Unlocking innovation

The Sustainable Development Goals present a vision for a world in which individuals, businesses and nations can all prosper and look forward to a sustainable and equitable future. Many companies are recognising the opportunities of this global shift, because of the close correlation between social impact, environmental protection and business growth. These opportunities may take various forms: more sustainable production systems that reduce cost; new markets for healthier foods; and packaging and processing that reduces waste and also minimises environmental degradation.

To seize these opportunities, innovation is going to be a critical motive force for change. What could companies and their partners do to make this happen? To explore this question it is first necessary to unpack the term innovation, understand what it actually entails beyond technology, and identify some of the common bottlenecks that need to be overcome to make it a reality.

We explore company level perspectives on innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals. We investigate:
(i) current examples of business-led Sustainable Development Goals relevant innovation
(ii) emerging opportunities for innovation, and
(iii) bottlenecks to innovation that companies could tackle with other private, public and civil society partners.

Contact Andy Hall for more information.