Have you noticed the growing coverage in the press about green innovation? It seems you can’t turn around without bumping into yet another article about a company that is trying to associate itself with the green movement. But all this green innovation is putting a lot of pressure on organizations.
It’s not as though innovation was not already a key priority for business. Changes in the global competitive landscape, aging products and intellectual property, brain drain driven by generational workforce turnover, and an unstable economic climate are all factors that have raised innovation to the forefront of the C-exec consciousness. Now add to the list the pressure to be green.
The drivers of green innovation within companies can very quite a bit. For some, it is forced upon them by governmental regulators. For other, shareholder or popular sentiment creates an overwhelming tsunami of demand that must be answered.
Whatever the reason your organization is looking at moving in the direction of eco-social responsibility, the question that one is inevitably faced with remains the same. How can greenness be achieved in a manner that is compatible with other corporate goals of growth and profitability? Many companies are struggling with this question right now. How can you find the path to green that doesn’t cause you to bleed red?
The path begins with understanding what greenness mean to you. Why are you becoming a green organization? What are the areas of the green agenda that map to your type of business? Do you consume or produce toxic materials in your current production methods? Does your product have a poor profile with respect to reuse or disposability? Is your product over packaged? Are you contributing to the growing food versus fuel crisis? Of what other environmental transgressions is your organization guilty?
Once you have identify the specific opportunities to improve your eco-friendly posture, this is where the power of sustainable innovation best practice can help you navigate through the shoals of poor return on investment and find your way to the deep waters of value driving innovation. Do you need to find a suitable replacement for CFCs? Is development of biofuel technology on the agenda? Do you simply want to find a way to reduce the amount of packaging you use but improve the protective properties of your products packaging?
Whatever the issue, the proper application of innovation practices and tools will lead you quickly to the right solution that meets both your green goals and your business needs.
Over the past few months I've been asking clients what metrics they use to measure the success of Green Innovation initiatives.
You might find the preliminary results to be interesting. I've posted the metrics list on my blog.
http://andromeda-30.blogspot.com/2008/07/its-not-easy-meaning-green.html
Posted by: Jim Belfiore | July 18, 2008 at 09:28 AM