RRI project PRISMA: conclusion and outlook

How can research and innovation projects in industry be designed economically, sustainably, and responsibly at the same time? The European PRISMA project with the participation of ITAS has developed practical guidelines.
PRISMA - Piloting Responsible Research Innovation in Industry: A roadmap for transformative technologies
PRISMA is a project on responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Participants at a stakeholder dialogue in Berlin
Participants at a stakeholder dialogue in Berlin organized by ITAS.

Whether it’s the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, or nanotechnology – companies often work on technical innovations that can have a huge impact on people, societies, and the environment. Developing products that are safe, ethically sound, sustainable, and geared to people’s needs – this is what responsible research and innovation (RRI) is all about. The idea is that companies act in accordance with their social responsibility from the beginning to the end of an innovation or research project.

Practical methodology for roadmap development

The PRISMA project, funded by the European Commission, dealt with RRI in an industrial context. In eight industrial pilot projects, researchers from the Netherlands, Italy, Great Britain, and Germany developed a methodology for RRI roadmaps. To this end, ITAS organized several stakeholder dialogues in which the work in the pilot projects was discussed with research institutions, associations, and other groups.

This methodology helps companies develop strategies for socially responsible innovations.  “Innovation and economic success can go hand in hand with corporate social responsibility and sustainability,” says Maria João Maia, project manager at ITAS. With the results of the PRISMA project, this has become easier for companies in practice: “The consistent implementation of the methodology helps design research and innovation projects more forward-looking and responsible – from prototyping to market entry.”

Responsible research and innovation soon to become a standard?

After the project was successfully completed in July 2019 and the results were presented at a final conference, the partners are continuing the work due to high demand from industry: The next step is to transform the developed roadmap into a standard. A workshop is planned for the beginning of 2020. If you have questions or are interested, please contact Maria João Maia. (17.12.2019)

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