Mission – oriented approach in focus at the OECD

How can mission-oriented innovation contribute to industrial transformation while strengthening competitiveness? When Net Zero Industry participated in the OECD’s international meeting on mission-oriented innovation in Paris, the focus was on sharing experiences and learning across countries. A key question for Net Zero Industry is how a mission-oriented approach can be combined with the needs and conditions of industry.

On 24–25 September, Net Zero Industry participated in an international meeting at the OECD in Paris. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) is an international organisation that works to promote sustainable economic development, innovation and knowledge exchange between countries.

Together with the other Impact Innovation programmes, Net Zero Industry is part of the OECD’s work to develop and analyse approaches to mission-oriented innovation. The aim is to strengthen knowledge of how collaboration between industry, academia, the public sector and civil society can help address complex societal challenges.

Over the course of the two days, participants from several countries came together to share experiences, discuss different approaches and exchange lessons on how mission-oriented innovation can contribute to industrial transformation, competitiveness and sustainable development.

The meeting provided valuable insights into how different countries are using mission-oriented innovation to address complex societal challenges. One clear reflection was that Net Zero Industry has a distinctive approach, combining net-zero emissions, resilience and competitiveness with a strong industrial focus.

– During the meeting, it became clear that our mission is about building a bridge between the mission-oriented approach and the realities of industry. The transition must contribute both to long-term societal goals and to the competitiveness of companies. It is a complex task, but that is also what makes Net Zero Industry so exciting and relevant, says Sofia Wieselfors, Programme Director at Net Zero Industry.

The discussions also confirmed the importance of collaboration between industry, research and the public sector, as well as the need for clear goals, a systems perspective and long-term transformation. At the same time, the meeting provided new international contacts and inspiration for continued learning, particularly in areas such as circularity, net-zero emissions and mission-oriented innovation.

Cecilia Ramberg, Deputy Programme Director at Net Zero Industry, believes that the OECD meeting highlighted some of Net Zero Industry’s key strengths:

– Net Zero Industry brings together a strong group of industrial stakeholders committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening their competitiveness and resilience. This is an industrial systems transformation that requires multiple systems perspectives. The OECD provides a theoretical framework and proven approaches for mission-oriented innovation. Sweden’s major advantage is that we have a manufacturing industry that wants to turn the transition into a competitive advantage, says Cecilia Ramberg.

For Net Zero Industry, the days in Paris provided a valuable opportunity both to share Swedish experiences and to gain international perspectives that can contribute to the programme’s continued development.