Social and environmental issues are more important than ever and consumers are committed to supporting change. 'Doing good' is no longer a peripheral activity but fundamental to every aspect of how we do business, every day, for everyone. People, Planet, Profit is the first book to truly address business growth in the context of social and environmental concerns. It's a practical guide to new business opportunity, operational improvement and competitive advantage. Full of inspiring case studies, it looks at the challenges faced by key players such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nokia, Nike, Amazon, M&S and Walmart. With plenty of comments from industry insiders, it's essential reading for CEOs and business managers who are searching for new ways to create value, to make sense of business in a rapidly shifting landscape, and to deliver profitable growth whilst also doing "the right thing".
This is the first book to provide a precise description of how companies can put purpose into practice. Based on groundbreaking research undertaken between Oxford University and Mars Catalyst, it offers an accessible account of why corporate purpose is so important and how it can be implemented to address the major challenges the world faces today.
Thoughts on People, Planet, & Profit is a collection of essays about responsible investing from the field's pioneer. It's also a book about hope. Through short, thoughtful ruminations on everything from making slavery history to slowing down fast food, Amy Domini demonstrates that when investors come together to care for the greater good, they can ensure both people and planet continue to thrive. Divided into three sections, Thoughts on People, Planet, & Profit reminds the reader that the secret to making an impact is small. As Amy writes, "Together, we can each do something-and this, in the end, is everything." Whether the reader is a seasoned investor looking for more ways to align their money with their values, or someone who is curious about how they can make a difference in the world, Thoughts on People, Planet, & Profit proves that when we collectively act with intention, we can do more together than we ever could alone. Though the book dedicates an entire section to profit, Amy intends to make none; she will donate all proceeds of this book to charity. About the Author Amy Domini is founder and chair of Domini Impact Investments. Widely recognized as the leading voice for socially responsible investing, Time magazine named Amy to its Time 100 list of the world's most influential people. Other awards include the Clinton Global Initiative citation for innovation and finance, an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from Northeastern College of Law, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Flagler College, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Yale University's Berkeley Divinity School. Amy has also been named to Directorship magazine's Directorship 100, the magazine's listing of the most influential people on corporate governance and in the boardroom, and Barron's selected her as one of the 30 most influential people in the mutual fund business. Active in her community, Amy is a board member for the Center for Responsible Lending. She is also a past board member of the Church Pension Fund of the Episcopal Church in America; the National Association of Community Development Loan Funds, an organization whose members work to create funds for grassroots economic development loans; and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, the major sponsor of shareholder actions. A frequent guest commentator, Amy has appeared on CNBC's Talking Stocks and various other radio and television shows. In addition to a BA in international and comparative studies from Boston University, Amy has also earned the CFA designation. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and gray cat. In her free time, she enjoys teaching her five grandchildren how to garden.
It is no longer the case that it’s only society which benefits from CSR actions. A corporation actually helps itself when operating sustainably and does well because of its triple bottom line actions. The editors of People, Planet and Profit believe that whilst Corporate Social Responsibility is by now a familiar concept to academics or practitioners, insufficient attention has been paid to the end product of CSR in practice, which they define in terms of social and economic developmental effect. The contributions in this edited volume explain the developmental aspect of CSR from a conceptual perspective and provide empirical evidence of the impact of CSR delivery on stakeholders in different corners of the World. The emphasis is on what corporations take from and give back to their stakeholders whilst trying to behave in a corporately responsible fashion. Stakeholders, including employees, customers, host communities, governments and NGOs have diverse interests and expectations of CSR. This gives rise to questions about whether the activities corporations support are the ones today’s stakeholders need; whether the CSR programmes being delivered are adequate; and about the relationship between the corporations’ view of what constitutes CSR and that of the supposed beneficiaries. This book offers thoughtful answers to these questions and assesses the outcomes of corporate activities both in developed and developing countries and regions, in terms of economic progress and social and political advancement.
When you see or read about excessive corporate profiteering, business malpractices, poor social welfare, and environmental and ecological disasters, do you have an urge to do something? With so many analysis reports, academic journals, news coverage, and documentaries on the subject, why is there so little action? Most management gurus and executives recognize that it is possible to achieve a triple bottom line - running a business for the benefit of the people, the planet, and profit at the same time. To achieve this, businesses have to solve their internal issues involving the leadership team, the management team, and the technical team. Drawing from leadership and management practices, practical case studies, and using energy, water, raw material, waste and its associated environmental impact as examples, People, Planet, Profit describes the ten internal issues - five technical, two leadership, and three managerial - and solutions to these issues. A coherent, joined-up, and concerted effort allows responsible businesses to initiate, gain momentum, and achieve success in reducing their environmental impact. The same tools can then be applied to other areas of a triple bottom line.
'The Triple Bottom Line' - which delivers simultaneous social, financial and environmental benefits - is a rallying cry for business sustainability. This text examines the implications of the idea, showing what has already been achieved.
Walmart. Coca-Cola. BP. Toyota. The world economy runs on the profits of transnational corporations. Politicians need their backing. Non-profit organizations rely on their philanthropy. People look to their brands for meaning. And their power continues to rise. Can these companies, as so many are now hoping, provide the solutions to end the mounting global environmental crisis? Absolutely, the CEOs of big business are telling us: the commitment to corporate social responsibility will ensure it happens voluntarily. Peter Dauvergne challenges this claim, arguing instead that corporations are still doing far more to destroy than protect our planet. Trusting big business to lead sustainability is, he cautions, unwise — perhaps even catastrophic. Planetary sustainability will require reining in the power of big business, starting now.
Reimagining our global economy so it becomes more sustainable and prosperous for all Our global economic system is broken. But we can replace the current picture of global upheaval, unsustainability, and uncertainty with one of an economy that works for all people, and the planet. First, we must eliminate rising income inequality within societies where productivity and wage growth has slowed. Second, we must reduce the dampening effect of monopoly market power wielded by large corporations on innovation and productivity gains. And finally, the short-sighted exploitation of natural resources that is corroding the environment and affecting the lives of many for the worse must end. The debate over the causes of the broken economy—laissez-faire government, poorly managed globalization, the rise of technology in favor of the few, or yet another reason—is wide open. Stakeholder Capitalism: A Global Economy that Works for Progress, People and Planet argues convincingly that if we don't start with recognizing the true shape of our problems, our current system will continue to fail us. To help us see our challenges more clearly, Schwab—the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum—looks for the real causes of our system's shortcomings, and for solutions in best practices from around the world in places as diverse as China, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Singapore. And in doing so, Schwab finds emerging examples of new ways of doing things that provide grounds for hope, including: Individual agency: how countries and policies can make a difference against large external forces A clearly defined social contract: agreement on shared values and goals allows government, business, and individuals to produce the most optimal outcomes Planning for future generations: short-sighted presentism harms our shared future, and that of those yet to be born Better measures of economic success: move beyond a myopic focus on GDP to more complete, human-scaled measures of societal flourishing By accurately describing our real situation, Stakeholder Capitalism is able to pinpoint achievable ways to deal with our problems. Chapter by chapter, Professor Schwab shows us that there are ways for everyone at all levels of society to reshape the broken pieces of the global economy and—country by country, company by company, and citizen by citizen—glue them back together in a way that benefits us all.
A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year Named one of 10 Best New Management Books for 2022 by Thinkers50 "An advocate of sustainable capitalism explains how it's done" — The Economist "Polman's new book with the sustainable business expert Andrew Winston…argues that it's profitable to do business with the goal of making the world better." — The New York Times Named as recommended reading by Fortune's CEO Daily "…Polman has been one of the most significant chief executives of his era and that his approach to business and its role in society has been both valuable and path-breaking." — Financial Times The ex-Unilever CEO who increased his shareholders' returns by 300% while ensuring the company ranked #1 in the world for sustainability for eleven years running has, for the first time, revealed how to do it. Teaming up with Andrew Winston, one of the world's most authoritative voices on corporate sustainability, Paul Polman shows business leaders how to take on humanity's greatest and most urgent challenges—climate change and inequality—and build a thriving business as a result. In this candid and straight-talking handbook, Polman and Winston reveal the secrets of Unilever's success and pull back the curtain on some of the world's most powerful c-suites. Net Positive boldly argues that the companies of the future will profit by fixing the world's problems, not creating them. Together the authors explode our most prevalent corporate myths: from the idea that business' only function is to maximise profits, to the naïve hope that Corporate Social Responsibility will save our species from disaster. These approaches, they argue, are destined for the graveyard. Instead, they show corporate leaders how to make their companies "Net Positive"—thriving by giving back more to the world than they take. Net Positive companies unleash innovation, build trust, attract the best people, thrill customers, and secure lasting success, all by helping create stronger, more inclusive societies and a healthier planet. Heal the world first, they argue, and you’ll satisfy your investors as a result. With ambitious vision and compelling stories, Net Positive will teach you how to find the inner purpose and courage you need to embrace the only business model that will matter in the years ahead. You will learn how to lead others and unlock your company's soul, while setting and delivering big and aggressive goals, and taking responsibility for all of your company's impacts. You'll find out the secrets to partnering with others, including your competition and critics, to drive transformative change from which you will prosper. You'll build a company that serves your people, your customers, your communities, your shareholders—and your children and grandchildren will thank you for it. Is this win-win for business and humanity too good to be true? Don't believe it. The world's smartest CEOs are already taking their companies on the Net Positive journey and benefitting as a result. Will you be left behind? Join the movement at netpositive.world
The global sustainability challenge is urgent, tremendous and increasing. From an ecological perspective, the current worldwide resource footprint requires approximately 1.5 planets to sustain existing life, and with current usage would require two planets by 2030. The social impact of ever-growing resource use disproportionately affects the world’s poor – the 3 billion people living on less than $2.50 a day, as they struggle to acquire what is needed to survive. The serious ecological and social challenges we face in trying to establish global sustainable supply chains must not be underestimated, yet so far research has largely ignored the social dimension in favour of the environmental and economic. So how can we develop business strategies that move away from a primary economic focus and give equal weight to people, planet and profit? How can we create sustainable supply chains that take a true triple-bottom-line approach?Implementing Triple Bottom Line Sustainability into Global Supply Chains features innovative research, highlighting new cases, approaches and concepts in how to successfully implement sustainability – covering economic, ecological and social dimensions – into global supply chains. The four parts cover the rationale for sustainable global supply chains, key enablers, case studies showing clear implementation steps, and directions for future research and development.This book is a must-read for any academic researching in sustainable supply chain management, procurement or business strategy, and for business leaders seeking cases that will inform a critical step forward for CSR programmes.
