Patents go public for the environment
A sea of innovation for greening the earth
January 14th, 2008, marked a momentous occasion in the corporate world and for the betterment of the environment. In the first-of-its-kind collaboration, leading corporations came together on a united front for a common social goal.
The effort, called the “Eco-Patent Commons,” is a collection of technology patents, pledged to a publicly-available portfolio by companies and other IP rights holders. The purpose of making public dozens of eco-friendly patents is to create a resource for cleaner solutions for those facing similar challenges.
The Eco-Patent Commons was initiated by IBM (the leading earner of U.S. patents for the 15th year in a row) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and includes Nokia, Pitney Bowes and Sony as partners.
Available free of charge, the Commons is being hosted by WBCSD. This sharing is a huge step for this notoriously competitive private sector and an innovative way for companies to take a stand on a very real issue facing our world today.
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Lisa is an associate to the Social Entrepreneurship program at MaRS.