‘Innovation is the real driver of progress‘ – Bill Gates 

The word ‘innovation’ creeps its way into most organisations mission statements. It’s clear why as without it, businesses are basically just processing and searching for efficiencies. 

But the reality is that in many instances the demands for productivity stop innovation happening and actually penalise the ambitions to try new things. 

In a world where the demand for change and new thinking is everywhere, how do you create a culture within a business which not just celebrates innovation but demands it without killing the bottom line? What does the future for R&D look like in a world where we might see more flexible working patterns, more global competition and an even greater need for businesses to stand out from their competitors? 

We ask three very different companies to discuss how they build innovation into the way that they work, the challenges this creates, the opportunities it brings and what we can learn from the way they work.