McDonald's UK&I Change Challenge 2026/2027

McDonald's UK&I, in partnership with the University of Derby, is inviting 16 to 18 year olds to take part in a sustainability-focused competition about circularity and waste. Entrants are asked to create a three-minute video presenting an innovation that could redesign how McDonald's handles restaurant waste, making recycling easier, more engaging and more effective in busy restaurants.

The challenge is framed around giving restaurant waste a second life and helping build a more circular system. Students can propose a new idea, design or incentive, as long as it shows clear thinking about customer experience, practical impact and how the idea could work in real McDonald's UK&I restaurants.

The brief also encourages competitors to look beyond packaging and consider food waste, composting and other ways to improve sustainability.

Prizes include £500 to support an environmentally friendly project at school or at home, plus an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with McDonald's UK. The top five entries will also be invited to a VIP Awards Ceremony hosted by the University of Derby in Spring 2027, with sustainability workshops, a tour of research facilities and awards presented with McDonald's and university representatives.