Environmental Innovation
Definition
Environmental Innovation refers to the development of new products, services, or processes that reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability. It includes everything from low-emission technologies and circular business models to behavior-driven change and policy integration. This type of innovation addresses both environmental challenges and business opportunities by aligning sustainability with competitiveness.
Environmental innovation plays a key role in corporate transformation strategies as organizations respond to climate change, resource constraints, and shifting customer expectations. It is often supported by dedicated initiatives such as Innovation Challenges or co-creation programs that focus on green solutions and cross-sector collaboration.
Embedding environmental thinking in the early stages of innovation — from idea generation to Scaling — allows companies to build solutions that are not only impactful but also future-ready.
Relevant links and use cases
- Nosco Consultancy – supporting organizations in building sustainable innovation capabilities
- Scale It Up! Use Case – example of environmental innovation developed in collaboration with key ecosystem partners
Download our Innovation Glossary!
To set you off for a good start and ensure smooth communication, we have compiled a list of the most important innovation terms and definitions. Download the PDF presentation and share it with your organisation.
Related concepts
Ideation
Ideation is the creative process of conceiving and shaping new ideas. It includes everything from the first thought or inspiration to the formulation of an idea. In the context of an innovation challenge, it refers to the initial phase in which ideas are submitted online and…
Idea management
Idea management is the structured process of managing ideas from ideation through evaluation and refinement to selection. Many companies use an idea management platform to support this process (the Nosco platform is an example of this).
Call for ideas
A call for ideas is an announcement used when an organization or person looks for ideas on a specific topic or project. In the field of innovation, it is used to describe the types of ideas welcome to an innovation challenge…
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