New open-access book highlights culture as a driver of sustainable innovation
Chapter by Ladeja Godina Košir examines mergers and acquisitions
The new open-access volume Sustainable Innovation Cultures (De Gruyter) brings together international perspectives on how organisations can innovate sustainably in times of disruption. One of the contributors is Ladeja Godina Košir, Founder and Director of Circular Change and Co-Chair of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP)
In her chapter, Developing Sustainable Innovation Cultures during Mergers and Acquisitions, Godina Košir draws on a real-life case of two rival Slovenian breweries that merged and were later acquired by a global brewing group. The chapter explores how sustainability can become a shared strategic direction when it is embedded into organisational culture, leadership practices and everyday decision-making.
“When people understand why change matters and feel invited to shape it, sustainability shifts from being a burden to becoming a source of trust, innovation and resilience.”
The chapter highlights the importance of inclusive dialogue, employee engagement and open innovation across value chains, showing that the main barriers to sustainability are often cultural rather than technological. Godina Košir concludes that even turbulent merger processes can become catalysts for long-term sustainable innovation—if organisations are willing to invest in culture, relationships and systems thinking.
The book Sustainable Innovation Cultures is available in open access.
The book is available in paperback format via the publisher’s website. In addition, the full PDF version can be downloaded free of charge, with readers also able to access and download individual chapters separately.