Background     

Aimia’s objective is to become a more nimble organisation in order to create market-leading solutions for clients (more customer-centric), work more efficiently (and make savings where possible – marginal gains etc) – all to achieve our goal of becoming the recognised global leader in loyalty and, of course, profitable.

Objectives

Aimia followed two objectives regarding this project:

1. To explore the relationship between diversity (of thought and everything else) and innovation – and prove the hypothesis that diversity makes us smarter.
2. To find, test and recommend ways in which Aimia can do this in order to effect such culture change.    

Methodology

An Aimia action research project has explored the barriers to and benefits of innovation, with a particular focus on diversity. The group, chosen for their diversity of age, gender, grade and business unit, used a combination of desk research, interviews, experiments and experience to build a body of knowledge and data on innovation in Aimia EMEA (including colleagues across a range of locations).

Recommendations   

After seven months of Research the following actions were recommended in order to develop the Innovation culture at Aimia through diversity and inclusion:

• An innovation framework to set out ‘how to do innovation at Aimia’
• An innovation space that provides a multi-functional environment where innovation has a physical home within our region
• A toolkit to provide a shared approach to and understanding of innovation practices across the business.
• A new full time Head of Innovation and a full time Innovation Executive to support the Head.
• Innovation Champions, one appointed in each Business Unit, equipped to provide ad-vice and support
• An Innovation Hub, staffed by the two full-time employees (mentioned above), plus 4 Hub Volunteers  (seconded from across Business Units for 12 months on a rolling basis)
• An Innovation Council that convenes on a regular basis to take decisions and share ac-tions, to include the above two roles, the Innovation Champions, voluntary participation from members of the Innovation Action Research Team, plus other interested individuals
• A set of specific recommendations designed to instil and maintain a culture and process of innovation within Aimia, sitting under the following four headings:
• • Make it visible: creating company-wide discussion and excitement about innovation. Setting objectives around innovation and giving permission for employees to engage.
  • Make it personal: recognizing and rewarding efforts in innovation to make it an everyday focus for all employees.
  • Make it accessible: showing employees where to take ideas and where to get support. Creating a centre for democratised innovation.
  • Make it happen: collecting ideas, filtering correctly, providing leadership and momentum and talking about what we have learned and the latest developments.

Results

The recommendations were after approval from the International Leadership Team (ILT) implemented successfully. Aimia has been innovating following the new process since beginning 2016.

A lot of innovational thinking as well as successful product development has happened since then.

CONFIDENTIAL