Kirklees, St Helens and Suffolk Councils have been selected to take part in a groundbreaking new project - the i-team - which will see public sector organisations using innovation processes traditionally used by global companies such as Apple, Procter and Gamble and Nokia to develop new products and services.
The i-team, developed by Forum for the Future in association with The Innovation Forum and the world-leading design and innovation consultancy IDEO, aims to use innovation processes to find new ways of working and solving entrenched problems, starting with climate change.
Rob Vincent, Chief Executive of Kirklees Council's, says that the project will help the council to realise its ambitions:
"Climate change has a high profile right across our organisation. The council has a proven track record in achieving its own ambitious carbon reduction targets. Tackling carbon emissions across the Kirklees district is more demanding. Therefore, we look forward to working with the i-team to develop creative solutions to this urgent, yet exciting, challenge."
Lucy Robinson, Director of Environment and Transport at Suffolk County Council, hopes the process will help the council get a better handle on carbon management:
"We are very pleased to learn of our success in seeking support from Forum for the Future to help develop Suffolk’s response to climate change. The county council takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. If we want to improve Suffolk's carbon footprint we need to work together, through initiatives such as the Innovation Forum."
Carole Hudson, Chief Executive of St Helens Council is excited about the opportunity to use new techniques:
"I am delighted the Council has been selected as part of a national innovation team to lead on local innovation on climate change. It represents a significant opportunity for Local Government to learn, and to then lead learning. This vital leadership role is central to delivering real and sustained progress in tackling climate change. Joining public sector skills with those of leading global innovators, such as Apple, Johnson & Johnson and BASF, is an exciting prospect. Helping to improve Local Government innovation puts St Helens Council in a very privileged position."
And Fiona Bennie, Project Manager, hopes the initiative will be the beginning of new ways of working across the public sector:
“This is a fantastic opportunity to use a design-led approach to tackle an increasingly urgent challenge. Creativity is an essential ingredient for innovation and I’m thrilled that the i-team will give these local authorities the chance to test out new methods and help embed them across local government."
The i-team will work with the three local authorities over a six-month period to address blockages and intractable problems that prevent them from taking the lead in tackling climate change. The approach is designed to inspire creativity, by transferring approaches that have been successfully used in other sectors to generate innovation.
For more information visit the Forum for the Future website or contact Imogen Martineau at i.martineau@forumforthefuture.org.uk or call her on 07944 401111
Notes to Editors
Who are The i-team?
Forum for the Future is the lead partner in this project. Forum brings unrivalled experience of working with local authorities on sustainable development strategy. In addition, Forum has established expertise in the field of practical innovation, working with some of the world’s major companies, including Unilever, ICI and BP. This project combines these two areas of expertise. Forum for the Future’s expertise is only half of the story, however. We have created a team whose expertise on innovation and design is, we believe, unparalleled in public sector work in the UK.
IDEO is a world leader in human-centred design and innovation of products, services and experiences. IDEO helps clients navigate the speed, complexity and opportunity areas of today's world. Clients include Acumen Fund, American Red Cross, BBC, Intel, Kaufmann Foundation, the National Health Service, Nokia, and Procter & Gamble.
Andrea Koerselman
Andrea co-leads the Service Innovation and Design practice at IDEO London, where she has led strategic innovation projects across a wide range of industries, from healthcare and nutrition to consumer products and financial services. Her clients include the National Health Service, Nestlé, Numico, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Steelcase and Zyliss where she is involved in all stages of product and service development, from strategy to implementation.
She is currently leading the initiative at IDEO London to apply a human-centred approach to sustainability and social responsibility issues in design, businesses and society.
Andrea is frequently invited to speak on innovation and the integration of sustainability and design. She has taught courses at Stanford University, the Academy of Art College in San Francisco and given lectures at the Central School of Art and Design in London.
John Grant
John Grant co-founded the advertising agency St Luke’s. He is the author of several award-winning books on brand innovation and marketing, including The New Marketing Manifesto, which was selected as one of the top 10 business books of 1999 by Amazon. John now works as a consultant and his clients include Arthur Andersen, Napster, the Cabinet Office and IKEA - where he communicated the company’s ethical and environmental initiatives.
Paul Miller
Writer, consultant and entrepreneur focused on innovation, new forms of organisation and environmental sustainability, Paul does most of his research work as an Associate of the think tank Demos. He has advised or consulted to Orange, Scope, BT, Scottish Power, IDEO, Channel Four and the Department for Education and Skills.
Chris Sherwin
Chris is Head of Innovation at Forum for the Future. He specialises in sustainable marketing and innovation, the development of sustainable products and services, creative thinking and innovative approaches to sustainability. Prior to joining Forum, Chris worked on ecodesign and sustainable innovation in the electronics sector - with Philips Electronics and Electrolux. He has taught, lectured and researched innovative ecodesign throughout Europe. Chris has a PhD in ‘Innovative Ecodesign: an exploratory and descriptive study of Industrial Design practice’ at Cranfield University.
Fiona Bennie
Fiona is Senior Advisor: Sustainable Innovation at Forum for the Future. She works on sustainable innovation and design strategy for product and service development, focusing on creative thinking and problem solving for future challenges. Prior to joining Forum, Fiona was a design strategist for an innovation consultancy in London working on strategic and sustainability-related design projects. She has worked as a design strategist for both the Design Council and L’Oreal in Turin. Fiona studied at the Milan Politecnico and has an MA in Strategic Design and a BA in Italian and Industrial Design.
Sarah Hills
Sarah is Principal Advisor: Built Environment at Forum for the Future. She leads the Forum’s Public Sector Programme work on the built environment and sustainable communities. Recently Sarah has also been working to develop a climate change programme for the public sector and has been advising a number of Forum’s local government partners on a best practice response to climate change. Before joining Forum, Sarah was a Research Fellow in the Centre for Environment and Planning, University of the West of England, Bristol. Sarah’s research focussed on the integration of sustainable development in spatial planning and urban policy. Sarah has a PhD in the role of environmental information in regional planning in Germany and a BSc in Environmental Science.
Karen Lawrence
Karen is Principal Advisor: Climate Change at Forum for the Future. She has recently joined Forum’s Public Sector team to advise on climate change. Before joining Forum, Karen worked on regulatory policy for a local government central body (LACORS), advising local authorities on environmental protection and climate change, developing and disseminating best practice and producing guidance. As part of this role, Karen recently edited and produced a climate change toolkit for local authority regulatory services to promote the integration of carbon reduction strategies into local regulatory activities. Karen has a BA in Architecture and is studying for an MSc in Sustainability and Environmental Management.
