This Tomorrow’s Company report seeks to understand the link between innovation and the effective management of risk. The price of poor governance has been increasingly evident through the credit crunch and recession. The report in particular considers the relationship between innovation and difference or 'diversity' on the board;  the effectiveness and role of non-executive directors, and the impact of the criteria of independence; the relationship between innovation and risk; and the impact of quality of leadership - 'the tone from the top'. 

The conference explored how companies can inspire themselves by and through nature, by developing and implementing 'natural business strategies' into their business models. This helps businesses become both sustainable and successful in an increasingly challenging and uncertain global climate. Keynote addresses and contributions from: L. Hunter Lovins - founder and president of Natural CapitalismDianne Dillon-Ridgley - director of InterfaceMichael Bremans - chairman of Ecover InternationalAndy Wood - CEO of AdnamsJane Davidson - director of InspireGiles Hutchins - global director of sustainability of AtosDiane Gilpin - director of B9 ShippingJo Fox - director of 'bigger picture' BSkyBMelissa Sterry - futurologist and Earth 2.0Denise DeLuca - founder of BCIAndy Middleton - founder of TYFNigel Stansfield - senior and vice president of product and innovation at InferfaceFLORAnthony Hilton - financial editor of the London Evening Standard You can download the slide deck from the day...

  There is plenty of research evidence documenting the business benefits from high-trust business relationships. Unfortunately at times like this (2009), the knee-jerk crisis reaction of many companies is to squeeze suppliers harder rather than to combine a call for greater efficiency with a collaborative approach to finding sustainable solutions. One study documented in A Guide to Trust (by the Relationships Foundation with Ci) examined supply chain relationships in the motor industry and found dramatic benefits for those with high-trust relationships: Design and distribution ideas were shared, and purchasers handled twice the value of goods when dealing within highly trusted manufacturers. In another industry, Jim Sierck of Xerox USA estimated that the bureaucratic structure created to handle the lack of trust in their buyer/supplier relationships cost them around 7 cents in the dollar.The evidence is clear: If you want efficiency, you need to release all the available talent,...

Regardless of sector, size, structure or maturity, to be successful, organisations need to establish an appropriate management framework.  The EFQM Excellence Model was introduced at the beginning of 1992 as the framework for assessing organisations for the European Quality Award. It is now the most widely used organisational framework in Europe and it has become the basis for the majority of national and regional Quality Awards. The EFQM Excellence Model is a practical tool that can be used in a number of different ways:As a tool for Self-AssessmentAs a way to Benchmark with other organisationsAs a guide to identify areas for ImprovementAs the basis for a common Vocabulary and a way of thinkingAs a Structure for the organisation's management system The EFQM Excellence Model is a non-prescriptive framework based on 9 criteria. Five of these are 'Enablers' and four are 'Results'. The 'Enabler' criteria cover what an organisation does. The 'Results' criteria cover what an...

This Briefing Document, by Tomorrow’s Company, summarises social business and its growing importance in the world. There is a growing interest in a new kind of business that is now being referred to as a "social business" or "social enterprise". The dual objectives of social and financial returns make social business unique and meaningful, bringing about innovations of social business models. The Tomorrow's Company Briefing Documents are intended to provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to a particular topic. You can find the full list of Briefing Documents on forceforgood.com here.