"What Mr. Laszlo calls 'Planetary Ethics' or the integration of economic, environmental, social and high ethical objectives into long-term business strategy, is the new price of entry for corporate survival. Those who 'get' this and do it best will enjoy increasing shareholder value. I believe this book carries a critical message for today's corporate executives." -DEBORAH D. ANDERSON, PH.D., FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WORLDWIDE, THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY Corporate governance and sustainability are moving from important peripheral problems to core business concerns, as winning companies discover stakeholders as new sources of value. Yet there are many obstacles to bringing these issues into the mainstream of business. Concepts like sustainable development can be confusing for operating managers, and even those who support the underlying issues find it difficult to frame them in ways that are useful for making business decisions. As a manager you have a responsibility to deliver financial returns to your shareholders: how can you balance this obligation with your responsibilities to society and the environment? The Sustainable Company articulates an innovative approach to meeting this challenge in a language familiar to business. The key is to create value for investors as well as society and the environment in an integrated bottom line. The Sustainable Company provides detailed case studies of leading companies illustrating this new paradigm in practice. The "how-to" section with a tool-kit for managers elevates The Sustainable Company above other recent eco-friendly business books by providing the Eight Disciplines necessary to create value for shareholders and stakeholders. Its engaging, straightforward text tells the reader how to compete and thrive in an increasingly complex world. The Sustainable Company is the solutions manual for the 21st century manager.
Author(s): Chris Laszlo
Edition: 1
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 232
About Island Press......Page 3
Title Page......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 8
Foreword: Bertrand Collomb......Page 10
Foreword: Steve Percy......Page 14
Preface......Page 18
Acknowledgments......Page 22
Part I: The Leap to Sustainable Vlue......Page 26
Introduction......Page 28
Ch 1: Toward and Integrated Bottom Line......Page 34
Ch 2: The New Ethics in Business......Page 42
Ch 3: What Gets Measured Gets Managed......Page 54
Ch 4: Shareholder Value and Corporate Responsibility......Page 60
Ch 5: The Stakeholder Mind-Set and Culture......Page 70
Part II: Companies Creating Sustainable Value......Page 80
Ch 6: Patagonia, Inc.......Page 82
Ch 7: The Atlantic Richfield Corporation (ARCO)......Page 90
Ch 8: Th Co-Operative Bank......Page 100
Ch 9: Bulmers Limited......Page 114
Part III: The Value Creation Tool Kit......Page 130
Ch 10: Introduction to the Tool Kit......Page 132
Ch 11: The Eight Disciplines......Page 146
Ch 12: Putting It All Together......Page 188
Ch 13: Surveys of Multinational Companies......Page 196
Postscript: Leadership Skills and the Sustainable Firm......Page 200
Appendix......Page 206
chapter 2, 3, 4......Page 228
chapter 5, 6, 7......Page 229
chapter 8, 10, 11......Page 230
chapter 12, 13, appendix......Page 231
Further Reading......Page 232
Index......Page 234
Island Press Board of Directors 2003......Page 240
