Interview with Christoph Hirnle – Driving Sustainable Innovation

Hirnle discusses the importance of sustainable innovation, emphasizing that it requires a company to focus on environmental impact and ensure the long-term stability and well-being of its expert workforce. He highlights that continuous innovation is essential for maintaining a competitive advantage, which can no longer be achieved by merely relying on "great" employees but demands a sustainable management approach to effectively allocate resources to high-impact opportunities.

Hirnle references BCG's Arindom Bhuta's work, which underscores the necessity of transformation and the outdated concept of "others great is no longer good enough." He points out that while companies have historically been adept at sustainable practices when economically favorable, they now need to fully embrace sustainable innovation.

He suggests that organizations already possess the necessary strategy execution capabilities but often lack explicit decision-making processes to identify and allocate resources effectively. Hirnle advocates for making the collaborative process transparent and reliable, ensuring that all stakeholders—customers, employees, and society—receive consistent value. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of management, which values reliability and fosters an environment where employees are committed to the company's goals, leading to productive outcomes such as protecting the environment while generating revenue.

Overall, Hirnle is confident that sustainable innovation and management practices are moving in the right direction, with real-world examples of "Real Deals" that align economic interests with environmental protection.

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All interviews

These are the book contributors we interviewed to explore what leaders can do to drive and change their organizations through the lens of sustainability and innovation.

You can watch all interviews on the book playlist on Youtube.