To better understand the perceived benefits and shortcomings of the pilot activities, a short survey was carried out with regional stakeholders to collect impressions of the pilot activities mid-way through the project, and to help improve or redirect the focus of pilot regions in the remainder of the project. Within the TetRRIS project, YAGHMA acts as the scientific partner and case leader for one of the pilot regions and was responsible for carrying out these surveys.

Two surveys were conducted among regional pilot leaders and their stakeholders to assess to what extent Responsible Innovation dimensions are beneficial and in alignment with the needs of stakeholders in the region. The findings of the surveys show that Responsible Innovation is increasingly needed at the strategic level of organisations. Regional stakeholders find there to be a need for the integration of Responsible Innovation into business strategy and to measure their innovation by evidence of action, and impact.

The most relevant Responsible Innovation dimensions for regional stakeholders were related to:

• Transparency and accountability about Responsible Innovation relevant choices;
• Outcomes-focused measures for backwards-looking and forward-looking indicators (e.g. customer success – employee engagement – brand value);
• Awareness and integration of public and social values into regional agency innovation; and
• Diversity and gender equality.

Qualitative initiatives with regional stakeholders i.e. workshops and interviewees acknowledged both the need for and benefits of, stakeholder involvement. Further, open and meaningful dialogues through workshops and open activities for information and knowledge exchange could boost and enhance trust between companies in a region.

The research shows that Responsible Innovation is increasingly important for regional stakeholders as strong social and environmental performance. Regional stakeholders have higher expectations for social responsibility and sustainability and that insufficient organisation performance on this issue can lead to a loss of loyalty and retention.

For further insight or if you have questions about this research, or what to assess the influence of Responsible Innovation dimensions on your own innovation projects, get in touch with YAGHMA.

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