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Once upon a time, R&D leaders focused solely on scientific discovery. But those times have radically changed. Insights about what drives innovation show that science, business and leadership go hand in hand.
Today’s most effective innovation leaders blend technical depth with strategic foresight, sustainability awareness and collaborative leadership. R&D is not scientific research done in a bubble. Research and development is deeply interwoven with real-world results that it needs and is expected to provide. And those results have commercial, environmental and human dimensions.
Related: Investment In Research & Development: Key To a Sustainable Startup
From siloed expertise to strategic R&D leadership
The change starts at the top. Companies simply can’t afford R&D leaders who operate in isolation from the business and whose team is too disconnected from the company’s goals. Technical breakthroughs are great, but if they don’t address customer needs, align with sustainability goals or support long-term growth, they fall short.
Sustainability begins in the lab
According to a 2023 global survey by L.E.K. Consulting, 70-80% of a product’s environmental impact is set during the research and development phase. That means sustainability needs to be an inherent R&D ingredient from the start and can’t just be treated as an afterthought.
And yet, as the study reports, only 20% of companies actually take an innovation-led approach to sustainability, despite 71% saying they view it as a growth driver. This gap reflects missed opportunities. But more importantly, it shows the huge skills and mindset gap in how many organizations still approach R&D business leadership.
R&D is a business function, not just a technical one
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