Innovation Driven By Challenge
In the past, innovation has been driven by need. Need is still a major driver of innovation today; except that the need for innovation is no longer situational and isolated but is instead all encompassing and omnipresent.
Below is a sample of how need has created challenge markers that make innovation not only awe inspiring but also accountable. Guidelines like below are being placed before every organization on the planet as guidelines for their own success - as well as humanity's 'success'.
Take the test. How does your company compare?
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From SustainAbility
The Global Compact Challenge (download pdf)
What is ‘The Global Compact Challenge’?
The Global Compact Challenge is a tool aimed at stimulating Global Compact participants to scrutinize their approach to corporate responsibility (CR). The focus of the tool is not on the UNGC principles themselves, but on the need for participant companies to mobilise wider improvements in performance across industry sectors, along value chains and through links with public policy. In this way, the challenge represents a companion piece to the UNGC publication Raising the Bar.
The original challenge is set out in the report Gearing Up, which was prepared by SustainAbility at the request of the Global Compact Office. This report concluded that while CR initiatives have the potential to bring about positive change, this will only be realised if such initiatives focus on achieving critical mass across all industry sectors, and are connected to wider public policy efforts that address the root causes of the problems. For more information on Gearing Up including free copies of the report please see www.sustainability.com/publications/gearing-up.1
The Corporate Responsibility Gearbox
To help companies review their approach to corporate responsibility generally, the report sets out a ‘CR Gearbox’ that describes the different approaches or ‘gears’ that companies can take to CR.
The report concludes that most companies should be operating in the higher gears.
1st Gear: Comply
2nd Gear: Volunteer
3rd Gear: Partner
4th Gear: Integrate
5th Gear: Re-engineer