2024

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Innovation as a team effort

Christina Lambertz, Head of Product Development Baby Diapers and based at the Global Excellence Center in Mayen (Germany), represents the R&D Baby Team that was selected as P.R.I.D.E. Champion. According to Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer Annick De Poorter, it’s a well-deserved recognition for the team’s contribution to Ontex’s innovation.

Annick: Innovation is not reserved for the R&D department; it’s a cross-functional effort, involving the entire Ontex ecosystem. If one team drops the ball, we will not deliver. That’s why I’m so happy that the R&D Baby Team has been selected as one of this year’s P.R.I.D.E. champions. Christina, you and the team have been instrumental not only for safeguarding our IP and product quality, but also for encouraging innovation together with our customers and partners.

Christina: Thank you, Annick! We see ourselves as the bridge between R&D, the commercial teams, and our customers. We are happy to contribute to strengthening our customer relationships through product demos and innovation sessions. We have set ourselves the ambition to always seek new opportunities that drive better results with our customers and partners, ultimately also benefiting our consumers and the planet.

Annick: Yes, I think that this combination is crucial. Whether we want to introduce a new functionality or improve packaging, we need customer and consumer feedback to get a good sense of the market acceptance. That’s where our R&D expertise, for example in in-use testing, comes in. On the other side of the spectrum, we cannot do without strong supplier relationships. Keeping those relationships alive and vibrant has been a big achievement of your team this year.

Christina: We achieved this through collaboration, Annick. Focusing on these crossfunctional relationships lays the groundwork for co-creation. And this, in turn, leads to more innovation and a higher competitive advantage. I’m happy to contribute to that as part of the R&D Baby Team.