Eco-innovation manual
Eco-innovation is the development and application of a business model, shaped by a new business strategy that incorporates sustainability throughout all business operations based on life cycle thinking and in cooperation with partners across the value chain. This manual introduces a methodology for the implementation of eco-innovation within small and medium sized companies in developing and emerging economies.
Eco-innovation is an approach for companies to lead their way in sustainability and circularity. The approach helps to integrate the economic purpose of any business with its social and environmental purpose. Sustainability becomes part of the corporate DNA and a source of innovation, in turn fueling engines of inclusive and sustainable growth. Eco-innovation can help SMEs access new and expanding markets, increase productivity, attract new investment into the business, increase profitability across the value chain, and help them stay ahead of regulations and standards.
The manual introduces six phases with activities. The target audience of this manual are organizations that provide professional consulting services to inform, guide and support manufacturing companies to improve their sustainability performance as a strategy for developing new business models.
A pack of blank activity templates to be used for implementation are available here: http://unep.ecoinnovation.org/resources/
UNEP gratefully acknowledges the funding support of the European Commission to the ‘Resource Efficiency and Eco-Innovation in Developing and Transition Economies’ project through which this manual was developed.
