Sustainable Innovation Cultures

It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a whole culture to achieve sustainable innovation in a repeatable and reliable manner. Culture enables sustainability-related values to be translated into environmentally, socially and economically valuable outcomes. By aligning sustainability literacy with appropriate practices and mediating artefacts (including those of artificial intelligence), virtuous circles of targeted output, valuable outcomes and desired impacts can be created. There are three stages of activity crucial if an organization is to grow a sustainable innovation culture—namely conceiving, co-creating, and cultivating. First understand and specify the organization’s values, tensions and values-action gaps, then co-create targeted interventions, and finally cultivate sustainable innovation practices and methods.

This framework and its practices and methods are based on a comprehensive literature review, expert interviews and ethnographic field studies in transformational companies across Europe with a global presence. Case studies and examples illustrate each of the 32 practices and 36 methods described in the book. The companion site offers extensive training, educational media and materials such as card sets, videos, podcasts and slide decks for practitioners and educators. Academic syllabi as well as certified educational materials and university modules are available on an open access basis.

Endorsements from highly esteemed colleagues:

“A
must-read for executives who want to lead cultural transformation and make
innovation truly sustainable” (Martin Curley, Professor of Innovation at
Maynooth University, formerly Intel VP and Global Director of IT Innovation).

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” said Peter Drucker. OK, but what does that mean for the sustainability world? Sustainable Innovation Cultures is a timely, hands-on guide to culture change—spotlighting proven methods to help business leaders compete across the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental value” (John Elkington, co-founder of Environmental Data Services (ENDS), SustainAbility and Volans, and author of 21 books, including Tickling Sharks: How We Sold Business on Sustainability).

“A practical, inspiring, and indispensable guide that puts culture where it belongs: at the center of sustainable innovation. It shows exactly how to build and sustain a thriving culture. A remarkable achievement.” (Robert Edward Freeman, Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of the University of Virginia).