A sustainable R&D agenda for AkzoNobel Industrial Chemicals
Until recently, AkzoNobel Industrial Chemicals, manufacturer of a small number of energy and capital intensive products, had been operating in a traditional, non-innovative market. But times have changed and today there is a shortage of certain raw materials; climate change and new technologies are fast becoming threats. Sustainability therefore plays a growing role in this sector. AkzoNobel was eager to structurally increase its internal innovation potential and went in search of a combination of strategic advice and a hands-on approach. Squarewise analysed and renewed the R&D agenda and made it sustainable. It landed Squarewise the ROA Impact Award 2010, given to the consulting firm in the Netherlands considered to have made the biggest impact in its field that year.The first step towards increased innovation power was understanding existing development activities and their effectiveness. To identify these activities and to assess their contribution to strategic drivers, Squarewise developed the Portfolio Management System. Subsequently, different innovative systems were developed so that knowledge could be more effectively managed within the strategy formation process.
Collaboration skills have proven crucially important in this context. They were developed and reinforced by allowing both members from the business unit and external parties to determine the framework for the medium term innovation strategy. Squarewise process management and sustainability expertise enabled advisors to play a guiding and binding role.
The project gave the business unit a real sustainability impulse. The combined understanding of the elements involved led to a new way of strategy formation in the fields of research, design and innovation. Moreover, the focus shifted from mainly internal to external. The business unit is currently focused on collaboration with non-traditional parties, making radical innovation a real possibility.
Videoreport
Jos Keurentjes of Akzo Nobel Industrial Chemicals talked to Squarewise about this unusual project. Watch the Dutch video here. Wieske Heinen about this case
It was a really challenging project. I enjoyed the constant switching between the various project elements. The sector AkzoNobel operates in is energy-intensive, so we were able to make real progress in terms of sustainability.
