Call for papers: Sustainable Innovation 2010 - Creating Breakthroughs: Green growth, Eco-innovation, Entrepreneurship and Jobs

Farnham (United Kingdom) - The 15th International conference in the 'Towards Sustainable Product Design' series, Sustainable Innovation 2010 - Creating Breakthroughs: Green growth, Eco-innovation, Entrepreneurship and Jobs welcomes, conceptual and research-based papers covering sustainable innovation, technology, product and service design and development. Deadline for abstracts is 26 April 2010.

Organised by The Centre for Sustainable Design, University for the Creative Arts, in partnership with Enviu, the Conference will take place from 8-9 November 2010 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
 
Background
The world will see major changes resulting from the greening of economic stimulus packages that will create new investments, businesses, products, technologies and jobs. Korea and China are leading the way and have already been spending money. However, the majority of money is predicted to start being distributed in 2010. In parallel, both Korea and Japan have announced their aim to each create one million green jobs resulting from their investments. Behind the scenes, the United Nations and the World Economic Forum are contributing to the development of thinking and learning through their Green Economy projects. This coupled with growing media interest associated with the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Copenhagen in December 2009 will ensure that awareness of both threats and opportunities of climate change will be high profile. A key underlying theme being how global society moves towards a model of low carbon prosperity.
 
Major investors are now starting to move money, experience and expertise back into the space with a clear focus on energy and resource efficient solutions and technologies. George Soros has recently announced an investment of $1 billion over ten years in The Climate Policy Initiative and Warren Buffet's 'Build Your Dream' (BYD) electric vehicle car company has completed major deals with thirteen provincial Chinese governments. In addition, there are likely to be more disruptive innovators entering the 'green' market aiming for mass market change and business opportunity e.g. the recent launch of the Google car by Google.
 
In addition, there is growing worldwide discussion over 'green' and sustainable products? This is going to be accelerated by, for example, the launch of Walmart's Sustainable Product Index which will have a major impact on global supply chains. This will be a challenge for the unprepared but an opportunity for those that are proactive. There is no easy answer. Global companies, innovators and entrepreneurs alike are grappling with the need to develop and implement strategies to create, produce and commercialise products, services, technologies and new business models that have lower environmental impact that generate social and financial benefits. Leadership and creativity will be needed, if the opportunities are to be recognised and accepted.
 
Concept
Sustainable Innovation 2010 will provide a platform to discuss the future opportunities and challenges related to the design, development and commercialisation of sustainable products, services, technologies and new business models. Sustainable Innovation 2010 will include invited and refereed papers from academics, consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, technology providers, designers, sustainability, environment and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) managers as well as other business functions. The event will be a unique learning experience, networking space and an opportunity to think! Delegates will come globally from large companies, entrepreneurs, as well as academia, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The conference is supported by an international Advisory Board.
 
Conference topics
Sustainable Innovation 2010 welcomes conceptual and research-based papers covering sustainable innovation, technology, product and service design and development. Papers particularly focused on the relationship between sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation related to the following topics are particularly welcomed:
•Radical change          
•Sustainable technologies 
•Innovation processes 
•Organisational dimensions 
•Green public procurement 
•Supply chain management 
•Management systems 
•Sustainable product design and development 
•Education, training and skills 
•Collaborations and partnerships 
•Methodologies 
•Case studies 
•Disruptive innovation 
•Market transformation 
•Sustainable Consumption & Production 
•Regional approaches 
•Product policy 
•Eco-innovation 
•New business models 
•Product-service-systems (PSS) 
•Green venturing 
•Sustainable entrepreneurship

Benefits
Sustainable Innovation 2010 will provide a range of benefits to speakers and delegates: 
•Established: 15th international conference 
•Unique:  Forum for new ideas and concepts 
•Leading-edge: Presentations from leading researchers, practitioners and policy-makers 
•Content: New research, results and thinking
•Networking: Opportunities to meet business, government and academia
•Track-record: Over 1600 delegates from over 40 countries have attended previous conferences