Nicole Duchemin (courtoisie ADP)
These gates gards revolutionized the space by sorting out the waste

Participative innovation at Aéroports de Paris

The Group Aéroports de Paris links our capital to 534 towns in 131 countries and manages more than 90 million passengers per year as well as more than 2 million tons of freight and mail. One can easily imagine how many opportunities come along to innovate for the better.

That’s why I’m introducing you to Isabelle Faraud, Head of Participative Innovation.

Since 1988, we have put in place a system for collecting spontaneous ideas. We are among the first in France to have put value on ingenuity and our collaborators’inventiveness. We are convinced that their contribution makes the company more competitive.”

Sparkling Rendez-vous : What advice would you give to a company willing to lance themselves into a similar adventure ?

“It’s essential to honor each contributor and contribution and take each idea to its probable end. We do our best to apply “the good ideas” and, when possible, the idea initiator carries out the project until the end.

Moreover, to reward its collaborators’ creativity, Aéroports de Paris, in collaboration with ADEME*, created in 2009 a Sustainable Label to reward the eco-friendly actions in the company.”

Sparkling Rendezvous: what other ideas lead to success?

« The participative process tends to easily run out of breath. So, one must be on top of encouraging participation althrough the year with communication actions and events. And, of course, it’s fundamental that the company top and middle management are obviously there with us at every step.”

Thank you Isabelle for sharing your inspiring experience with us!

And, dear Future Shapers, how do you lure everyone to participate in the innovation and dynamism of your firm?

PS: On Saturday March 28, 2015 at 8.30 p.m. local time, millions of people around the world will switch off the light for one hour to celebrate their engagement for the planet. In 2014, 7000 towns and 167 countries were there, so let’s do even better this year!

* ADEME is a French Public Agency for environment and energy savings

Marie-Claire Le Reun
Marie-Claire Le Reun
Innovation Consultant-Coach and Head of Le Creativ' Center
Le Creativ Center

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