Innovation

People are the centre of everything we do

With the heart of a start-up and the resources of a global corporation, we are always looking for imaginative ways to reinvent every aspect of our business. As we innovate, we find inspiration in
people – their needs, values, desires and passions.

This focus on people infuses how we approach innovation across all areas.

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Our approach

Our programmes

Our work

Our innovators

Constructive disruption: our unique approach to innovation

We believe the only constant is change. In other words, disruption is inevitable. By understanding and embracing it, however, it’s possible to create a kind of constructive disruption that moves business forward, keeping pace with changing markets and consumers’ evolving needs.

Supply chain — We’re creating a synchronised network based on real-time demand signals to serve consumers and customers. In Europe, multi-category distribution and manufacturing operations in optimum locations are redefining customer order lead times. And, our US mixing centres put 80% of shipments within 24 hours of retailers.

We’re leading the constructive disruption of our industry across innovation, brand building, supply chain and digitisation and data analytics.

-David Taylor,

Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, P&G

Annual Report 2019

Innovation our way

What happens when you infuse a global corporation with the spirit of a start-up? It unlocks a world of new ways to reinvent every aspect of the business.

Consumer Electronics Show

Reinventing experiences and changing consumer expectations is the hallmark of our innovation. Since 2019, P&G has showcased our innovation at CES, the premier global stage for new and emerging consumer technology.

Here’s how it works. Our LifeLab gives consumers an immersive look at the intersection of our deep consumer knowledge and the category-changing innovations that define our brands.

GrowthWorks

Our lean innovation model, GrowthWorks, is a unique and disruptive approach that enables us to accelerate and elevate our product research and development processes.

Here’s how it works. We leverage the strengths that come with being one of the largest consumer goods manufacturers, while also embracing the agility of a start-up. The results speak for themselves. We’ve already launched many successful experiments, and we’re currently running nearly 200 more.

Alchemy

Our team of in-house development gurus, Alchemy, works with our brands to deliver innovative solutions that give them an unmatched competitive advantage in the digital marketplace.

Here’s how it works. Our team of software developers, user interface and user experience designers and product managers work with modern programming languages, user experience best practices and cutting-edge security patterns to build future-forward solutions.

P&G Ventures

Our start-up studio, P&G Ventures, works with entrepreneurs, inventors and start-ups to create new brands and businesses beyond the categories in which we currently compete.

Here’s how it works. First, we identify big consumer problems that aren’t being met today and look for business and technology partners to help solve them. Then, we use our resources and expertise to develop, test and refine the brands to set them up for long-term success. Finally, we help the new brands scale and grow into their full potential.

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Connect + Develop

Our external partnership programme, Connect + Develop, is based on the belief that collaboration accelerates innovation.

Here’s how it works. Our global team searches for trailblazers outside the company. Then, we create and nurture partnerships with these inventors, patent holders and other innovators – ultimately leading to new solutions in every area of business, from supply chains to products and technologies to in-store and e-commerce experiences.

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Innovation in action

Our commitment to innovation means we’re always trying new things and looking for new areas where we can find inspiration and contribute to the conversation.

WINnovation 2019

We recently brought 400+ global R&D leaders to Cincinnati for a week-long event to sharpen our strategies to delight consumers with irresistibly superior products. ‘As an R&D organisation, we are constructively disrupting the way we innovate, always keeping the consumer at the centre,’ said Kathy Fish, Chief Research, Development and Innovation Officer. ‘Today is not only about celebrating what is working, but continuing to accelerate our progress and pace of learning.’

CES 2019

Despite being a newcomer to the largest consumer electronics show in the world, P&G had a tremendous showing at CES 2019. P&G designed the LifeLab, a 4,000-square-foot exhibit that showcased how we combine extensive science- and research-based learning with a real and constantly evolving understanding of consumers to deliver products that impact lives.

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The innovators behind the innovations

Every breakthrough idea starts in the mind of a forward-thinking person. Someone who looks at a challenge with fresh eyes, connects the dots in a new way and constructively disrupts the boundaries of what’s possible.

Here are some of the big thinkers behind our innovations.

Rafael Trujillo — As the lead perfumer on the Original Tide scent, Rafael is responsible for creating one of the most universal sensory experiences of any household product: that fresh laundry smell. His work as a master perfumer involves fostering a deep understanding of how different scents affect people emotionally, and then harnessing that wisdom to create product experiences that capture the hearts of consumers.

Susan Ludwig — Susan’s work focuses on developing nappies that better meet the needs of all newborns. Compelled by personal experience, she led the team that launched Pampers Preemie Swaddlers in 2002, eventually securing a patent for an extendable back sheet that helps nappy fit babies as small as 2.5 pounds.

Sawanna Lucus — This team of chemists spearheaded the Pantene Gold Series, one of the first worldwide product lines designed specifically for ethnic hair. As their consumers continue to disrupt social hair norms, Sawanna, Rukeyser and Rolanda have their fingers on the pulse, developing and launching new products that deliver on current needs and anticipate those of the future.

We have redefined innovation success as delivering an irresistibly superior experience... We believe this starts with a deep understanding of our consumers and staying connected with them throughout the development process.

–Kathy Fish,

P&G Chief Research, Development and Innovation Officer