Check the Sustainability Development Goals

The early stage of an innovation process is crucial for the success and sustainability impact of a product. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations provide an optimal basis for guiding innovation processes toward globally accepted long-term goals. On this topic, Dr. Justus von Geibler, Julius Roman Piwowar, and Annika Greven (all from the Research Unit Innovation Labs at the Wuppertal Institute) published the article "The SDG-Check" in the special issue "Living Labs" of the Journal Technology Innovation Management Review (TIM Review. Vol. 9 (3): 20-37).

Building on the internationally accepted technology readiness levels (TLR), the authors introduce a four-step approach to structure innovation processes and support sustainability orientation in early stages of innovation. "The SDG-Check offers a promising and inspiring approach that can reduce market risks for the innovators in product and service development," explains Dr. Justus von Geibler, Co-Head of the Innovation Labs Research Unit at the Wuppertal Institute.

The article "The SDG-Check: Guiding Open Innovation towards Sustainable Development Goals" is available free of charge on the Institute's publication server and on the TIM website.