Conference prepares to explore 'eco-innovation' during a recession
Published 24 January 2009
The Outdoor Industries Association and Innov_ex 09 team up to address the issues of product and business innovation and sustainability during the economic downturn
The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has announced that it will be headline sponsor of the 2009 Innovation for Extremes conference (Innov_ex 09), which will take place at Lancaster University Management School on May 6. The OIA will work closely with founders and organisers Mike Parsons and Mary Rose to deliver an event that has immediate and long-term relevance to association members and the industry as a whole.
Innov_ex 09 will be the seventh conference organised by Mike Parsons and Mary Rose, who both work at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development that is based at Lancaster University. This year, the over-riding theme of the event will be ‘eco-innovation in the context of recession’, reflecting the challenges that companies face in the current economic climate. The conference will re-visit some of the themes covered during the highly acclaimed Innov_ex 08 and explore how the issues are developing as the economy struggles.
Innov_ex offers a unique platform from which to build industry best practice and specific initiatives relating to sustainability, general green issues and innovation. Investment will be made in the conference website and podcast facilities, along with Innov_ex materials that can be developed into training and motivational tools, which will be made available to OIA members.
The OIA support will also allow for the creation of an annual student innovation prize, designed to act as a catalyst for great product ideas for the outdoors. Students with the best ideas will have the opportunity to showcase their innovations in front of the UK outdoor community. The aim is that in turn, students will be inspired to consider the outdoor industry as a viable career option, allowing the sector to attract some of the best design talent in the UK. The OIA has agreed to sponsor Innov_ex in 2009 and 2010, and will collaborate with Mike Parsons and Mary Rose on a range of innovation related initiatives and ideas to attract young people into careers in the outdoor industries.
Innov_ex 08 highlighted the pressing need for transparency on green issues and the urgency of moving to sustainable product development. Innov_ex 09 will directly address these issues and seek solutions through presentations and discussions on Blue Sign, carbon footprinting, cradle to cradle design in footwear, the myths behind cotton versus synthetics in fabrics, and rapid manufacturing. Innov_ex provides the ideal arena for debate, networking and assessing practical solutions to sustainability during recession in the UK outdoor industries.
Innov_ex 09 will deliver a strong line up of speakers, who will cover a range of challenging topics, both in person and through the latest video conferencing facilities. These include:
- Mike Redwood Technical Director of the Leather Futures Research Group, University of Northampton: Cradle to cradle and the complexities of using leather
- Robert Lomax, Baxenden - a Chemtura Company: Cotton v Polyester - behind the myths
- Mike Berners-Lee, Small World Consulting: Carbon footprinting
- Peter Waeber CEO Bluesign Technologies: Transparency in the supply chain
- Dr Phil Reeves (Econolyst): Rapid manufacturing.
Additional speakers and topics will be announced in the near future.
In the spirit of transparency outlined at the previous conference, Innov_ex 09 will be carbon printed and the results will be made available to delegates, and used to develop a design for sustainable conferencing. Full details and booking arrangements are available on www.innovation-for-extremes.net.
