*Computer Security Threats*

materials). Thus, the way in which economic, social, and environmental resources are efficiently managed is a key issue for long-term sustainability.

The importance of external traceability has been enhanced by globalization, the free movement of people and the global expansion of complex supply chain structures, combining networks of actors from multiple sectors (business, public,

*Leveraging Blockchain for Sustainability and Open Innovation: A Cyber-Resilient Approach…*

Open innovation, where innovative knowledge and ideas flow freely internally and externally to an organization, has become an important factor to enable sustainability [20]. To address SDGs, the EU recognizes the need for strengthening the impact of research and innovation and the use of coordinated approaches to ensure knowledge exchanges at an EU level [15]. These coordinated approaches will involve stakeholders with inter- and transdisciplinary points of view and the ability to manage jointly these development processes (SDG 17, partnerships for the goals) [21]. Although the current literature in open innovation details theoretical frameworks to guide solution development [20, 22], this development implies novel governance models that create thriving and diverse ecosystems where solutions are conceived, designed, experimented, implemented, supplied to the market, scaled up, and adopted. In that sense, one of the latest paradigms is called Open Innovation 2.0 (OI2) [23], a quadruple helix model where science, policy, industry, and society collaborate to achieve greater aims than a

Open innovation is uncertain and involves a high risk [20]. However, the lack of trust is today a major concern that withholds the cooperation and involvement of stakeholders in open innovation processes [24], especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This need for orchestrating multiple stakeholders in a trusted and reliable way matches perfectly with the distributed nature of blockchain [20], which also provides the following main

• Stronger intellectual property (IP) protection. It includes responsible opensource licensing, processes of idea claiming [25], IP registries (e.g., trade secrets, patents, and trademarks), record keeping, licensing, and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs). In addition, profits (e.g., patent royalties and

revenue on creative work) can be paid automatically according to

• Accurate collaboration between stakeholders modeled through smart contracts. Content can be shared among the stakeholders using smart

infringements, and disclosure happen, acting as signed NDAs [25].

• Open data. It means the availability of data to all the stakeholders with a high degree of privacy (i.e., sovereignty and data ownership) and data

• Regulatory compliance. It involves back-office processes mostly burdensome and inefficient to report to regulatory bodies. It also enables new open

GlucoCoins to promote a global knowledge of diabetes [26]).

contracts. Such smart contracts may deal with timestamping any IP disclosure or creation and automate corrective actions when unauthorized IP usage, IP

Furthermore, incentivized and rewarding mechanisms can be established (e.g.,

non-profit, and informal) in multiple locations.

**4. Blockchain for open innovation**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92371*

predetermined agreements.

protection.

**103**

governance models.

single entity.

benefits:

Recently, the EU has progressed significantly toward sustainability through the three main approaches [14]:


The definition of CSR and RBC is related with ethical behavior and particularly with the relationship between a corporation and its stakeholders within a societal context, integrating social, environmental, and economic concerns into its business processes [14]. CSR/RBC can also be seen as actions under SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth).

In 2011, the UN Human Rights Council endorsed 31 Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) [14]. This approach came up as a sort of response to the perceived failure of CSR/RBC in terms of law binding and state oversight.

Recently, given the clear relationship between the three approaches (CSR/RBC, UNGPs, and the SDGs), the EC has adopted a holistic and practical approach toward sustainability irrespective of its name (i.e., CSR, RBC, business and human rights, SDG) while at the same time recognizing the target goal between the different agendas.

Within this context, blockchain is able to bring advantages toward sustainability in four main aspects: cybersecurity, accountability, transparency, and traceability:


*Leveraging Blockchain for Sustainability and Open Innovation: A Cyber-Resilient Approach… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.92371*

The importance of external traceability has been enhanced by globalization, the free movement of people and the global expansion of complex supply chain structures, combining networks of actors from multiple sectors (business, public, non-profit, and informal) in multiple locations.
