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In November last year, we launched our first group-wide idea platform: we.invent. From the very beginning, we had one clear goal in mind: All MM employees should have the opportunity to contribute ideas, regardless of which country or field they operate in. Every idea counts, and we want everyone to be involved!

A lot has happened since last year: We kicked off two idea challenges that gave MM employees the opportunity to win numerous awards by submitting creative solutions. Furthermore, we set up an open idea channel to allow ideas to be submitted at any time. We were overwhelmed by the many contributions on plastic substitution, innovative barriers, creative packaging designs and energy saving opportunities. In total, 747 ideas were submitted in just one year – an impressive number.

But Innovation does not stop at just collecting ideas, they also need to be analyzed according to the company’s priorities and resources, in order to decide which ideas to pursue. Every idea is carefully read and, if there is any ambiguity, the idea provider is contacted to clarify the idea in detail. As much as we appreciate every single idea, it is impossible to implement all of them at once. This is where our experts come in. All ideas are scored and evaluated by experts from both MM divisions. To finally filter out the most promising ideas, we involve many different departments, organize workshops, and conduct feasibility and business case studies.

For those ideas that are not only technically feasible, but also provide a compelling business case, we allocate the time, capital, and other resources to further refine and develop these innovative ideas into projects.

Ideation is essential to fuel Innovation and it all starts with people. We strive to make the best use of our employees’ creative potential. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at we.invent@mm.group. The idea platform will of course continue to be available to all MM employees.

At MM, every idea is welcome. After all, every idea – no matter how small – has the potential to create something great.