Research-led innovation on Scope 3

Østfold University College (HiØ) joins the pre-project Scope 3 Obeya as a research partner, led by researchers Gunnar Andersson and Frode Ramstad Johansen together with students from Innovation and Project Management (IPL). The team will quality-assure methodology and research design, conduct interviews and workshops, and translate findings into a system map and a tested course prototype—linking research directly to companies.

Bilde av medlemmer i forskningsgruppa under en skrivesamling på Hvaler gjestgiveri

HiØ at the core of a research-led effort

HiØ’s contribution is to lift the initiative from development work to research-driven innovation—with responsibility for methodological quality assurance, research design, and analysis. The team will carry out literature reviews, develop and run interviews and workshops, and perform barrier analyses culminating in a system map that clarifies how organizations can advance Scope 3 action in complex value chains. All activities will follow NESH ethics and GDPR through guidance and secure solutions for consent and data storage.

What the project explores

Scope 3 Obeya investigates why companies often stall after mapping emissions and how combining systems thinking with Obeya (a visual, cross-functional collaboration method) can help teams build shared insight and take better decisions for Scope 3 progress. The pre-project will synthesize current knowledge, gather qualitative insights with industry, and prototype a learning-focused course that supports real-world collaboration across value chains.

Students learning by doing

Students from HiØ’s Innovation and Project Management (IPL) programme will be directly involved in interviews, workshops, and prototype development—bringing fresh perspectives while gaining hands-on experience with research methods and systems-led sustainability work. This tight coupling of research and teaching is a hallmark of the project’s design.

Expected outcomes

By integrating findings into a system map and a refined course prototype, the project aims to build a robust foundation for a potential main project and future offerings that support organizations in turning Scope 3 intentions into concrete progress. Results will be shared in a closing symposium and considered for integration into HiØ’s teaching—reinforcing HiØ’s role as a regional knowledge partner for green transition.

About the project (fact box)

Project title: Scope 3 Obeya (pre-project under FORREGION)

HiØ role: Research partner responsible for methodological quality assurance, research design, analysis, literature review, interviews/workshops, barrier analysis, system mapping, and evaluation of the course prototype

Key collaborators: Institute for Learning Organizations (project owner) and Herøya Industrial Park (partner).