As the challenger in our sector, we know we can’t do it alone. For us, creating a healthier future is a team effort.

We are building deep and open partnerships with third-party businesses and our intention is that, over time, this web of relationships will evolve into a genuine ecosystem, one well equipped to pursue a harm reduction agenda.

Our partners are embedded at every stage of the innovation cycle. Most importantly, they sit with us at our new Listening Centres, hearing consumers express their needs and preferences. We work fast together to create pretotype products – sometimes in a matter of a few hours – and then we get these design ideas back into the hands of those consumers. This collaborative, test-and-learn way of working continues as we move from pretotype to functioning prototype, and then prototype to full production. It is all light years away from the traditional, very formal client-supplier relationship.

I won’t pretend there aren’t challenges with this kind of partnership approach. You have to have an open mindset which doesn’t always come naturally in the self-contained environment of product development. You have to think long term – the trust needed to make these relationships work well takes time to build.

But we think the rewards justify the effort. We have already seen product cycles come down from more than a year to a handful of months, and we now offer much greater choice to consumers. And I think it makes Imperial a more exciting, diverse place to work and collaborate with. Don’t just take my word for it. Take a look below at what some of our partners are saying about working with us.

If you have an idea, a skill or a capability, which you think might advance our collective quest for a healthier future, do get in touch with me at [email protected].