ABSTRACT
The first category of organizational forms at the co-innovation level is the category of teams. In this category, small groups of leaders, entrepreneurs, champions of innovation and their colleagues transform the ideas that originate at the co-ideation level into practical business solutions. Eco-innovative and sustainable teams adopt the ideas from the eco-innovative and sustainable leaders, entrepreneurs and champions and put these at the center of attention. Effective innovation teams align their innovative work and outputs with the business processes of the firm and aim to improve the firm's profitability and effectiveness. The team realizes innovative goals that contribute to the existing qualities of the organization. It is not innovation per se that drives the team. The possibility of improving the company's competitive position, the opportunities to serve new groups of customers and the prospects of increasing market share are the main driving forces behind innovative teamwork. The innovation team continuously keeps its eyes and minds on the innovation goals it sets. It retains a constant focus on these goals by realizing new business proposals, not by redeveloping old and well-known business routines. The sustainable innovation team has these qualities and is very aware of the importance of real teamwork, of a consistent and continuous focus on cooperation among all team members, including those who come and go. Sustainably innovative teamwork is needed to transform the ideas that are generated by the key individuals at the co-ideation level into innovations in business. The eco- and sustainable innovation team is the first element at the co-innovation level of the model of eco-innovation and sustainability management (see Figure 5.1).
