sustainability

Case study – Espresso Mushroom Company

A Case Study on the Espresso Mushroom Company A gourmet mushroom growing company fuelled by waste coffee grounds; If one didn’t know that this start-up was based in Brighton, (the home of the UK’s first Green Party MP and notoriously eco-minded), they could pretty well make the assumption. But the Espresso Mushroom Company is much

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Frugal innovation – activity

Activity: Frugal innovation   This is an approach to innovation which is based on the principle of simplification – finding solutions to a problem which solve the problem but without adding unnecessary costs or adding unwanted functions. A description can be found in the ‘Deep dive’ section of the Portal and some case examples include

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Deep dive: Frugal innovation

Frugal innovation is a term increasingly used to describe an approach to innovation which is simple and sustainable. It grew out of experiences in locations where shortages of key resources required ingenious solutions to problems and where the simplicity of such innovations permits their widespread diffusion.

Desso

This case study, researched by Professor Mickey Howard and Dr Sally Jeanrenaud of Exeter University, looks at the innovative approach to its supply chain adopted by the floor coverings company Desso.  It highlights the potential of such innovation and also some of the management challenges involved.

Better Place

This is a case study of an ambitious innovation project in the field of electric vehicles.  It demonstrates the challenges of adoption and diffusion and some of the issues in managing a large-scale start-up venture. Better place   An excellent review of business models for electric vehicles is available from the Cambridge Service Alliance   2015

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Responsible innovation framework

This framework has been developed by Richard Owen and colleagues and is designed to enable discussion and exploration around the key theme of responsible innovation.

Green innovation in China

This report describes a number of case studies of companies participating in the WWF Climate Savers programme and the changes this has led to in their operations in China. Companies include: Lafarge, Volvo, Nokia Siemens Networks, Fairmount Hotels, TetraPak, Sony Click here for the report:ISPIM wwf 2012 april30

Ray Anderson, Interface

Ray Anderson , founder of Interface ( a major floor coverings company) increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional “take / make / waste” industrial system on its head.  He was passionate about sustainability and pioneered a wave of innovation which still drives the business.  This TED Talk video gives some insights into

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