The concept of Responsible Research Innovation (RRI) – that is, “research or innovation processes that take on responsibility” –  has been used by the European Commission for over a decade. It defines an approach for dealing with societal challenges such as securing world nutrition.

RRI and Open Science both share the fundamental values of openness, inclusion and democracy. While Open Science is understood primarily as making scientific results and the associated data and methods accessible for all levels of society, RRI is defined more broadly: Topics such as ethics, gender, public engagement and science education also play an important role. RRI focuses primarily on a “responsible process” and the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders from science, politics, industry and civic society. In the RRI framework, responsible research and innovation processes are diverse and inclusive, as well as open and transparent.

RRI is also closely linked to Open Science. Furthermore, an RRI process is anticipatory and reflective, meaning that researchers are expected to anticipate potential (negative) consequences and to continuously reflect on the impacts of their actions. Other important features of an RRI-compliant process include responsiveness and adaptability. This allows researchers to respond to insights gained during the process and adjust their actions accordingly.