If in the past, the success of innovation was measured primarily in the economic sphere, recently the non-economic sphere has increasingly become more of a matter of corporate management and, therefore, of innovation management. Management's acquisition of non-economic aspects has been strongly influenced by the vision of sustainable development. Sustainability is a direction of action important for innovation as well, integrating economic, social, and environmental responsibility in the management of innovation, leading to sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI). Research on SOI approached innovation processes has been carried out in large companies, however in recent years the use of TRIZ (teoriya resheniya izobretatelskikh zadach) tools has been tried for SOI. The TRIZ-based approach is a valuable tool because it does not require an encyclopedic knowledge of field-specific technology and it enables the expansion of the scope of problem solutions beyond the skills of the team members. This paper discusses the concepts of sustainability, innovation, and risk management in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the purpose of developing a flow chart for the implementation of the TRIZ method in SMEs and for evaluating the state of innovation in such companies. Through the use of the TRIZ method in the field of SMEs, fast and efficient processes, products, and sustainable services have been obtained.

Innovation has become the central engine of economic well-being, competitiveness, employment and long-term income growth for most economies. As the European Union Innovation Scoreboard shows, Romania is part of the modest innovators group. The situation of innovation in Romania has worsened so much that since 2015 it occupies the last place in the EU. The deterioration of the innovation condition in Romania is confirmed by The Global Competitiveness Report. There is a direct link between state measures and performance in innovation, as shown by the "Contributors and Detractors: Ranking Countries' Impact on Global Innovation" report. The process of innovation itself involves a concerted effort of economic agents and the state, the latter having the role of facilitating, consolidating and supporting innovative activities. The innovative potential of an enterprise can be strengthened by the human factor through the use of creative methods and techniques.