ISZL Students Present Sustainable Innovation Ideas to On Labs

By the time students stood in front of the On team, they had spent months testing ideas, rethinking assumptions, and refining what responsible innovation might look like in practice.

In November 2025, ISZL alumni Diego Loggiodice returned to campus to work with our Humanities: Global Innovations class. Now a Lead Supply Planner at On, Diego brought with him a question grounded in both industry and impact:

How might the mindset and behaviours of the new generation of consumers inspire On to innovate responsibly for people, planet, and profit?

From that first session, students began exploring consumer behaviour, sustainability, and the complexities of balancing environmental responsibility with business realities.

This project formed part of our High School Innovations Programme, where students work alongside organisations on real challenges. The focus is around responsible solutions, ethical decision making, and sustainability, all grounded in the human-centred innovation methods developed by both Stanford d.school and ETH Zurich’s Design Thinking course. It also allows students to develop a broader range of competencies — not just creative problem-solving, but also empathy, agility, collaboration, and communication. Over several weeks, teams research, test ideas, and develop practical responses to briefs, bringing creativity and fresh perspective to questions companies are actively trying to answer.

As the weeks progressed, ideas were shaped through research, discussion, and iteration. Students moved beyond surface-level solutions, thinking more carefully about what would resonate with consumers, particularly youth, and what could lead to lasting change.

Presenting to Industry Leaders

In March 2026, students presented their final proposals directly to Diego’s team at On, including the company’s Head of Circularity, Serena Bonomi, who was particularly impressed with all three presentations:

It’s amazing to start with product returns. I was very impressed with the points system – everything else is beautiful. I love this! It’s a powerful system for loyalty. So nice.

Each group brought distinct perspectives that were grounded in both innovation and practicality:

• On Circular Rewards
  A points-based reward system for reselling, recycling, or donating used On shoes and apparel, extending product life cycles and reducing waste.

• On Event Rent Tent
  A rental concept at sporting events, allowing participants to use On shoes without needing to purchase them — reducing overconsumption while increasing accessibility and affordability.

• NFC-Enabled “Tap Back” Tag
  A digital solution embedded in products to make returns and recycling more seamless, encouraging responsible consumer behaviour.

The experience of presenting to professionals added a new dimension to the learning process. Students were challenged to communicate clearly, think critically, and respond to feedback.

Reflecting on the project, Global Innovations teacher Bob Sugden called the feedback “suitably honest…not dressed up to make the students feel better, but simulating the reality of working in a fast-moving industry.”

As students waited to enter their pitch room, they paused in front of a whiteboard where the On team had mapped out their sustainability strategy. One student stopped, noticing how closely the language, process, and frameworks mirrored what they had been learning in class. It was a rare moment to witness, when learning clicks into place in the “real world.”

A Community That Comes Full Circle

There’s something powerful about alumni creating opportunities for current students and remaining invested in where their learning might lead.

As part of the experience, Diego also hosted students at On’s award-winning office, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how ideas move through a fast-growing global company. Students had the opportunity to ask questions about his role, what his day-to-day work involves, and perhaps most importantly, what really happens when an employee shows up wearing a competitor’s gear!

This partnership showed how learning at ISZL is connected to a wider community, and how much it benefits from real experiences and partnerships beyond school.

We welcome opportunities to partner with organisations on similar 6–12 week projects through our Global Innovations class. If this is of interest, please contact bob.sugden@iszl.ch.

Projects that engage students in sustainability, social impact, and real-world challenges are particularly valued.