When it comes to Innovation, South African inventors have made their mark both locally and internationally and we can proudly say that South African innovation radically changes the way we do things.

The laundry list of famous and oft repeated SouthAfrican innovations include Chris Barnard’s ground breaking heart transplant;Prately Putty, which was used in a NASA space craft that went to the moon, Kreepy Krauly, the CAT Scanner, Hippo Drum Roller water containers and OldBrown Sherry. Televised limited over cricket wouldn’t be the same without those stats on the bowling speed; the Speed Gun, invented by Henri Johnson, brought us this little gem to brighten up our viewing.

The list of these famous innovations is impressive and we can all agree that they have had an enormous and, in some cases lifechanging, impact on millions of people. But how do you, your staff and colleagues become innovative. How can they contribute to creating change in their working environments?

Arguably, not all companies nurture innovation as part of their corporate culture. But modern business is facing a far more complex world than it was 18 months ago and the benefits of inculcating creativity and innovation into every thing they do far outweighs leaving “that stuff” to others.

Within our vibrant business sector there have been many award-winning and enterprising business process innovations that should be talked about; these cutting-edge innovations involve entire organisations. We salute:

ABSA: In October 2009 this financial institution was recognised asthe "Most Innovative Bank in Africa" at the African Banker Awards 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey. And what did they do to achieve this recognition? Significantly, Absa was recognised for providing innovative financial service solutions to its diverse and complex customer base, most particularly to South Africans who have not previously had access to banking.(http://www.ic-events.net/awards/africanbanker/)

Wizzit Bank: This bank was ranked as one of the World’s, yes World’s, most innovative companies. It placed alongside companies like Google, FaceBook and Manchester United. This South African bank, which is a subsidiary of SA Bank of Athens, introduced mobile phone banking technology to rural communities, an audience ignored by mainstream banks that has never had access to banking. Wizzit Bank’s unique low-cost service, which requires clients to have nothing more than a mobile phone and cellular reception, allows for bank accounts to be opened and daily transactions like payments, withdrawals and point of sale purchases. For more info go to http://www.wizzit.co.za

Clearly, opportunities have been identified and creative and workable solutions put in place to place these institutions in the front row, ahead of their competitors. Innovative thinking creates opportunities to increase their customer base, financial footprint and, along the way, addresses social issues that have excluded a large portion of our population.