By: Agostinho João Ramalho Almeida
Director of Innovation ISA
“We are all in the same well, but some of us look at the stars”.
Oscar Wilde.
In a quote from one of his works, Wilde refers to people who, despite the challenges they face, choose to stay focused on their dreams. Easier said than done, but I think it is a feeling we’ve all experienced. The question you are probably asking yourself is why start this text on innovation with this sentence? Why not with a series of references to great scientists and innovators such as Marie Curie or Angela Restrepo? Or inventions that have changed people’s lives? Well, because innovation, being an activity for human beings, must be linked to optimism and the possibility of making things happen. On the other hand, it is essential to understand how to develop innovation driven and oriented by the organization’s strategy, while leveraged on the capabilities, competencies and potential of its talent and culture.
Innovation is one of the pillars on which the ISA Group’s 2030 strategy – Green, Innovation, Development and Articulation (VIDA for its acronym in Spanish) – rests, being an important element to contribute to the generation of sustainable value for our business group and to ensure corporate sustainability. Likewise, different strategic focuses were defined, verticals in which we seek to make innovation an increasingly important contributor to this higher purpose:
CONNECTIONS THAT INSPIRE.
Being part of organizations such as ISA and Ecopetrol, not putting innovation at the service of the recovery of our world is not an option. However, we must do so by leveraging our capabilities and knowledge and, above all, with increasingly powerful alliances.
Fortunately, for decades ISA has proven to have this fundamental asset: its human team ready to face challenges, to innovate and to transform; and that is why, I invite you to watch the video that portrays the “50 years of our first connection”. Capabilities that have surely also been at the root of the results that have been accumulating in the different strategic innovation focuses (the current portfolio of innovation initiatives can be found in Brightidea, our idea and project management platform. See here.
No less important is the challenge of inspiring and convening others to work on solutions for the benefit of humanity, a recent example of this is the alliance we developed with Rockstart (accelerator and Venture Capital of early stage startups) to accelerate 10 technology-based startups that effectively contribute to improve environmental sustainability, solve problems of vulnerable communities or, in general, that have challenges aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more.
Undoubtedly, it is a great time to belong to this organization, especially now that we are part of one of the largest energy conglomerates in Latin America. The challenges we face and the opportunities that exist to impact our businesses and the world we live in using science, technology and innovation are immense, to make the impossible possible through connections that inspire.
Taking up Wilde’s words, I deeply believe that we have a duty to aim for the stars. But with strategic focus, operational excellence, and determination, driven by our talent and the right and duty to dream.
“Connecting the present, transforming the future.”
#ConnectionsThatInspire
