Public Participation in Developing a Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable Innovation

CASI Webinar 2015

The aim of the CASI Webinar 2015 “Sustainable Innovation and Public Participation: An Assessment and Management Framework” was to increase further the knowledge and capacity of different stakeholders in terms of sustainable innovation issues and practices, as well as to inform them about the CASI project ambitions and results achieved.

The webinar was held on two days - 9th and 10th of December 2015 - and was structured around the following seven sessions focused on different topics and issues related to sustainability and sustainable innovation:

• Session 1: Why is sustainability a key driver of innovation?
• Session 2: State-of-the-art of sustainable innovation: lessons from a pan-European study
• Session 3: The role of social innovation for sustainability
• Session 4: Public engagement in sustainable innovation
• Session 5: Public participation as a success factor for sustainability: insight from CASI policy briefs
• Session 6: CASI-F: a common framework for the assessment and management of sustainable innovation
• Session 7: CASI-F in action: an application of the framework to a case of sustainable innovation

Session 1: Why is sustainability a key driver of innovation?

The session outlines CASI objectives, main contributions and achievements thus far, demonstrating how CASI fosters sustainability awareness in innovation thinking and policy planning. It also look into the relevance of sustainability considerations as a driver of innovation – both technological and social – in the recent decades.

Session 2: State-of-the-art of sustainable innovation: lessons from a pan-European study

This session presents key lessons from a pan-European study on sustainable innovations with a focus on the European Union's Horizon 2020 priorities on climate action, raw materials, resource efficiency, and environmental challenges. The presentation includes an introduction to the principal factors affecting sustainable innovation assessment as well as a comprehensive review of the most important issues to be considered in sustainable innovation management.

Session 3: The role of social innovation for sustainability

After defining the concept of social innovation, the session emphasises the strategic role of social innovation for the transition towards a CO2-reduced society and economy and provides some actual examples.

Session 4: Public engagement in sustainable innovation

Science and technology play a crucial part in shaping our modern life and our future. This is why the public should have a say in deciding which research or which type of research gets funded with public funds. Engaging in dialogue with the public when developing research and innovation can lead to more socially robust results. This is especially valuable when decision makers need to find the right but often unclear path towards a sustainable future and a balance of the dimensions of economy, the environment and social wellbeing. So how should decision makers and scientists engage with the public on the topic of sustainable innovation?

Session 5: Public participation as a success factor for sustainability: insight from CASI policy briefs

The CASI policy watch establishes a common interface for easy monitoring of and interchange with current EU and national policy cycles in order to enable the streamlining of sustainable innovation measures into organisational, national and European strategic and policy planning processes. The two stage policy brief process developed by CASI involves approaching the policy topic first at a European level, and then selected topics are elaborated on at the national level. The EU policy framework is addressed in order to elaborate on CASI recommendations and the related policy trends.

Session 6: CASI-F: a common framework for the assessment and management of sustainable innovation

A conceptual introduction to CASI-F is presented, including description of how CASI’s triple-track approach/sources (sustainable innovation initiatives, citizens’ visions, and sustainable innovation policies) has been conceived to build on primary and secondary data collection (intelligence 1.0/information) to identify/assess critical issues (intelligence 2.0/ideas) to generate recommendations (intelligence 3.0/ actions). The session concludes with a discussion on CASI-F application to sustainable innovation assessment and management.

Session 7: CASI-F in action: an application of the framework to a case of sustainable innovation

This session takes the delegates through selecting a case to use CASI-F, preparing for the application and considerations to bear in mind when applying the framework. Considerations will encompass the different perspectives that stakeholders bring and the impact on the differing levels of management actions. The session applies CASI-F to the Location Independent Working case (UK).