Innovation management
3M's 15% Culture allows employees to spend 15% of their time on projects they choose in support of our business objectives. This has led to products like our innovative window films, which help buildings save energy and improve safety and security.
Recognition for outstanding results
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3M’s Circle of Technical Excellence & InnovationThis prestigious internal recognition program honors individuals and teams whose achievements set the standard for 3M technical excellence and innovation.
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This is 3M’s highest recognition of lifetime achievement for scientists who have made extraordinary contributions. The annual awards ceremony is an opportunity to stay connected with the innovators and breakthrough achievements that built and grew 3M.
Our product innovation takes the long view
As we create products, we strive to keep environmental considerations in mind across the entire life cycle, including product reuse and repurposing. We work with our suppliers and partners to support these objectives in their own operations.
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Life cycle management
Life cycle management (LCM) is our approach to integrating environment, health, and safety (EHS) and associated regulatory considerations into 3M products during our New Product Introduction (NPI) process.
In conjunction with NPI, our business teams provide LCM deliverables, which can include:
- EHS evaluation of product characteristics and raw material composition, including potential alternatives
- Assessments in human health and environmental toxicology, electrical and mechanical safety, and other disciplines as appropriate
- Conformance to regulatory and customer EHS requirements
- Hazard communication documents
We also evaluate LCM impacts from product modifications (changes to raw materials, suppliers, product composition, regulations, new end uses, etc.) through our corporate Product Change Management process. If needed, we update subject matter expert assessments and LCM documentation and communicate the updates to all importing countries.
Our integrated centralized LCM system helps us continually improve our efficiency as we work to ensure our products are safe for their intended uses and compliant wherever they’re sold. The system features outcome-based key performance indicators to help us better measure our processes.
