A culture of forgiveness was essential for firms who wished to be innovative, the chief executive of a US company said yesterday during a satellite link-up debate on "Best Practice" hosted by Excellence Ireland and the Irish Trade Board.

Mr LD De Simone, of 3M, the manufacturer of adhesives and protection agents, said that 3M allowed employees to use 15 per cent of their time pursuing their own projects. "We even tacitly encourage a little rebellion. That is how one of our most successful products, Post-Its, was born," he said. Excellence Ireland, with more than 1,000 corporate members, organises the Q-Mark, the Hygiene Mark and the Business Excellence Model.