The document proposes the Innovation Readiness Index, which would be the first benchmark to measure how companies in the payments industry are addressing innovation. It would assess 100 companies across various payment segments based on objective metrics like perceptions from industry professionals, patent strength, financial data, and companies' innovation initiatives. Participating companies would receive a detailed annual report on rankings and benchmarking, as well as access to an analytic platform to analyze responses and compare to competitors. The program is intended to help companies identify strengths and weaknesses, improve external perceptions, and leverage brand strengths.