Sustainability research: Choices and priorities

 
Let's Paint the Future Together' means that sustainability is top of mind for all internal and external research work. By making the choice for 'sustainability-driven innovation'; 'superior quality and customer service' and 'empowerment and collaboration for growth' clear directions are given for action driven changes in the product portfolio. To make it possible to work with external parties, focused topics (or challenges) must be identified, and choices have to be made. And sometimes the optimal balance must be found between topics that are not necessarily overlapping. For instance, bio-based is an excellent choice for raw materials, but if durability or production conditions are heavily changed, extra attention is needed for the total carbon footprint impact. Where market driven innovation sounds great, it could lead to yesterday's answer, while we also have to think of tomorrow's possibilities and opportunities. Collaborative work (especially with academics or start-ups) can lead to radical innovation towards truly new solutions. Normally in daily routine within the business, there is no time for such fundamental investigations, but this is needed for bringing breakthrough inventions so we can make the next steps. Some examples are found in recent academic collaborations, which underpin the innovation collaborations can bring.