pleasantly
surprised by the enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment of the participants, and not least by the overall high
quality of the hacks. The company declared it would be implementing the solutions that were presented
during the event. Two of the winning ideas are based on Blockchain technology, which proves that the
hackathon attracted highly qualified specialists, possessing unrivalled knowledge of the most recently
trending technologies.
The director of Neste’s IT department announced that the event had initiated the internal process of
integrating the participants’ best projects with the prerequisites and foundations of a supplier analysis system.
He also noted that solutions based on Blockchain technology are remarkable in their ability to combine
confidentiality with openness.
The hackathon paved the way for Neste to prepare an important business development strategy for the next
years, thereby cutting R&D costs and accelerating decision-making processes within the company. The
organizer of the event showed a good deal of ingenuity by using the “wisdom of the crowd”, gaining media
attention for the organization and strengthening its own position as a CSR trailblazer. The Neste Sustainability
Director, Johan Lunabba concluded: ”I am very proud that we had the courage to do things differently! As we
do not have all the wisdom inside Neste, we need to continue reaching out to our stakeholders to accomplish
great things together.”
Did you know that over 700 people attended the Open Hack Day
India hackathon, organized by Yahoo! in 2012?

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Sustainability Hackathon in Uppsala,
CleanTechChallengeand SWECO
Organizer
CleanTech Challenge is an advanced crowdsourcing platform, which focuses on the promotion of sustainable
development values. Operating at Uppsala University, the group was founded by an independent unit called
Håll Ut. The organization’s main purpose is to participate in various projects for sustainable development,
technology, project management, education, and innovation. Håll Ut promotes unique solutions and supports
the international activities of sustainable business organizations.
Sweco is a consulting company, operating in the architecture and engineering sectors. Its core business is
designing cities of the future harmonious with sustainable development principles. Sweco engages in
designing sustainable buildings, effective infrastructure and providing access to clean water. The company’s
business structure is decentralized, and focused on close cooperation with its clients. Sweco acknowledges
the need to gain deep understanding of its customers’ problems, before providing any service.
Program
The hackathon organized by Håll Ut. student society and Sweco was expected to provide answers to four
challenges with regards to sustainable development. “Better future” (SmartCity etc.) specialists from Sweden,
Japan, and other countries familiarized the participants with the problems during the first stage of the
hackathon. The contestants formed teams, and then each of them chose one issue to tackle and proceeded
to formulate ideas for increasing standards of living within the principles of sustainable development. In the
course of the hackathon, the guests delivered inspiring speeches, motivating the participants to action and
answering their questions as mentors. The hard work occupied the entire day. The teams had until 11 PM to
submit their projects. The results of the hackathon were announced during the official gala on 13th February
2017.
Date: 10th
February 2017
Place: Uppsala University, Sweden
Participants: 16 teams
Prize: cash
Name: Sustainability Hackathon in Uppsala
Subject:sustainable development
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Projects
The winning teams in each category:
• Challenge: Future Sustainable Urban Planning,
Winner: Multidimensional
Project: A tool that analyses and compares demographic data and real estate offers. By ranking a user’s
most important locations (e.g. work, school, clinic etc.), Umap App pinpoints the most suitable, available
real estate.
• Challenge: Social Sustainability through Integration
Winner: Upptegrate
Hack: Innovation to guarantee a fairer recruitment process. The process is based on the pre-evaluation of
skills while keeping the candidates anonymous. The suitability of the candidates is calibrated by the
employer, who weighs up the importance of these various skills.
• Challenge: Bredden (a Swedish region subject to innovative changes in line with sustainable
development)
Winner: Green Walls & Roofs
Hack: The solutions include the installation of green walls, green rooftops, parks, and solar panels. A new
pedestrian/cyclist crossing across the E4. Creating an open space between houses.
• Challenge: Green and Smart Uppsala
Winner: The magnificent 7
Hack: “Get green”, a system teaching people how to reduce the amount of waste, including an application
for monitoring a trash container’s contents and an online ranking of the food waste levels among local
restaurants and supermarkets. The solution also includes organizing events and contests motivating
people to use city bikes.
The outcomes
The event attracted a lot of interest from the local community due to the appealing format of the hackathon,
the cash prize, and the involvement of the high-profile, international company – Sweco. The business is
heavily concerned with pro-environmental activities, stressing the importance of creating a “green” future. By
taking part in a sustainable development hackathon, Sweco confirmed that it cares about its social
environment, not just doing business. The company showed that it is concerned with environmental
conditions and awareness of surrounding issues. The Swedish giant all but proved it is trustworthy and
hungry for knowledge, continuously on the lookout for innovative solutions. The creativity of the ambitious
participants enabled Sweco to acquire an unconventional knowledge base of solutions ready to be
implemented. The company conducted a large-scale promotional campaign and product marketing, at
the same time as acquainting the participants of the hackathon with its commercial offer.

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The Powerof Networks,BSR & QUALCOMM
Organizer
BSR is a global non-profit organization, cooperating with over 250 companies worldwide for sustainable
development.
Qualcomm is an American IT company, headquartered in San Diego, California, specializing in wireless
communication.
Program
Although BSR regularly holds sustainable development conferences, the 2013 hackathon was their first such
endeavor. The concept was approved and supported by Qualcomm.
Sixteen notable sustainable development specialists from for-profit and non-profit organizations were invited
to the hackathon. The event’s goal was to rise to the challenge of using contemporary technology in Smart
Cities and solving sustainable development problems.
The hackathon gathered 7 teams, who spent 12 hours hammering away at project prototypes, all of which
could play a part in raising standards of living.
Date: 5th
– 8th
November 2013
Place: San Francisco
Participants: 7 teams (30 people)
Prize: $3500
Name: ThePowerofNetworks
Subject: sustainable development
Did you know that in 2011, Foursquare organized a hackathon for more than 500 people
from all over the world? Using 30 different websites, programmers competed online to
create an application based on Foursquare’s API interface.
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Projects
Winning projects:
• Team WattTime’s with its “Windshed” application, which monitors the amount of wind power in electrical grids at
any given moment, making use of the local grid operator’s data. Pro-environmental consumers could then use
electricity at times when it is most eco-friendly.
• Team ProductBio with the “WhoCares” application, which uses crowdsourcing and Twitter to help businesses
choose supply chain practices that are decisive for their stakeholders.
• Team Bay with their “We Can Help” application, which contains a database of skills and resources of
every local member of society. The app is only used in emergencies, such as an earthquake, in order to
point anyone who can help toward people in need.
The outcomes
The hackathons results exceeded the expectations of the event organizer and sponsor. During a 12-hour
undertaking, the participants came up with application prototypes with well-defined goals and formulated
strategies. It showcased the overall high quality of the hackathon and the participants’ impressive skills. The
event organizer, BSR, and its main sponsor, Qualcomm gained access to innovative ideas, simultaneously
reinforcing their images as modern, up-to-the-minute organizations, and all at a reasonable cost. The
hackathon had a pro-environmental profile, with the goal of finding extraordinary solutions to sustainable
development challenges, and as a result the companies’ CSR policy was very well-thought-out. Incidentally,
both organizations provided very decent support for the talented young locals, at a negligible cost when
compared to typical R&D expenses.
Did you know that NASA has been organizing an annual
hackathon International Space Apps Challenge since 2012?

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Mariola Ratschka
Acting Director of the United Nations Information Centre in Warsaw
Sustainable development should meet humanity’s current needs while not limiting the capabilities of
future generations to satisfy their needs. It seeks to improve people’s well-being, protect the planet, maintain
peace and create cooperatives for sustainable development.
When the world entered the 21st century, international society resolved to change for the better. In 2000, UN
member states agreed on the Eight Millennium Development Goals, which were to improve the situation in
developing countries. Their implementation showed that disparate entities: governments, the private sector, civil
society, and scientists can all successfully cooperate. This thriving partnership proved so promising that it was
decided that it should continue and expand its activity.
During the Sustainable Development Summit 2015, the Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted,
consisting of 17 global Sustainable Development Goals. These Goals apply to all countries, both developing and
developed. They cover 17 areas and 169 tasks with a deadline set for 2030. The selected areas encompass
poverty, famine, health, well-being, education, gender equality, clean water, energy, employment, economy,
urbanization, inequality, responsible consumption, climate, life underwater, life on land, peace, and partnership
for the Goals. Agenda 2030 is a vision of the world’s development, a plan for improving the world, its
transformation or, to put it more plainly, a plan for saving the world for this generation and the next. If the
situation doesn’t change, by 2050 we will need 3 Earths to live the way we do now. And where will we find these
additional two planets? How will life look in 2050? How will we tell our children and grandchildren that we haven’t
cared for their future?
There are over 1.8 billion people aged 10-14 in the world, with this number growing each year. Never, in the
history of mankind, has there been such a sizeable generation of young people. And the stakes are high – we
are now deciding upon a future for all of them. We cannot leave anyone out.

21
The United Nations works for the young, taking action with their well-being in mind. The organization
created the #UN4Youth hashtag in order to communicate with young people via social media. Every year it
holds a Youth Forum where adolescents get their chance to share their fears and present their solutions to
global problems. In this way, young people participate in political discussions on world development.
Nowadays, young people are given the important task of shaping a world they will be happy to live in. All of
the SDGs and 60 of the tasks concern young people. They are, after all, at the vanguard of progress.
Young entrepreneurs, activists, and leaders are eager to introduce their ideas for change. They have their
own notions concerning how we can avoid conflicts, protect human rights, ensure security and realize the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Did you know that the most popular game design marathon, Global Game Jam, has
been held annually since 2009? The first edition took place in 53 different locations,
attracted over 1650 participants and yielded an astounding 370 games.

22
#Connect2Effect,UN
Institutions
Influx Trust is a British charity organization supporting a community of individuals and companies that are
willing to share their knowledge and resources to help achieve UN priorities.
The UN SGD Action Campaign is a global initiative which supports everyone who promotes and works toward
achieving the SDGs.
The United Nations General Assembly is one of the UN organs. The President of the General Assembly is a
position voted by representatives of the General Assembly. In March 2017, the President was Peter Thomson
from Fiji.
Program
The event brought together 750 people (225 teams) in 9 cities spread around the world, and its purpose was
to find solutions for 3 of the 17 SDGs.
Source: http://connect2effect.com/index.html
Date: 10th
-12th
March 2017
Place: 9 places at once
Participants: 225 teams
Name: #Connect2Effect
Subject: achieving 3 of theSDGs
5

23
What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
In September 2015, at a UN Summit, 193 member states agreed on a common strategy for world
development until 2030. The global plan encompasses 17 SDGs, which are a summary of the most serious
challenges to the world’s sustainable development. The program includes such issues as the elimination of
poverty, protection of the planet and ensuring social well-being on every continent.
#Connect2Effect
This hackathon, held by the UN and Influx Trust, focused on three SGD prerequisites, named respectively:
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) and Responsible
Consumption and Production (SDG 12).
In order to fully realize these wonderful ideals, it was necessary to engage creative individuals, capable of
bringing them to life. The UN set out to find suitable candidates for the hackathon among the youth of the
world, from managers to qualified software developers. Everyone who was willing to sacrifice 72 hours of their
time to build a prototype solution for at least one of the 3 SDGs was invited to attend the event. The best
hacks were given the support of local incubators and crowdfunding platform mentoring. The winners of the
hackathon were also invited to present their solutions at the UN headquarters in New York, at the Science,
Technology, and Innovation Forum, which took place on 17th May 2017.

24
Projects
The hackathon yielded 225 prototypes solutions. The teams in 9 different cities focused mainly on 3 SDGs:
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) and Responsible
Consumption and Production (SDG 12). The best teams and projects of this global endeavor are listed below:
1. The team from Bahrain (SDG9) created the application "Paperless", which sends receipts to smartphones,
reducing paper production.
2. The team from Bali (SDG12) came up with a strategy aiming at reducing waste production during religious
celebrations.
3. The team from Chandigarh (SDG9) presented an intelligent tablet using Braille, helping blind children to study.
4. The team from Geneva (SDG9) devised a product that allows for 24-hour access to highly effective
antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive people.
5. The team from Lagos (SDG9) invented the application Smart Transit, which enables the exchange of
information about local transportation and transit in real time.
6. The team from Lisbon (SDG9) developed the Lettuce Grow app, which connects farmers directly to
consumers, aiming at facilitating agriculture.
7. The team from London (SDG9) designed the eQuality system, which acquaints customers with the ethical,
political and environmental impact of their purchases.
8. The team from New York (SDG12) were the creators of the first ever closed-loop marketplace for sustainable
garments.
9. The team from Rio de Janeiro (SDG10) proposed the application Jardim Digital, which uses artificial
intelligence to help refugees find suitable job offers.
The outcomes
The United Nations’ initiative was very well-received by many people, who worked to the best of their abilities
to create 225 various prototypes. The young people involved saw that they have an important role to play in
creating their own future, that they are needed and that they impact their environment. The worthy cause and
the rise of society’s awareness regarding the importance of removing all obstacles on the path to sustainable
development have all added to this endeavor’s significance. The chance to develop their own ideas, the help,
and support of a crowdsourcing platform and the involvement of numerous sponsors have all meant that the
achievement of the SDGs by 2030 is readily achievable.
The UN have proven that hackathons foster valuable interaction within society and that society is, in fact,
expecting interaction of this nature. Relationships blossom, cultivating greater cooperation, which transforms
passive stakeholders into active world citizens, mutually shaping a better future for themselves and future
generations. The UN hackathons serve as a perfect example for companies and organizations worldwide, for
how society can be inspired and encouraged to work together towards the common good.

25
Kamil Wyszkowski
The representative/General Director of Global Compact
Network Poland
The UN Sustainable Development Goals can only be implemented when backed by cooperation and smart interaction,
and that requires partnership for development. The SDGs are 17 corridors, in which humanity focuses and directs its
efforts toward development, environmental protection and improving standards of living. Will this global mobilization
bear fruit? I certainly hope so. Future generations will recognize Agenda 2030 as one of the key processes by which
we will have overcome negative trends and preserved the planet. As a result of the internationally agreed monitoring,
all 17 SDGs are not merely beautiful ideas - they have become real obligations that countries are accountable for via
public statistics. In addition, international communities motivate each other to work toward sustainable development.
Partnerships are created via interpersonal interaction and despite technological advances, nothing can compare to the
magic of a face-to-face meeting, allowing the uninhibited exchange of thoughts, discussion and mutual inspiration.
Human creativity is at its most visible during debates and brainstorming sessions. This is how technological leaps and
megatrends are made. Hackathons or TEDx are only two examples of numerous techniques for establishing areas of
debate and producing solutions. The more such events flourish, the better the solutions, and in turn, the better our
chances for the successful implementation of the SDGs. There is a lot to fight for and a lot to gain. To name but a few
of the many global dangers which can be overcome through common effort and smart, creative solutions, we can point
to: the Great Pacific garbage patch (it will not disappear by itself), low air quality which kills 3 million people annually (it
will not blow away on its own), deforestation (it will not stop magically), income disparities (they will not narrow all by
themselves), the water crisis, food crises, the migration crisis – all in all they will not be resolve themselves without our
help. Only through joint effort can we meet the important challenge of inventing technologies which will switch global
energy industry from fossil fuels to renewable sources. Through the UN public tender system, global trust funds or
financing from international organizations, we are able to invest in the essential areas of research and development,
such as green technologies, solar solutions, hydropower, wind power, geothermal energy and the motor technology
revolution (electric motors and hydrogen fuel cells). Humanity is already aware of the solutions to most of our
contemporary problems. Agenda 2030 is a mechanism that aims to universalize these solutions and make use of
megatrends to convince countries and societies to make these massive transitions to new ventures and bright
outlooks. Without partnerships for development and mediated understanding of it, we will not achieve the lasting
changes needed for future generations.
Did you know that PennApps was the first Argentinian hackathon?
In 2015, the 12th edition of the event was attended by more than
2000 people, while the total prize pool was $60,000.

26
If your organization finds itself in need of an innovative solution to a problem or other new ideas, a
hackathon will definitely be a great way of finding inspiration. This method will also prove
effective if you are on the lookout for new talent (especially programmers). Where to start then?
1. The main purpose of the event
The primary objective of a hackathon must be determined before preparations for the event can begin. The
most common purpose underlying a hackathon is the desire to increase a company’s level of innovation, find
valuable employees, or promote an API, a technology or a product. The aims of the event need to adhere to
SMART criteria (objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed).
2. The type of hackathon
Depending on the company’s vision and requirements, a hackathon can assume different forms. If an
organization wants to reach a wider audience, an online hackathon will prove to be the best option. This form
is also the most cost-effective way to approach participants. An onsite hackathon, on the other hand, is held
in a specific place at a specific time and gives the organizers the opportunities to meet with the contestants
personally and directly oversee the projects being initiated.
3. Open or internal hackathon
Hackathons fall into two categories, classified by the character of their participants. An internal hackathon is
organized within a company and is aimed at stimulating employee creativity. An open hackathon is held for
any software developer, engineer, technology enthusiast or person interested in creating innovative products.
This type of hackathon reaches beyond the boundaries of a company and invites in outsiders.
4. The theme of a hackathon
The overarching theme of a hackathon should match the event’s target group. It is also imperative to
formulate the challenges of the contest which the participants will provide implementable solutions for.
The overall theme should conform to the company’s activities and its strategy.
5. Contest communication
In order to facilitate communication during the event, a hackathon should have a separate website or be
announced on a professional platform, such as ChallengeRocket.com. This way, the participants will be kept
up to date with the event: information should be regularly posted on the website, on social media, and via a
dedicated mailing campaign. A dedicated, informative event website with a dedicated news section is
necessary for any such event.
How to organize ahackathon?

27
6. Event promotion
Promotion of the hackathon is crucial for programmer communities. It should range as wide as possible
so as to reach a diverse target group. The key to a successful promotion campaign is the use of
professional materials, such as infographics and videos which raise awareness of the brand and the
event’s significance.
7. Signing up for a hackathon
The event website should feature an entry form. The ChallengeRocket.com platform offers its users an
accessible system, created especially for the purposes of a hackathon. It will ensure personal data
protection and the safety of every registered person.
8. Projects presentation
Projects created during a hackathon are submitted to a dedicated platform where they can be seen only by a
jury and the organizers. The projects are easily uploaded to the system, which facilitates rapid analysis and
evaluation. During an onsite hackathon, the teams have the chance to present their solutions themselves or in
front of an audience and the judges. In both cases, the judges choose the best ideas according to the criteria
such as novelty, complexity, presentation, feasibility, and use of the recommended software.
9. Prizes
Rewards are one of the main motivational forces that prompt people to sign up for a hackathon. They should
match the target group’s interests, motives and meet their expectations. Often financial rewards are by far the
most effective way to attract participants, but electronic devices, job offers or cooperation opportunities are
also very well received.
10. The Follow-up
Hackathons lead to the creation of lasting communities of programmers, software developers and
designers, which remain active and involved long after an event has run its course. It is worth supporting
and investing in these communities by implementing their hacks with their help and cooperation. These
groups often become incubators, which develop within organizations that held the hackathons and
provide innovations for their R&D departments.
Did you know that the “Like” button on Facebook was created during an
internal hackathon? Facebook regularly holds closed contests in order to
stimulate innovation among employees and promote their projects.

28
On 11th October 2012, the Responsible Business Forum held their “CSR 2.0 communication, education,
technology” conference, which was visited by a special guest, Wayne Visser, the director of CSR International
think-tank. Visser stated that: “The evolution of CSR can be compared to the transformation of Web1.0 into
Web2.0. Very much like the internet, which has now got billions of users, CSR must reach further and further
to encompass more businesses, especially SMEs. And like the World Wide Web, CSR should become more
interactive, and engage consumers in the joint creation of ideas and solutions.”
These words have never been truer, in the face of the rising global enthusiasm for hackathons.
Non-profit and for-profit organizations are becoming more aware of the importance of engaging stakeholders
and stimulating their creativity and innovation. The openness of businesses to far-reaching changes and
unconventional decisions is actually the hallmark of a mature sense of corporate social responsibility.
If you want your organization to:
• operate in line with principles of sustainable development and CSR 2.0 in an innovative, quick and
efficient manner,
• be perceived as a modern business that goes beyond what is expected, and that engages and
cooperates with its stakeholders,
• have access to state-of-the-art technology, talented people, and compelling ideas,
Conclusion
Organize your own HACKATHON
on ChallengeRocket.com
Did you know that since 2010, StartupBus from Australia has held hackathons that
combine traveling by bus and technology? The event involves programmers and
people who love adventures and it takes place in a bus which journeys along the
roads of four continents: N.America, Europe, Africa and Australasia

29
1. http://www.un.org/pga/71/2017/02/09/press-release-wanted-1000-hackers-to-help-change-the-world-in-3-days/
2. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
3. https://sdgactioncampaign.org/tag/hackathon/
4. http://connect2effect.com/index.html
5. http://iot-week.eu/hackathon-2017/
6. http://www.belatrixsf.com/about-us/corporate-social-responsibility/
7. http://www.it-events.com/system/attachments/files/000/001/278/original/CSR_OVERVIEW_April_2017_Inna_Efimchuk.pdf?1493240200
8. http://www.kinaxis.com/en/about/supply-chain-management-solutions-company/corporate-social-responsibility-program/
9. http://rse2016.bnpparibas.com/EN/com/ipedis/publispeak/client/contents/pdf/BNP-RSE2015-EN.pdf
10. http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/4/21/sustainability-hackathon-first/
11. https://www.neste.com/en/life-after-nestes-first-hackathon
12. https://www.neste.com/en/register-your-idea-nestes-sustainability-hackathon-11-may
13. https://2013-sf.bsr.org/hackathon
14. https://hack-for-sustainability.confetti.events/
15. https://challengerocket.com/pl/baza-wiedzy/jak-najlepiej-dostosowac-hackathon-do-swoich-potrzeb.html
16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackathon
17. https://www.klipfolio.com/blog/run-hackathon
18. https://techcrunch.com/2012/03/31/hackathon-planning/
19. https://hackathon.guide/
20. https://www.hackworks.com/benefits
21. https://www.fastcompany.com/3030628/why-do-big-companies-do-hackathons
22. http://www.waynevisser.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/blog_csr2_new_dna_wvisser.pdf
23. http://www.un.org.pl/
24. http://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/aktualności/csr-2-0-rewolucja-i-ewolucja-spolecznej-odpowiedzialnosci-biznesu/
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