Top management should demonstrate (D) leadership and commitment with respect to the innovation management system (4.4) by:
a) being accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency (9) of the innovation management system (4.4);
b) ensuring that the innovation vision (5.1.3), strategy (5.1.4), policy (5.2), and objectives (6.2) are established (P), are consistent (D) and are compatible (D) with the context (4.1) and the strategic direction (5.2) of the organization;
c) fostering (D) a culture (4.4.2) supporting innovation activities (8);
d) ensuring the adoption (D) and integration (A) of the organization's innovation management system (4.4) requirements (ISO 56001) into the organization's existing structures (6.3) and business processes (4.4; 8) as appropriate;
e) supporting (D) leaders (7.1.2) at all levels (6.3) and other relevant management roles (5.3) to demonstrate (D) their leadership and commitment to develop their leadership regarding innovation, as it applies to their areas of responsibility (5.3);
f) ensuring that structures (6.3), support (7), including resources (7.1) and processes (4.4; 8), needed for the innovation management system (4.4) are available (P);
g) creating (D) awareness (7.3) and communicating (D) (7.4) the importance of effective (9) innovation management and of adopting the innovation management system (4.4) guidance (ISO 56002:2019);
h) ensuring that the innovation management system (4.4) achieves (D) its intended outcomes (6.2);
i) engaging (D) (7.3), directing (D), and supporting (D) (7) persons (7.1.2) to contribute to the effectiveness (9) of the innovation management system (4.4);
j) encouraging (D) and recognizing (D) innovators (7.1.2) to demonstrate good practices, ensure engagement (7.3), and facilitate learning (7.1.4) from both successes and failures (7.1.4);
k) promoting (D) performance evaluation (9) at planned intervals and continual improvement (10.3) of the innovation management system (4.4);
NOTE Reference to "business" in this document can be interpreted broadly to mean those activities that are core to the purpose of the organization's existence.
Top management should demonstrate (D) leadership and commitment with respect to value realization, by:
a) identifying opportunities (6.1), through exploitable insights (8.3.2), based on current or future, stated (7.5) or unstated needs and expectations (4.2);
b) considering the balance between opportunities and risks (6.1), including the consequences of lost opportunities (6.1);
c) considering risk-appetite (6.1)and tolerance for failure (10.2);
d) allowing for conceptualization, experimentation, and prototyping, involving (7.3) users, customers, and other interested parties (4.2) to test hypotheses and validate assumptions (8.3.4);
e) promoting perseverance and ensuring the timely deployment of innovations (8.3.6).
Top management should establish (P), implement (D), and maintain (A) an innovation vision that:
a) is a description of a future state that the organization is aspiring for, in terms of innovation activities (8), including the future role (5.3) of the organization and the desired impact (9) of its innovations;
b) is consciously ambitious, challenges the status quo (4.1), and is not constrained by the organization's current capabilities (9);
c) serves as a guide for strategic choices and provides a framework for setting the innovation strategy (5.1.4), policy (5.2), and objectives (6.2);
d) can be communicated (7.4) and understood (7.3) internally (4.1, 4.2) to inspire people (7.1.2) to commit and work towards;
e) can be communicated (7.4) externally (4.1, 4.2) to enhance (10) the reputation of the organization and to attract relevant interested parties (4.2);
f) is available as documented information (7.5).
5.1.4.1 Top management should establish (P), implement (D), and maintain (A) an innovation strategy, or several innovation strategies, if appropriate, and ensure that it:
a) describes (P) why innovation activities (8) are important for the organization;
b) is flexible (P) and adaptable (P), and allowed to change (P) or emerge (P) as a result of feedback and performance (9) of innovation activities (8);
c) is communicated (P) (7.4) to, and understood (D) (7.3) by relevant interested parties (4.2);
d) maintained (A) as documented information (7.5).
5.1.4.2 An innovation strategy can include descriptions of the:
a) context of the organization (4.1);
b) innovation vision (5.1.3) and policy (5.2);
c) roles, responsibilities, and authorities (5.3);
d) innovation objectives and the plans to achieve them (6.2);
e) organizational structures (6.3);
f) support (7) and processes (4.4; 8), including allocation of resources (7.1).
The rationale for a strategy dedicated to innovation activities (8) can be to focus on value realization under conditions of uncertainty (6.1). This requires a balance of assumption-based and evidence-based (7.5) decision-making, possibly new or modified practices, leadership (5), structures (6.3), and processes (4.4; 8).
An innovation strategy can help the people (7.1.2) in the organization and its interested parties (4.2) to understand (7.3) the decisions made to achieve the innovation objectives (6.2), while contributing to engaging (7.3) and inspiring them.
Top management should establish (P), implement (D), and maintain (A) an innovation policy, ensuring that it:
a) is describing (P) the commitment (5.1) to innovation activities (8);
b) is appropriate (D) to the purpose and context (4.1) of the organization and supports (P) (7) its strategic direction (5.1.4), in alignment with the innovation vision (5.1.3);
c) provides (D) a framework for setting innovation strategy (5.1.4) and objectives (6.2);
d) takes into consideration (D) the innovation management principles (ISO 56000:2020);
e) includes a commitment (D) (5.1) to satisfy applicable requirements (7.5) and to consider ethical and sustainability aspects (4.1; 4.4.2);
f) includes a commitment (D) (5.1) to continual improvement (10.3) of the innovation management system (4.4).
The innovation policy should be:
a) available (D) as documented information (7.5);
b) communicated (P) (7.4), understood (P) (7.3), and applied (D), within the organization;
c) available (D) to relevant interested parties (4.2), as appropriate.
Top management should ensure that the responsibilities and authorities for relevant roles are assigned (P), communicated (D) (7.4), and understood (D) (7.3) within the organization.
5.3.1 Top management should specifically assign (P) the responsibility and authority for:
a) ensuring that the innovation management system (4.4) meets the guidance (D) of this document (ISO 56002:2019);
b) reporting (A) to top management (9.3) on the performance (9) of the innovation management system (4.4) and on opportunities (6.1) for improvement (10) in a timely manner;
c) ensuring that the integrity of the innovation management system (4.4) is maintained (A).
5.3.2 Responsibilities and authorities can be assigned to:
a) existing roles, e.g. all leaders (5.1; 7.1.2) in the organization or roles related to specific functions, units (6.3), or offerings;
b) dedicated roles with a focus on general innovation management (4.4; 8) or specific innovation initiatives (8.2) and activities (8.3).