Humans are suckers for shiny objects. Whether it's Star Trek or Sharper Image, we love to believe in the promise of future tech.

Shiny futuristic innovations are a big part of sustainability. Hydrogen fusion, fuel cells, solar farms…we love them for the promise and possibilities they hold.

But so much sustainability is just plain common sense. Innovations that are so simple, they make us wonder not how we did it, but how we managed to not do it for so long.

Sylvain Cuperlier, Dole's vice president of worldwide corporate responsibility and sustainability, brought that point back into focus for me.

Cuperlier, who spoke at GLOBE 2012 last week, told me that a great deal of his company’s progress in sustainability comes down to turning common sense into common practice.

For example, Dole signicantly reduced its fuel consumption by teaching its truckers fuel-efficient driving techniques, using GPS to shorten routes, monitoring fuel usage and engaging in more effective fleet repair.

Planting cover crops and rotating crops on Dole plantations in Costa Rica, meanwhile, reduced soil erosion by 90%. This practice is not only good for the planet, it’s also one of the oldest known farming techniques.

Coming To Our Senses

Cuperlier agrees that many of the innovations Dole is implementing are of the ‘back to the basics’ variety. But this doesn’t lessen their impact – or, of particular interest to brand fans, their importance to customers.

While Dole is primarily a business-to-business player, programs like its reforestation program in Latin America are heartily supported by supermarkets, who are looking for new ways to win consumer support.

This revelation provides an interesting juxtaposition to ‘shiny object’ sustainability. Consumers, as much as they like to see bold futuristic progress, find it easy to support practices they understand and can relate to. New gadgets sell, but so do the tried and true remedies our parents loved. In other words, if the progress can be framed in a way that I ‘get’, and the innovation produces results, I’m happy to buy.

Common Sense And The Innovation Pipeline

Every robust innovation pipeline needs to have fresh inputs at four points. First, there are short-term incremental innovations that refresh current products, or add a twist to current practices. Then, to stay relevant in the medium  to long term, there are difficult but necessary innovations that demand heavy lifting, but keep the company viable. Radical innovations are firmly in the long term, anticipating what consumers might want in the next 10 to 20 years. And there's also even longer-term visionary innovation, which fuels dreams of a better tomorrow.

Each of these innovations plays a key role. When it comes to sustainability, however, the more mundane incremental innovations are often given short shrift. Consider the impact that more efficient driving has had on fuel consumption, while electric and fuel-cell vehicles get most of the press.

Lessons For Innovators

What can companies learn from all this? First of all, don’t ignore the low-hanging fruit. Common sense needs to become common practice, and incremental innovators can reap rewards both in higher efficiencies and a more valuable brand.

At the same time, it's important to remember not to only consider the short term. Cuperlier and Dole may be creating a wealth of incremental innovation, but they’re also launching visionary innovations like their solar power harvester at the same time.

Photo courtesy of Mishchenko Mikhail via Shutterstock.