The current array of products, services, and industrial processes are taxing the earth’s resources beyond its regenerative capacity. Organizations will need to innovate new products, services and processes for industry to be sustainable, i.e. meet peoples’ needs within planetary limits.
The sustainability innovation challenge requires organizations to:
- See their own work in the broader systems in which they are embedded;
- Co-create and collaborate with other organizations;
- Acquire new knowledge and innovate new technologies.
To propel organizations towards a more sustainable, innovative future, Ivey has embarked on a number of important initiatives that aim to address these challenges. This work has been driven by Dr. Tima Bansal’s award-winning SSHRC research project that was initiated in 2016 and continues today. The outputs of this research have helped build a robust body of knowledge that is influencing both research and practice. To learn more about the research project, click on the “Innovating for Sustainability” box below.
Through these initiatives, the Centre for Building Sustainable Value aims to become a hub of activity that can transform the organizational innovation processes for sustainability. This work will embed systems thinking into the innovation processes to transform products, services, and process for the betterment of organizations and for society.
You can learn more about the innovation-related projects, awards, and research that are working towards this goal below.
Engagement & Outreach
Change cannot happen in isolation. That’s why we are committed to engaging with and learning from other scholars, practitioners, and organizations working on sustainable innovation.
Innovation North
A consortium of business, government and academic leaders building unique insights through frontier thinking and peer-to-peer dialogue with fellow leaders.
Canadian Business Frontiers
In November 2018, Ivey hosted the Canadian Business Frontiers conference which looked at how Canada can positively leverage disruptive technology.
Teaching
In order to have real-world impact, we believe knowledge and experience needs to be shared with our students and future leaders.
Below are some of the ways we are shaping the way in which students see innovation, so that it is not just good for companies, but also good for the world.
MSc elective on managing systems in an age of disruption
In 2021, MSc students will be offered a first-of-its-kind course on systems thinking and innovation. This course recognizes that the world is becoming increasingly connected and turbulent and requires, not only interdisciplinary thinking, but an acknowledgement of the patterns that systems exhibit as well.
Student innovation research projects
Each semester, we work with 1-2 students on innovation-related projects that result in valuable research insights plus experience and course credit for students.
Awards
International Green Gowns
The Innovating for Sustainability project received a “Highly Commended” mention for its submission to the 2019 International Green Gown Awards.
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