Saint Gobain - Registration document 2016

62 / 330

3 STRATEGIC DRIVERS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
3. Sustainable differentiation through innovation and R&D
62 SAINT-GOBAIN - REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2016
In 2016, Saint-Gobain Sekurit introduced its customers to its
new intelligent windscreen concept, designed to be fitted in
autonomous vehicles. The windscreen has integrated sensors
and safety, as well as for adjusting to the needs of
autonomous vehicles. This innovation was made possible as a
for delivering improved comfort, compartment ergonomics
technology.
result of new competencies developed by the Group’s R&D
teams in the fields of sensors, electronics and digital
c) Open innovation
already studied 3,200 start-up and signed more than
70 partnerships.
partnership with start-ups. Since its creation, NOVA has
Since many years, Saint-Gobain has implemented an External
Venturing unit, named NOVA with the objective of create
To accelerate again the process of identification of potential
partnerships with the more innovative start-up, NOVA team
has defined a new approach in focusing the evaluations on
4 strategic and transversal topics:
Multi-Comfort and energy efficiency; ‹
Virtual and augmented reality; ‹
Digital: customer journey; ‹
Internet of things and sensors. ‹
To complete the transversal topics, the NOVA team has
identified 2 Business Units developing niche markets for
which a dedicated approach is proposed.
automotive, civil engineering, health care, etc.).
In addition to that approach, the Group has created a
partnership arrangement with the world of start-ups. In
providing the Group’s Activities with direct access to
start-ups offering innovative services, either to direct clients,
3 major countries (France, the US and Brazil) an official
partnership agreement was signed with start-up incubators
or more generally to relevant ecosystems (construction,
This open innovation program also provides the opportunity
challenges” were organized to further refine this approach (in
Russia, Brazil and France), taking the form competitions
to share the Group’s missions and issues with an audience of
entrepreneurs and future professionals. Three “business
involving start-ups and/or teams of students looking at a
well-defined market issue.
to conclude a dozen or so partnerships.
main countries over the next few years. The long-term aim is
Partnerships with start-up incubators, and business
challenges, are set to become more prevalent in the Group’s
Leveraging internal and external 3.3.2
resources
implementation.
An internal structure organized around building science and
comfort, introduced in 2014, accelerates the innovation
that all the requisite skills are available for successful
processes that bring together the R&D, production, marketing
and sales teams throughout the project life cycle, to ensure
levels of comfort by developing Innovative Materials, systems
and services, making sure they are appropriate for the
The Group seeks to provide end users with ever-increasing
specific needs of each country or world region.
can identify local needs for innovation and provide
comprehensive responses, sourcing solutions and skills from
The network-based structure of its R&D activity means that it
its centers throughout the world.
implementation.
and sales teams throughout the project life cycle, to ensure
that all the requisite skills are available for successful
processes that bring together the R&D, production, marketing
Its internal structure for R&D accelerates the innovation
implemented.
These skills are the key to success for the construction
capabilities in this area will strengthen the user comfort and
experience-centered approach to designing efficient
strategy. They are necessary to the implementation of the
Multi-Comfort program. Developing Saint-Gobain’s
buildings, with consideration of the use value of the solutions
solutions on user behavior.
talent in digital technology, data science, design, or sociology
and human sciences, to improve analysis of the impact of its
To achieve this, the Group’s research centers are recruiting
data analysis solutions, particularly open source. The main
areas of application will be building science and sustainable
of this “Big Data: tools and methods for sustainable
construction” Chair, is to examine the potential of new big
quality) and make energy savings.
construction, with the goal of enhancing data to understand
and improve comfort (visual, acoustic, thermal and air
Habitat” Chair with the École des Ponts ParisTech. A new
chair was created with the École des Mines in Nancy. The aim
“Innovative Solutions for a Sustainable and Responsible
Saint-Gobain is also continuing its policy of remaining open to
the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (National
Institute of Applied Sciences or INSA) in Lyon, as well as the
innovation through its network of universities. In 2015,
Saint-Gobain renewed the “Engineer and Diversity” Chair with
for a period of 18 months, to enhance agility and performance.
intrapreneurship amongst employees. Employees with a
project that is viable for the Group can focus on developing it
Lastly, in 2016 the Group unveiled an initiative known as
Saint-Gobain Intrapreneurs, which aims to encourage