Good Practices in the Field of Eco-Innovation in the Podkarpackie Province

Abstract

The article refers to the concept of sustainable development and eco-innovation. Strengthening the regional economy and building their competitive advantage based on innovation and knowledge are the directions of contemporary development policy of the European Union, expressed in the "Europe 2020" strategy. One of the instruments for the implementation of sustainable development are eco-innovations. As a direct result of the implementation of eco-innovations is the fact that they bring some positive effects on the environment, and in relation to the organization -they bring tangible benefits (such as reducing the consumption of energy and raw materials, increasing resource efficiency, better and cheaper waste management, improving the image of the organization). In Poland, a large part of the economic structure is traditional material-and energy-intensive industrial sectors. Implementation of the modern environmental technologies is becoming a major challenge for the region. The authors of the article present examples of implementation of good eco-innovative solutions for enterprises operating in the Podkarpackie Province. The presented examples show that the implementation of eco-innovations significantly affect the competitiveness of the company and thus also the competitiveness of the region in which the companies operate. High competitive position could in fact be achieved through innovation, at the level of companies, regions and entire economies.