Sharing insights on sustainable innovation with MBA students in Indonesia

Speaking on the topic, “Strategic Innovation and Sustainability at Henkel”, Allan Yong, President Henkel Indonesia, said that sustainability is a key innovation driver. Henkel has made it a rule to only launch a new product onto the market if it combines market success with responsibility for people and the environment. This requires a holistic approach that considers the entire value chain and partnering with various stakeholders.

In Indonesia, Henkel is working closely with many customers and value-chain players on such projects to create win-win solutions. Incidentally, sustainable innovations that have been in the marketplace for less than three years contribute to around one third of the Henkel Group’s total sales.

Replying to a question on how to foster more innovative thinking in Indonesia, Allan said, “It is mostly about making conscious decisions. We need to build an environment that supports creative thinking, such as by creating clear guidelines and structures as well as rewarding the individual’s efforts.”

Prasetiya Mulya Business School is one of the leading business school in Indonesia. The school was established in 1982 with the aim to serve as an excellent center of learning for business leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs. The school regularly invites top business executives to become guest lecturers in some of their subjects, where each session is usually held during the semester for a specific subject to showcase the current business practices.

Allan commended Prasetiya Mulya’s efforts in facilitating dialogues between companies and young people who are the leaders of the future. “The lectures and face-to-face interactions enrich students with the latest business insights and perspectives on global issues. I am delighted with the opportunity to meet up with these talents and share with them how Henkel is putting its strategy into practice.”