LABGETI / UNICAMP

Autores: Anapatrícia Morales Vilha; Ruy de Quadros Carvalho.

RESUMO

Nowadays the productive sector increasingly regards environmental issues as opportunities for business based on innovations geared towards the production of sustainable products. However, companies seeking to incorporate the principles of sustainable development into their innovation strategies, are forced to redesign their innovation management processes. This paper analyzes the implications that the development of sustainable products brings to the management of technological innovation projects. With this in mind, it examines the case of Natura, a cosmetic sector company which uses Amazonian biodiversity ingredients in its products in a sustainable manner. The analysis was based on primary data obtained from interviews with Natura’s R&D and Marketing personnel. The results show that Natura promotes sustainability through the market conception of their products. In order to accomplish this, the company applied totally new routines and tools to the implementation of its innovation projects, such as handling the acquisition of Amazonian diversity ingredients, networking with a view to technological cooperation and adaptation a “funnel” of innovation approach in order to strategically align the generation, selection and implementation of their sustainable products on the market.

PALAVRAS CHAVE: Sustainable products, technological innovation, environmental issues.