Sustainable Innovation in Business: A Bio-Bean Case Study Report

This report delves into the concept of sustainable innovation within business organizations, using Bio-Bean, a recycling company, as a case study. It highlights the importance of sustainable innovation in various aspects of business, including product development, operational processes, and or...Read More

Building A
Sustainable
Organisation

INTRODUCTION
Sustainability refers to the ability of maintaining and supporting a process constantly
over a time. It states to prevent the depletion of natural and physical resources so as to ensure
their availability for a long-term. It states to fulfil own needs of individuals by utilising the
natural resources without compromising with the needs of future generation (Mavi and Mavi,
2021). In context of business, it can be defined as an approach aimed at creating a long-term
value for businesses that include concerns about social, economic and ecological environments.
Sustainable innovation involves introducing innovative changes to the products, services or
processes of company while considering long-term social and environmental benefits and
creating economic profits for the business as well (Arici and Uysal, 2022). This report will
describe the importance of sustainable innovation in context with organisations engaging in
recycling industry like Bio-Bean. It is a private company in recycling and manufacturing
industry that deals in the products like coffee logs, coffee biomass pellets, recycled coffee raw
material etc. The report will cover the importance of sustainable innovation and a personal
reflection on current lifestyle to comply with sustainability standards.
TASK
Sustainable innovation in Business
Sustainable innovation refers to the introduction of new ideas, concepts, practices and
products so as to ensure their contribution to the ecological environment, economic viability and
social cohesion. Basically, sustainable innovation has three characteristics i.e. contribution to the
sustainable well-being, systematic nature of sustainable innovation and its inclusive
characteristics. Sustainable innovation facilitates technological improvements that ensure energy
saving, waste recycling, pollution minimisation and corporate environmental management. For
example, Bio Bean is a private company that is considered to have industrialised the process of
recycling waste coffee grounds into advanced biofuels and biomass pellets and is currently
planning to innovate a new sustainable product i.e. bio-diesel.

Sustainable innovation wants the business organisations to actively incorporate the issues
like human rights and climate change to their business processes. They must not only consider
the social or environment impact of their business operations but must also raise concerns for
sustainable use of resources for providing benefit to the economy as well. Bio-Bean is operating
in recycling, renewable and manufacturing industry and offering the products like coffee
biomass pellets, recycled coffee raw material, coffee logs and natural coffee flavour ingredients.
The company is headquartered in London, England and has built the world’s first coffee
recycling factory in Cambridgeshire. Currently, the company is engaged in developing eco-
friendly fuel from coffee waste to power London buses. The organisation can ensure sustainable
innovation in various ways some of which are explained below -
 Introducing Novel products and services - An organization is able to produce and offer
new products and services to the people with the help of sustainable innovation. The
sustainable development of the products assist in reducing the energy and increase the
productivity which prevent the environment from negative impact. This help in gaining
the competitive advantage and provide better life for present and future (Arslan and et.
al., 2022). This assists the organisations in attractive new customers and retained the
existing customers. instance, Bio-bean which is start-up produces the biofuel which is
eco-friendly and made from the waste of the coffee in order to provide help to the double
decker busses in London. Bio-Bean changes the ground of the coffee into eco-friendly
products such as coffee logs and coffee pellets. Earlier, Bio-bean used the materials by
considering it waste and provide contribution to the circular economy that generated the
10 million USD in annual revenue in 2020.
 Transformation of operational processes - An organization provides innovative products
and services by adopting the sustainable innovation. This not only related to develop
innovative products and services but also entails information about the environment to
keep it free from solutions by reducing the carbon footprints and pollution. A business
concern adopted the sustainability when offer its product and services to the people by
changing the process (Wan and et. al., 2021). The change in the process occur in many
different areas such as design production, marketing and HR. For example, Fairphone
which is a Dutch social organisation that produces and offers different smartphone to the
customers that are sourced fairly. The production process of the fairphone has been

changed by the organizations to make the products more sustainable and responsible. The
recycled materials are used by a business organizations and provide their workers fair
wages and good labour condition.
Importance of sustainable innovation
Sustainable innovation plays a crucial role in the business operations as with impacting the
profitability of business through transformation in products, services, processes and technology,
it also provides benefits to the economy, national as well as international by contributing to the
Global GDP. Sustainable innovation is different from the traditional forms of innovation. Some
of the major importance of sustainable innovation is explained hereunder –
 Contributes to sustainable businesses – Sustainable innovating ensures to meet the needs
of present generations without compromising with the needs of future generations. The
companies that engage in sustainable innovation ensure long-term thinking by investing in long-
term technologies and human resources. For example, Bio –bean is ensuring sustainable
innovation by recycling waste coffee grounds into advanced biofuels and is also coming up with
a new sustainable innovative product i.e. bio-diesel by conducting effective research and
development of biochemical and organic waste stratums.
 Develops systems thinking – The companies that are involved in sustainable novation do
not consider only the organisation but also consider the whole system consisting of stakeholders,
natural environment and communities. They analyse the impact of their business operations on
other organisation and social groups (Fichter and Hurrelmann, 2021). For example, by producing
second generation biofuels, bio-bean is not only ensuring sustainability in the organisation but
also ensuring the positive impact of production process on outer environment i.e. wildlife and
human resources by eliminating the air or water pollution.
 Leads to operational optimisation – Through sustainable innovation, the businesses can optimise
the operational processes by not interfering with the business framework and reduce their
negative environmental or social impacts by reducing packaging and using renewable energy.
For example, Bio bean has achieved this by adding environmental and social criteria to its profit
criteria by burning waste coffee grounds in biomass boilers as a sustainable and local renewable
heat alternative.

 Facilitates organisational transformation – By way of sustainable innovation, companies can
produce the products that meet societal needs by raising environmental concerns. It mainly
considers doing something good by doing new and innovative things (Bischoff, 2021). For
example, the above example of producing biofuel from coffee waste and launching smartphone
with modular design in terms of sustainability concerns demonstrate the involvement of
companies in these processes and transformation of their business processes in sustainable ways
by adopting effective and harmless methods of production.
 System Development – Its main importance is that it leads to collaboration with others and crate
positive impact on people and the planet. Those companies are referred to as the system builders
who raise the concerns for other organisations as part of the ecosystem to ensure that
sustainability is not a thing to be achieved by a single organisation. In context with Bio-bean, it
has a partnership with an another sustainable organization i.e. also a recycling company named
Cawleyes that is a waste management organisation providing cost effective solutions of
recycling. By joining with Cawleyes, Bio bean is able to conduct coffee recycling, food
recycling, glass recycling and waste collection etc. Costa coffee has also pledged to recycle its
spent coffee grounds with Bio-bean.
 Drives the organisational culture – Sustainable innovation develops a positive organisational
culture by generating sustainability-oriented creative ideas to the organisation. When an
organisation takes step for sustainable practices in operations, the employees also raise their
concerns for environment and society and develop positive attitudes towards work and work with
more interests that help in developing a positive and healthy working environment that leads to
effective organisational culture (Goni and et. al., 2021). Bio bean also enjoys a strong
organisational culture by strong collaboration from the part of employees by producing long-
term sustainable products.
Reflection on compliance with sustainability ideals in current lifestyle
Sustainability has been considered as a societal goal with three dimensions i.e.
environmental, economic and social dimensions. Sustainable living states about the lifestyle that
strives to minimise the use of natural resources by the individual persons or society. It can also
be referred to as “net zero living” or “Earth harmony living” (Sebhatu, Enquist and Edvardsson,
2021). Every individual must consider the sustainability ideals to live a sustainable lifestyle. As I
talk about myself, in my lifestyle, I always try to adopt the best sustainability ideas to ensure “net

zero living” by ensuring sustainability of natural resources and environment as well. As part of
my sustainability concerns, I do not throw the unused clothes to the waste that will increase the
dump waste in landfills, instead, to avoid this, I donate the unused clothes to charity. Also, to
avoid the plastic waste, I use the bamboo toothbrushes in my daily use so as to ensure reduction
in plastic waste.
By taking the sustainable actions, I try to make a real difference in society by being
committed to reduce the carbon footprints and ensure reduction of amount of toxins released to
the environment so as to ensure its safety by choosing the reusable alternatives as the single-use
products, mainly the plastic products that cause harm to the wildlife as well as natural
environment. I try to eat the less meat so as to ensure protection to the endangered species and
wildlife. My sustainability concerns also include saving energy and using the renewable energy.
I use as less energy as possible in the house and office as well so as to reduce carbon emissions. I
always purchase the products from local farm markets and ensure that the products purchased are
green, durable and sufficient (Khan, Marinova and Todorov, 2021).
As part of my sustainability practices, I try to compost food waste so as to process the
biodegradable waste. By doing composting at home, I ensure to eliminate the air pollution, water
and soil pollution as well. So, by selecting the food scraps like food vegies, sweet potato skins,
egg shells etc. I try to compost food scarps at home so as to ensure proper waste management. I
always try to use environment-friendly products so as to reduce the harm to society, wildlife and
natural resources as well. Through these sustainability practices, I want to prioritise the use of
natural and renewable resources. I try to avoid the use of plastic bags to carry the food or other
essentials, instead I use the Jute bags for storage purpose so as to ensure reduction in waste. For
food, I purchase reusable containers like that of aluminium for packing of food.
With the contribution of these sustainability actions to the environment and wildlife, they
are also helping me in improving health, increasing safety and in saving money by decreasing air
pollution, wear and tear on local roads etc. (Nagle and Vidon, 2021). Apart from this, I opt for
solar powered lights in my room and avoid heating the home unnecessarily. So, through these
sustainability practices in my daily life, I ensure a better compliance with sustainability ideals in
my current lifestyle.

CONCLUSION
The above report has thrown a light on the concept of Sustainable innovation in the
business organisations in context with the companies engaging in recycling industries. It has
developed the understanding regarding the concerns of organisation for environment, society,
natural resources, wildlife and communities so as to leave a positive impact of their business
operations on them by adopting sustainable ways of production. It has been observed that can be
possible by avoiding traditional forms of innovation and adopting sustainable ways of innovation
i.e. through introducing novel products and service and transforming the operational processes to
adopt sustainability practices. The importance of sustainable innovation has also been discussed
in context with Bio bean and Fairphone such as operational optimisation, systems development
etc. Further, the report has also discussed the sustainability standards to be adopted by the
individuals in their day to day lives. It has been done by providing a personal reflection on the
compliance of sustainability ideals to be adopted in the current lifestyle.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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green mindfulness in the relationship among clean environment, clean production, and
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Bischoff, K., 2021. A study on the perceived strength of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems
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Fichter, K. and Hurrelmann, K., 2021. Sustainability-oriented business incubation: framing and
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