Most business leaders in the corporate world today would agree that in order to realize real bottom line improvements, whether through cost savings or increased revenues, requires an evolved business sustainability mindset. To make this shift or simply enhance its effectiveness, our sustainability consulting experiences have shown us that close collaboration with key stakeholders committed to the business’s success is critical. That means ‘actively’ communicating.To focus the corporate ear, we find business sustainability minded organizations are engaging with stakeholders who have a vested interest in the success of the business as source of innovation. Some executive look to the outside for external inspiration while others simply capture ideas as they spring up as seeds of innovation from the employees within their own organization. Which path does you organization follow?
“Research and Development leaders struggle to effectively balance R&D governance and process with the flexibility needed for creativity and innovation. Despite the myriad of innovation definitions out there, successful innovators have identified the key elements and further defined what it means for their organization. Collectively, an organization’s talent, environment, and process drive its ability to innovate.” -CEB Views
Building on this insight, Fast Company recently released an article exploring the lifting forces of today’s creative business processes. Leading with the question, “Do Innovation Consultants Kill Innovation?”, the author challenges the norms of traditional business insight. Where are we going to get our next big idea?
Innovative ideas do not have to come from one single source. They can generate from within the company at the ground level, from the customers, or your suppliers. Often employees have the information and ideas to make a significant but are limited by the structures of the organization. One key to innovation is to create a corporate culture that encourages and rewards diverse ideas at all levels internal to the organization as well as external to the company.
Sustainable business innovation should strive to facilitate access to information and ideas both inside and outside the walls of the organization. Our sustainability consulting works with clients to build targeted social media engagement strategies as part of a dynamic approach to business sustainability innovation.
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