Designing a Better Future for All

At 3M, we’re constantly working to innovate new technologies. But that’s only part of the story. We’re also dedicated to using our technologies for good, and challenging the next generation to think about problem solving in a whole new way.

We teamed up with CENTRO, an institution of higher learning in Mexico that specializes in creative processes for problem solving. The purpose? Design for Social Impact.

3M Design and the students from CENTRO took a hard look at education and unemployment among young people in the Morelos region of Mexico. Through workshops and creative collaboration with our design team, the college students applied design thinking principals to brainstorm ways that 3M technology could be used to address and solve key social issues.

The partnership was such a success, we brought 15 CENTRO students to our Global Design Studio in St. Paul, Minn. There, they presented their ideas to our designers. Together they continued to refine their concepts around social impact. The student team also created two films to encourage awareness and support for their projects.

At 3M, we believe that creativity and collaboration extend beyond the walls of our company. By partnering with creative thinkers around the globe, we can work together to design fresh ways to apply 3M technologies for good.