By Kerry Maxwell, communications manager, British Poultry Council
‘Elevating the sector through innovation’ was the theme of the International Poultry Council’s annual meeting. It was one that had me curious: my question walking into it was ‘what do we really mean by that?’
I find ‘innovate’ a loaded word – maybe because its definition is pretty vague. Innovation is shiny. It’s new, synonymous with ‘creative’ but not quite the same, symbolic of both the transformative disruption and the continuous improvement every industry everywhere is seeking.
I suppose innovation thrives on vagueness to drive progress, but when it comes to these kinds of conversations, I often get a sense of waiting around for a breakthrough (read: innovation) to propel us forward. In a similar vein, the last thing I think any of us should do is point the finger, saying “hey, you! Go innovate!” when we know businesses make things happen when (and because) they can.
Yet, interestingly, the conclusions I drew steered more towards ‘being innovative.’ Don’t get me wrong, great case studies were presented highlighting the successful implementation of innovation across the supply chain. Amidst impressive examples showcasing the tangible advancements in R&D and in shipping and logistics, the essence of ‘innovativeness’ emerged as a fundamental driver.
I don’t think we emphasise enough that being innovative is not confined to innovation. Speakers cited education and training programmes, changing up internal workflows and experimenting with emerging technologies at small scale.
To me, that highlighted the multifaceted nature of innovation, whereby the common denominator is a culture of innovativeness that extends to the everydayness of work – that creates value which can be equally as impactful in a rapidly changing landscape. Innovativeness may be essential to nurture the conditions for innovations to thrive but, equally, being innovative isn’t just about producing new machinery or revolutionary solutions.
Being innovative is part of the fabric of an industry essential to our food security, so perhaps we should give ourselves more credit. Innovation is undoubtedly important. As it applies to British poultry meat businesses feeding the nation, it is about creating meaningful progress at every level to propel an idea, a company, or an entire industry, forward. And I ultimately believe it is our innovativeness, not just innovations, that is elevating the sector, driving us not only to achieve great things but to do so consistently and sustainably.