Is collaboration the key to unlocking sustainability, moving corporations one step closer to Net Zero, and continued business success?  

Sustainability, collaboration, and innovation are inextricably linked. They feed and build on each other, making the desired outcome more effective, more likely to succeed and more likely to make an impact.  

Business leaders are now more aware than ever that not just connections but deeper collaboration, whether it’s between a corporate and start-up or peer corporate collaboration, is needed in order to drive the business objectives that will also drive significant real-world impact.  

At Plus X, we believe innovation is born from collaboration. This is why, on 30th November 2022, we are bringing together innovation and sustainability leaders from global brands, strategists, industry change makers, startups, and scaleups in our next Better World Collective Summit: Shaping Sustainable Innovation Through Collaboration will explore the challenges we face at the intersection of sustainability, innovation and collaboration.

Together, we will be discussing how to push the boundaries on sustainable innovation through collaboration and start to build the connections necessary for change.  

The word sustainability is now often used only in an environmental context, however achieving sustainability in business has more meaning than one. Not only is collaborative innovation essential to helping us meet the greatest societal and planetary challenges, but without such cooperation, business longevity comes into question. 

Jamie Crozier, Head of Partnerships at Plus X said:

“The word innovation is unfortunately overused and in danger of losing what it really means. Innovation is to make or do something better than it was done before. Innovation is no longer just about market share, it’s about improving the sustainability of business, and the sustainability of the planet, together.”

Plus X is providing a peer-to-peer platform for exchanging learnings and best practice through our Better World Collective programme. On 30th November, event attendees will hear from innovation leaders on different approaches to open innovation, as well as stories of notable successes and learnings.  

Through collaboration, we begin to recognise the interconnections between the issues we face. Only by working together can we shift activity towards sustainable systems, products, and processes that have a positive impact. 

Innovation experts from leading businesses will be leading discussions on their experiences with sustainable innovation through collaboration, including:  

• Craig Smith leads the multi-disciplinary R&D team at PANGAIA. No stranger to innovation, Craig has also held roles across Speedo, Lululemon, Adidas, and Lacoste. 

• Founder of OLIO, Saasha Celestial-One. OLIO is a startup fighting food waste that has raised $43 million in funding and has collaborated with brands such as Pret-A-Manger and Costa 
• Mat Hunter, Co-CEO at Plus X started in Silicon Valley with the world-renowned agency IDEO where he became Partner, before becoming Chief Design Officer for the Design Council. 
• Nikki Stones, Vice President, Marketing at CleanHub, a company tackling the world’s plastic waste problem. She has experience spanning from startups and venture-backed high growth companies to large multinationals. 

Attendees will be invited to join in roundtable discussions with the high calibre audience expected across Adidas, PWC, Lego, Unilever, Virgin Media, o2, Coca-Cola, John Lewis, FARFETCH and more. 

With the event programme focused on interactivity and open discussions, attendees will gain new ideas, build new industry connections, and leave with a refreshed sense of unity with corporate peers and a deeper understanding of approaches to collaborative innovation.  

The Better World Collective is an initiative powered by Plus X and our growing network of innovation hubs across the UK. It brings together the world’s most passionate entrepreneurs, academics, industry partners, policymakers, and corporates to share learnings, best practice and build on the role collaboration plays in sustainable innovation. 

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