Key drivers and skills need for innovative companies focused on sustainability

Innovation is essential for European competitiveness and provides key inputs for developing business models that are conducive for a more sustainable economy. Recent evidences show that businesses have increased the management attention and investments they’re dedicating to sustainability. This paper aims to identify the most important drivers supporting companies to develop innovation activities oriented towards making the business models more sustainable. We explore microdata from the 2016 Innobarometer “EU Business Innovation Trends” (Flash Eurobarometer 433), covering 14,112 companies from 30 countries. Using statistical classification methods, we identify the most important factors that are related to innovation activities that have potential to shape the efficiency of raw materials usage and the environmental protection. Special focus is given to companies’ investments in training, software development, research and development, company branding, design of products and services, organization or business process improvements and acquisition of machines, equipment, software or licenses. Also, our analysis highlights the skills that are needed the most by companies in order to support their innovation activities targeting sustainability. Our results are useful for better understanding the attention that is given to sustainability by innovative companies and which are the main factors that boost innovation dedicated to sustainability.