The Game Plan for Green Business workshop was a sport-based, non-formal learning activity implemented on 26/08/2025 at the Centro de Arte e Desporto Inclusivo in Braga. The event aimed to introduce young participants to corporate environmental responsibility by exploring how sport and business can intersect to drive positive environmental action. Through relay-style challenges, simulations, and teamwork, participants engaged with sustainability concepts in a playful and accessible way, in line with the educational approach of the STELLA project.
Objectives:
- To introduce participants to the concept of corporate environmental responsibility.
- To explore how sports and business can intersect to drive positive environmental action.
- To foster youth engagement with sustainability concepts in a playful, accessible way.
- To encourage critical thinking about how businesses can adopt eco-friendly practices while maintaining profitability.
Desired Outcomes:
- Increased awareness among participants about the environmental impact of business operations.
- Improved understanding of how sport can serve as a platform to promote sustainable business practices.
Empowering youth to think creatively about sustainable innovation and green entrepreneurship. - Strengthening teamwork, problem-solving, and presentation skills through simulation and interactive challenges.
- Inspiring youth to take future action by advocating for sustainability in their schools, communities, or local businesses.
Description and Implementation:
The “Game Plan for Green Business” workshop involved a series of relay-style eco-challenges, combining physical activity with learning about business sustainability. Participants were divided into teams and rotated through activity stations that mimicked real-world corporate environmental decisions, such as recycling, product innovation, and sustainable sponsorships.
Adaptations made:
- The activity wasn’t sourced from the STELLA Manual, but instead was an original design inspired by STELLA’s non-formal and experiential education approach.
- The business-themed content was simplified for accessibility, ensuring even younger participants or those unfamiliar with CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) could engage.
- A “Green Business Charades” warm-up was added to break the ice and introduce terminology in a fun, movement-based way.
For the pitch segment, facilitators encouraged youth to link their game experience with real-life brands they know, to bridge the gap between simulation and reality.
Feedback:
Positive Reactions:
- Participants found the physical, game-based format both engaging and educational.
- Many appreciated learning about sustainability through teamwork and competition, which made the topic feel less abstract and more relevant.
- Several highlighted the relay tasks as their favorite part, particularly the waste sorting sprint which was described as “fast and eye-opening.”
- The connection between sports and green business was described as “new and cool” by younger participants.
Suggestions for Improvement:
- A few participants suggested more examples of actual green companies or sponsorship campaigns to make the pitch session easier.
- Some recommended turning the workshop into a recurring “Eco Challenge” series across schools or youth clubs.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
The Game Plan for Green Business workshop successfully demonstrated that complex topics such as corporate sustainability and green entrepreneurship can be effectively communicated through gamified, sport-based learning. Participants showed high levels of engagement, creativity, and critical thinking, particularly during the simulation and pitch phases, often exceeding expectations. For the wider STELLA project, this experience highlights the value of combining physical activity with business-oriented sustainability education to empower young people as informed consumers, future professionals, and change-makers. The workshop model is highly adaptable and has strong potential for replication and scaling across schools, youth centers, and community settings.
