Theme B: Sustainability Oriented Innovation


Business organizations are now amongst the most dominant and powerful social entities on Earth and are essential in efforts towards sustainable socio-ecological systems. Corporate sustainability calls for companies to be managed in ways that help society to live within our Planetary Boundaries and a socially just space to prosper.  

SOI is often described as a cornerstone of proactive sustainability strategies, with many companies embracing incremental innovations in the form of ‘end-of-pipe’ technical additions or ‘eco-efficient’ optimization of current organizational processes.  Yet, far fewer companies engage in developing innovations that radically improve sustainability performance due to challenges such as high complexity, uncertainty and insufficient financial returns making them less attractive for investment.

Companies require insight into the mechanisms that may enhance their radical innovation activities and an explicit examination of how these practices connect to corporate strategy.  Our research seeks to unpack this ‘black-box’ and give clarity to the actual process of radical SOI (e.g. the series of practices through which the innovation is enacted).

Our center is part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Initial Training Networks (ITN) funded ‘I4S’ – Innovation for Sustainability project and has worked with organizations such as Interface, DSM and the World Business Council for sustainable Development.  PhD student Amanda Williams is expected to graduate in Autumn 2017 with her dissertation that utilizes systems and resilience thinking to understand collaborations for SOI.

Key publications