Innovative business models
Unleashing the potential of Sustainability-Driven Innovation in the ICT sector
What opportunities does sustainability-driven innovation offer the ICT sector?
How are the expectations of stakeholder and thought leaders evolving?
How can new business value be drawn from sustainability?
These are just some of the questions that the ICT sector is facing today. Answering these questions and moving the industry forward with a sustainability driven growth agenda was the aim of a project Sustainability-Driven Innovation in the ICT sector that CSCP conducted together with Deutsche Telekom (DT). The key aim of this project was to investigate together with representatives of DT and selected stakeholders how to propel partnerships aiming to explore opportunities for new ventures and to develop new sustainability-driven business models.
The culmination of this project was a Sustainable ICT Innovation Workshop that was held 7 June 2013 at the Deutsche Telekom headquarters in Bonn. During this event over thirty representatives from a number of DT departments and external experts collaboratively explored a range of possibilities to capitalise on sustainability as an innovation driver. New business models and partnerships with potential to unleash the opportunities of Sustainability-Driven Innovation within the ICT sector were also discussed.
A number of sustainability-related opportunities were identified, including the potential for competitive advantage, new products and services, long-term cost savings, some possibilities to reach new markets, increased safety and transparency, and support for enabling services. Some key trends emphasised by participants included increasing consumer awareness and expectations towards the ICT sector, the escalating complexity of our world, and growing stakeholder demands for transparency and corporate responsibility. Some of the drivers that were highlighted during the discussions include rapid technological development, resource scarcity, escalating energy costs, and a change in society toward environment friendly values.
The necessity for the ICT industry to engage more with the external stakeholders was emphasized on the grounds that “a transformation in the ICT mind-set is needed and this can only happen with the benefit of external stakeholder input.” Furthermore, the value of social innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship was also highlighted. Last, but not least, participants expressed a willingness to engage with additional workshop events and suggested the launch of network of change agents to drive forward the ideas that were developed during the workshop, both within Deutsche Telekom and the ICT industry at large.
Building on the positive feedback and the learning derived from the project, the CSCP is looking forward to further engage with the ICT industry and collaboratively explore opportunities that sustainability poses for this sector.
For more information please contact:
Jadwiga Zurad • Project Manager
+49 (202) 459 58 54 • jadwiga.zurad@scp-centre.org
