39. Innovation for Impact w/ Rani Al Hajji, Senior Advisor at We Don't Need Roads

In this episode, we’re joined by Rani Al Hajji, start-up advisor and an experienced marketing and brand manager in the FMCG space.

With over 25 years of experience with iconic brands such as L’Oreal, Garnier, Colgate, and Palmolive, Rani joins Sam to share his knowledge about the relationship between sustainability and innovation, and marketing and procurement.

In this fantastic discussion, Rani covers the balance between functionality and sustainability in product innovation, how businesses can drive sustainability across their organization, how important suppliers are for sustainable innovation, and more! 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rani-al-hajji/

(00:37) - Introducing Rani

(01:33) - What does Rani think of as a marketing professional when he hears “sourcing” and “procurement”?

(03:39) - How would Rani break down the chapters of his 25 year career? 

(08:14) - What does Rani view as the three pillars of sustainability and innovation?

(14:08) - Does Rani think that consumers are willing to sacrifice for sustainability?

(16:06) - If we can’t sacrifice functionality for sustainability, how can we best develop sustainable products and bring them to market?

(19:00) -  Are there any instances where businesses can sacrifice functionality for improved sustainability? 

(22:05) - How does Rani define what innovation truly looks like and does he have any good examples of it? 

(25:08) - What are some of the typical pitfalls that Rani has seen in businesses that are trying to innovate?

(28:34) - How can marketing and procurement best collaborate to enhance the value of innovation for the end consumer? 

(33:35) - How do companies take responsibility for sustainability across the organization and how does the relationship between procurement and marketing play into that? 

(37:24) - How can a business create champions for sustainability in their supplier base? 

(39:39) - Rani answers Sam’s quick-fire round of questions