The Challenge of Introducing Sustainability-Oriented Innovation—An Ethnographic Study

Sustainable development is a key concept within global policies and programs. European Union as one of the leaders in implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals committed to finding sustainable and inclusive development solutions by 2030. These commitments were included in the Green Deal requirements for every European country. As an EU member, Poland now has to operate in a competitive global market and has come to the point of implementing sustainable innovation as a necessary means of further economic growth. The aim of this paper is to investigate how entrepreneurs cope with barriers and challenges to introducing sustainability-oriented innovation in the Polish market. For this purpose, authors conducted a literature review and ethnographic research in seven companies operating in Poland. To the best of our knowledge for the first time, ethnographic research was conducted in the field of applying sustainability-oriented innovation in Polish companies. Our findings indicate that the greatest challenges are values-based, mainly an integration of the company's values with external stakeholders. Substantial efforts are required to convince investors about the long-term advantages of sustainable solutions. The most important part of this process is the education of stakeholders and a values-oriented communication strategy of the company. Additionally, entrepreneurs consider public procurement law to be a “killer of innovation.” This article can fill the gap in the knowledge about the company's best practices, barriers, and values that influence their sustainability-oriented innovation activities.