Challenge
Implementation of the innovation platform in Caroli company in order to create tangible value for the business.
The biggest challenge was to unlock the huge creative potential of the employees and to overcome the internal barriers that blocked the flow of ideas in the organization.
Changing perception that innovation is addressed exclusively to management and a limited number of specialists in areas such as R&D, Marketing and Sales.
It was also a challenge to make the organization aware that innovation is a systematic process, which requires a well defined, clear, transparent and participatory framework to exploit the diversity (from a human perspective) and variety of skills.
Context
External: increased competitive context (FMCG – production and distribution of meat products at national level , in which the battle goes more in promotions and minor changes in the marketing mix (eg: label, weight, external communication).
The emergence of new trends in food, consumer preferences are increasingly sophisticated and segmented than in previous years, consumers themselves becoming more informed and selective. The result is a pressure on manufacturers for better management of SKUs, product portfolio.
Internal: Low participation rate in “classic” idea collection programs. People are very focused on their goals and overloaded with daily duties. As such, the voluntary involvement, over the current activity, was almost void.
Objectives
Collecting valuable ideas from the organization – source of competitive advantage, consolidating the position of market leader and anticipating opportunities for the future
- Stimulating the organization to react proactively
- Increasing employee engagement – involvement and contribution in business
- Stimulating the connection between contributors (employees) and the consumer in the perspective of the strategic direction “consumer first”
The objectives, structure and specifications of the project were debated and approved by the Board of Directors.
Stages
STAGE 1 – Establishment of a Commission dedicated to innovation
The body is chaired by one of the executive directors and the project has been positioned as a business one, endorsed directly by the CEO and it incorporates the INNOVATION BOARD component. The roles and decision-making power of the Commission have been established. The mapping of ideas was done according to clear criteria (risk management, cost management, market attractiveness, company capabilities)
STAGE 2 – Establishment of a group of Innovation Ambassadors
21 people were named among the key players who could pass on, with conviction, the message of the project and who had the ability to create a “buzz” in subsequent communication. Their naming took into account the ability to be opinion leaders, their seniority in Caroli, the orientation towards personal development, the geographical region that they could cover (the project had national expansion).
Each ambassador was assigned a group of people and had to perform several KPIs related to the generation of ideas and communication in the organization. Subsequently, after the process of implementation and collection of ideas, the ambassadors were invited to contribute with optimization ideas, to share experience in the field. Based on the information received from these promoters, we adapted the platform in real time, so that to optimize the process.
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