Sustainable innovation

The following ideas are based on the new book Sustainable innovation (in Finnish) of Antti Hautamäki

The philosophy of sustainable innovation is to harvest the creativity and innovativeness of people to solve wicked problems of the world: climate change, poverty, injustice. The adaptation to climate change presupposes that human kind develops new technology to create renewable energy and to improve energy and material efficiency. To change the habits of people and the operating models of firms and institutions social innovations are needed.

Sustainable innovation is based on ethically, socially, economically, environmentally sustainable principles.

These principles include:

• Sustainable development: innovation for sustainable development
• Inclusive innovation: innovation with and for personnel, clients, users, citizens: respecting the skills and intentions of people; also participatory innovation and innovation democracy
• Continuous innovation: ability to renewing and broke borders continuously
• Global innovation: innovation in collaboration with talent people wherever they live.
• Innovative leadership: leadership which encourages people in firms and other organizations to use their talents and skills; ability to create new ways to lead and encourage people.

In short: sustainable innovation is innovation for long term benefit to people, society, economy and nature.

See the article "Sustainable innovation and innovation centres", Helsinki Quarterly 2/2008, 9-15. download PDF