MSc 2026 Host Company Booklet

Applied Learning in Action: Host Company Projects MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability Class of 2026

Real-World Learning in Action Welcome to a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most distinctive parts of the MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability: the Host Company Project.

Each year, students work directly with leading organisations to address real-world sustainability challenges. This module — Design for UserCentric, Sustainable Solutions (IA40610) — brings students and host companies together to collaborate, prototype and propose innovative responses to complex issues.

This short booklet highlights the applied, hands-on nature of the MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability with snapshots of projects undertaken by the Class of 2026, written in their own words.

This is learning in action: developing human-centred solutions, backed by research and creativity, and grounded in the principles of design thinking and sustainability.

Module Highlights 10-week immersive team project Host organisations from corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors Real-world sustainability briefs Human-centred research and ideation Final pitch presentations to stakeholders From biodiversity initiatives and behaviour change campaigns to circular economy strategies, these projects showcase how students are already making an impact — before they even graduate.

Whether you’re considering applying to the MSc or simply curious about how design thinking can be applied to sustainability, we hope these stories will inspire you.

Host Organisation: Musgrave

🧩 The Challenge Consumers who express interest in healthier and more sustainable food need a way to consistently act on those intentions because price pressure, time constraints, and decision fatigue override their choices in the moment.

🔎 The Research - Key insights discovered Price is the number one barrier when it comes to shoppers choosing healthier and more sustainable products.

Consumers often face decision fatigue and labeling confusion when faced with multiple different product options.

Shoppers may buy healthy ingredients but lack the time, confidence, or clarity to turn them into a meal.

💡 The Solution Our solution is called Better Bites. It is an in-store system designed to make sustainable and healthy shopping easier, faster, and more affordable. It combines clear shelf-level labelling, a simple badge system highlighting key factors (organic, Irish produced etc.), and a financial incentive through a discount program to remove common barriers like confusion and price perception. This is supported by visual cues such as the Better Bites Bee mascot, pre-curated meal baskets, in-store education, and interactive elements like tastings and gamification.

Together, these features guide shoppers toward better choices without requiring extra effort, turning intention into action at the point of purchase.

🚀 Next Steps The solution is adaptable across SuperValu, Centra, and Daybreak, ensuring a consistent customer experience. Furthermore, the foundational badge system and gamification concepts can be extended into digital channels and future AI-driven personalisation, allowing Musgrave to continuously refine and deepen its relationship with the consumer.

Host Organisation: Oxfam Ireland

🧩 The Challenge How does Oxfam Ireland Trading maximise the opportunity to capture the higher quality shopper in the retail market as a donor and encourage regular donors to be more conscious of donating higher quality clothing?

🔎 The Research - Key insights discovered Scale & Opportunity High clothing volume and many unworn items; opportunity lies in redirecting quality garments.

Convenience Shapes Behaviour Despite solutions, people default to the easiest option if donation isn’t immediate.

Validation & Motivation Donors need visible impact and recognition to reinforce and repeat donation behaviour.

💡 The Solution “Hang for good” A simple hanger-based system that creates a visible donation zone inside the wardrobe and connects donors to impact updates, turning one-time donations into ongoing engagement through recognition, feedback, and timely activation.

🚀 Next Steps The solution has strong potential for implementation as it builds on existing infrastructure such as Oxfam’s PostBack service and in-store touchpoints. Its simplicity makes it easy to pilot at small scale of current Oxfam clothes donors, and iterate based on user feedback. Further development could focus on refining the engagement layer, including impact communication and partnerships, to strengthen long-term donor relationships and increase repeat donations.

Host Organisation: Dublin City Council

🧩 The Challenge

How can Ireland encourage everyday savers to invest their money in climate solutions, turning idle savings into a driver of climate action and positive social change?

🔎 The Research - Key insights discovered 1. Savers lack confidence in investing 2. Investing systems are complex for everyday users 3. Lack of financial education and awareness 4. Sustainability gap in the financial system

💡 The Solution Soiléir Impact Rating - Impactful investment made clear.

The Soiléir Impact Rating is a simple, transparent and standardized score for investment products, backed by the government and a network of third parties. It makes it easy for future investors to compare sustainability impacts of different products, while setting an incentive for Irish companies to be more sustainable to get a higher score. Integrating this tool in the existing financial system and using it to shape new products, services and strategies makes Soiléir the missing puzzle piece.

🚀 Next Steps The Soiléir Impact Rating builds on an already existing structure of assessment of financial products, with a few extensions like a “Greenwashing Penalty” or “Sustainable Transition Category”. By including it in well-known products, like Savings & Investment Accounts, it will be more accessible for people from different demographics. But before that the government needs to introduce new policies around sustainability and finance, making sure that sustainability is integrated in every new finance product.

Host Organisation: Pocket Forests

🧩 The Challenge How might we generate excitement and engagement around greening in the Dublin 8 area ?

🔎 The Research - Key insights discovered There are long stretches of little to no greenery, “You could walk for ten minutes up the road and not see a single tree”.

There are some anti-social behaviour issues, locals reported that initiatives such as the ‘Tree of Hope’ on Marrowbone Lane tend to be treated better. The added emotional value = more retention and better maintenance.

There are many highly motivated individuals and groups who had not been aware of Pocket Forests. Publicity and awareness seems a bit lacking.

💡 The Solution We have designed a 3D model of Dublin 8 to make Pocket Forests visible and engaging at a local level. Combined with community events, it will act as a gateway to ongoing involvement, turning initial interest into long term participation rather than a one-off interaction.

🚀 Next Steps Pocket Forests were very receptive to our ideas. They have, just last week, received funding from Diageo and say that we have given them the enthusiasm to undertake community events and have already set this into motion. They have also updated their social media with the purpose of engaging more people. They are making connections with other local organisations regarding the greening of Dublin 8 and there has also been enthusiasm for the 3D map from other groups.

Register your interest in this transformative programme to stay informed about upcoming information events and news.

To talk to us about any of our programmes, please email innovation.academy@ucd.ie and ask for a call back - a member of our team will get in touch to arrange a time to speak.