Empowering the Next Generation of Sustainable Business Leaders: University Students Design Innovative Circular Retail Solutions
L’Occitane en Provence successfully launched its inaugural L’Occitane Impact Crafters 2025 campaign, a student competition designed to engage university students in sustainable business innovation. Partnering with four leading Hong Kong universities – The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) – the campaign aimed to connect students with L’Occitane’s core values of reducing environmental impact, cultivating change, and creating measurable impact.
Echo Asia Communications was appointed to provide overall event planning and communications support for the campaign, facilitating open lectures, workshops, volunteer events, and competition logistics to create a meaningful learning journey for participating students.
Open Lectures & Workshops
Students gained hands-on experience and industry insights through interactive learning sessions at partner universities.
Founder & CEO of V Cycle HK shares his experience in sustainable waste management with students at HKUST. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
Students participate in a workshop at CUHK, learning about retail circularity and sustainable business practices. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
Volunteer Events
Participants engaged in biodiversity conservation and plastic recycling, contributing to real environmental impact. Through 7 volunteer sessions, students participated in night walks observing and recording 18 species using iNaturalist, and visited V Cycle HK to learn about and participate in plastic sorting, label removal, and cleaning processes – processing a total of 737kg of plastic across 6 sessions.
Students help sort plastic bottles at V Cycle HK, learning about the recycling process and the importance of proper waste management. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
Group photo at the night walk volunteer event, where students observed and recorded 18 species using iNaturalist, contributing to local biodiversity conservation. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
Competition
Finalists presented their innovative sustainable retail solutions for L’Occitane’s MEGA (#MakeEarthGreenAgain) store to a panel of industry experts. Proposals were evaluated based on impact, practicality, and creativity, with the winning concept selected for implementation. The campaign successfully empowered the next generation of sustainable business leaders, providing mentorship and a platform to turn innovative ideas into actionable solutions for a more sustainable future.
Judges listen attentively as participants present their innovative sustainable retail solutions during the final round. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
Group photo of finalists, judges, and organisers at the final round of L’Occitane Impact Crafters 2025. (Image Source: L’Occitane en Provence)
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