How does Unilever apply different strategies to gain competitive advantage?
i-propeller, Open Innovation
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2. i-propeller board of directors Co-founders Investors KoenraadDebackere, General Manager KULeuven (KULeuven) Jan Lamers, Board Member Triodos Bank,former CEO De Tijd (Triodos Invest) Catherine Verhoeven, Financial Analyst GIMB (BruStart) Independent Philippe Naert, acting Dean UAMS,former Dean of Insead, Neyenrode, TiasNimbas
8. i-propeller has unique access to, and intelligence about social entrepreneurs and social business innovation i-propeller designs new services that are innovative, social and profitable Innovation services
9. The i-propeller Innovation Services focus on how organisations can innovate towards today’s major emerging societal trends and increase their competitive edge. Social trends are important growth markets Important growth markets
10. Our open innovation methodology A methodology fuelled by social entrepreneurs, as lead users Social Entrepreneurs focus on (*)(1) innovation (2) market orientation(3) public benefit (*) Source: Alex Nichols, Saïd Business School (Oxford University) Social Entrepreneurs innovate and…
12. Geographic coverage of our network Access to over 1500 Social Entrepreneurs via an extensive academic and non-academic network 60% in Europe 10% in North America 10% in Asia 10% in Africa 10% in South America
14. Define company’s key area of activitysubject to high impact by (new) social trends Module 1: identifying the challenge
15. Crowdsourcing: identify the right match of ‘pioneering’ social entrepreneurs’to help solve the innovation challenge. Idea creation: stretch the innovation threshold and expose pioneering solutions to the innovation challenge Select: assess and select with you the solution that has the most potential to improve your company’s competitive edge. Module 2: crowdsourcing and idea creation
25. The new idea American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer, based in downtown Los Angeles, California. They currently employ approximately 10.000 people globally (about 5.000 in L.A.), and operate more than 285 retail stores in 20 countries. The social enterprise growth They started in 2003 with the ambition to change the fashion world and reject the sweatshops. As a social responsible company, they take care of their employees’ well-being and produce their goods in the US. The market impact With their first shop in China, American Apparel goes a step further to make a bigger difference by creating their clothes with fair trade cotton. American Apparel Fair
27. Co-operative banks The new idea Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen created in the mid of the 19th Century a credit cooperative in his constituency in order to fight against unequal access to banking services. The concept of co-operative banks was born: gathering savings to be redistributed as loans with basic guarantees and low interest rates. The social enterprise growth Raiffeisenrevolutionized the banking system with this new approach based on solidarity, democratic control, open membership and independence. Deeply rooted in the real economy, the model solves concrete problems of the population. He dedicated his life to promote and open new credit co-operatives in rural areas. The market impact From this very local initiative emerged a very large scale network of co-operative banks (e.g. RaiffeisenGroup, CréditAgricole, CréditMutuel, Rabobank etc.). Today, 4.200 banks operate locally with more than 160 million customers and 50 million members (social shares’ holders). Poverty
29. The new idea The first « Jardin de Cocagne » was opened in Besançon in 1991, based on a Swiss initiative and developed in France by the social entrepreneur Jean-Guy Henckel. The idea is to provide jobs to people who are marginalized from traditional labor market (i.e. unemployment, handicap, life upheaval etc.) by producing organic vegetables and distributing weekly baskets to members. The social enterprise growth Local social entrepreneurs replicated this concept combining a social mission (social integration through job experience and coaching) with ecological ambition (producing organic and local food). The association Julienne Javel started in 1994 with a replication strategy and guidance in development, management and professional coordinators skills. In 10 years, the number of gardens increased from 20 to 90, employing more than 3000 persons per year and with a network of 15000 members. The market impact The concept is now so popular today that waiting lists have been set up in Paris. Les Jardins de Cocagne Community green
31. The new idea Founded in Belgium in 1980, Ecover is a pioneer in ecological cleaning, proposing efficient and sustainable solutions for the hygienic needs of people today and for future generations. For instance, it brought to market the first phosphate-free washing powder. The social enterprise growth After several ups and down, Ecover decided to keep the green side of their products and it finally came up as the best choice. With a wide range of products from washing powder to hand soap, Ecover is now distributed worldwide in around 26 countries. The market impact The company is green from its products but also from its business operations, and is thereafter certified ISO 14000. Ecover’s products are made of sustainable plants and mineral ingredients and tend to become more and more organic. With a packaging 100% recyclable. Ecover Green
33. The new idea FrédéricRouvez, Nicolas Steisel and Arnaud de Meeûs wanted to come up with a new type of fast food that was healthy and good quality. Exki is born from this challenge in 2000, with the opening of a restaurant at the heart of Brussels. The social enterprise growth The merge between healthy and fast food was already well rooted on the American and British catering markets and the 3 social entrepreneurs brought it successfully to continental Europe, going even a step further with a green ambition (i.e. sustainable materials, reduce packaging, recycled paper etc.) The market impact Exki scales up internationally very fast with a first restaurant in Italy in 2004 and others in France and Luxembourg. The concept starts from a niche and Exki manages to combine its financial success with its social commitment and drives plenty of initiatives in the area of “positive economy”. Exki Green health
35. The new idea Fifteen is a chain of restaurant created by Jamie Oliver; renowned from the TV show he started and also due to his social entrepreneurship spirit. The social enterprise growth Fifteen helps disadvantaged youth to enter the labor market through cooking courses and work experience in its high standard restaurants. Fifteen provides basic and transferable skills in the food industry, where the demand for employees is very high. The market impact The first restaurant opened in 2002 in north London, then Amsterdam, Cornwall and finally Melbourne. It is certified as a WISE company, i.e. Work Integration Social Enterprise. Fifteen Poverty integration