sustainability

ISSP Book Review by Stephanie Sharma

Title: "The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line"
Author: Bob Willard
Publisher: New Society
Year: 2002
Length: 203 pages
Price: $29.95

"What would happen if companies unleashed the untapped creative energies of all their people and encouraged them to help fulfill the vision of sustainable development?" Bob Willard sets out to challenge the reader with what could be, a vision of running a profitable organization because of a focus on sustainability vs. a more traditional and singular focus on the economic indicators. With an initial outline of semantics in the industry, sound research contributing to the well-known lack of consistency in sustainable development metrics, Willard challenges the reader to consider the practical and practitioner-based approach to manage business differently; all of this vision and charge posed in 2002. While 10 years ago, this simple and clear outline of seven potential business benefits to sustainable development is exactly where companies, today, are needing as a 'starting point' to adopt, adjust or enhance sustainable business practices as a profit imperative.

Willard introduces the potential as part of his "proposal" chapter noting a "road-map" into the future including consideration and planning that challenges existing models and structures and the more reactive "problem avoider" vs. the proactive business entrepreneur who builds business strategy including a filter on sustainability. He then builds the business case by providing the seven areas for business and profit benefit. As a foundation building benefit, Willard begins the seven benefits with "hiring talent" noting the asset as the most important corporate resource. A sustainable development image will be built as efforts attract the best talent in the market and reduce recruiting costs. The second benefit, "talent retention" builds on the first and helps to ensure the organization and it's teams are positioned to sustain strategy. Here he outlines the key to creating a culture of commitment, the high costs of turnover are outlined and the consideration leaders and managers should make about why people stay (and it is not because of pay). Sustainable development as part of this benefit, emphasizes that retention will come from the purpose beyond the profit. "Increasing employee productivity" is the third business benefit gained from sustainable practices. Here Willard makes a link between vision including core ideologies and the inspirational effect on employees, making multiple references to research and models in this linkage. Additionally, this chapter explains the productivity to innovation to bottom line impact as well as how team engagement, from this common vision and purpose, yields greater productivity. The next two benefits clearly outline the reduction of "expenses in manufacturing…commercial sites" through the multitude of options, based on the business type, for savings. Clear notation is provided about ensuring that environmental-related savings be delineated and potentially reinvested back into the organization, to guide accounting to define those requiring capital investment vs. those that may be defined as maintenance. Ensuring a payback period that is consistent with this reinvestment is key. Benefit six, "increase revenue / market share" is the exciting shareholder-driven business strategy and a sustainable development system challenges organizations to anticipate changes in societal and consumer expectations. A sustainable business will consider services over products, serve to increase mind share, market share and therefore overall profitability. Further the business is positioned to achieve organic growth, customer loyalty and a higher price per transaction. Finally, Willard provides a case-based description of the seventh benefit of "reduced risk, easier financing" with detailed illustrations of market risk, balance sheet risk, operating risk, capital cost risk, and sustainability risk. All work together to create an appealing place for investors.

Willard works to dispel the complexity of calculation and objectivity in potential impact by providing worksheets, with calculations using a hypothetical company's financials and providing those in a 12 page appendix. As he notes and many before and after him have noted, sustainability initiatives will rarely gain traction or serious strategic consideration without hard metrics and clear linkages to the business bottom line, costs as well as revenues and overall operating profit.

"The Sustainability Advantage" is an easy to understand and apply business book for managers and leaders in any size of business who hope to start a sustainable development strategy as part of a new business, an existing framework, or a division within a corporation. Additionally, it is a good guide for practitioners in research and consulting to help guide considerations and areas for greatest opportunity within those organizations with whom they are advising. Finally, this summary is refreshing in that it creates a solid foundation based on human capital commitment and performance; largely overlooked, un-managed and difficult to quantify areas of business, yet crucial to the ongoing and long-term sustainability of any business-focused strategy.

"The question of reaching sustainability is not about if we will have enough energy, enough food, or other tangible resources - those we have. The question is: will there be enough leaders in time? - Dr. Göran Broman and Dr. Karl-Henrik Robèrt, MSLS programme founders

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In a beautiful town on the south eastern coast of Sweden future leaders are being taught using innovative learning practices combine deep learning of The Natural Step (the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development) with the core skills and knowledge to help lever and lead change in countries spread over the planet.


BTH (Blekinge Institute of Technology) is home to one of the leading sustainability masters programmes, the Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability (MSLS) MSc. This groundbreaking programme recognizes that the global challenge of achieving a sustainable society requires cooperation across borders and disciplines and through its students brings together a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences to explore in the stimulating environment created by the programme and location.




To date more than 300 students, conversant in more than 30 languages and representing over 50 countries have graduated from the 1 year MSc (taught in English). They have brought a wealth of experience in finance, architecture, management, entrepreneurship, teaching, chemistry, arts, engineering, and many other fields to help share to tackle some of the difficult sustainability issues we currently face.



Using a solid scientific foundation, the programme begins by assessing and understanding society’s current sustainability challenges. Building on this foundation, the curriculum introduces complementary skills in strategic management, organisational learning and change, economics, engineering, and effective collaboration. Through both our internal expertise and our partnerships with external organisations, the MSLS programme draws on the latest research and expertise from world-leading sustainability practitioners.




"I am amazed at the depth of learning I experienced, especially around the theories and practices of strategic leadership. Such a rich environment to create your own learning journey and accelerate your skills in guiding clients through the change process toward sustainability. I don't know where in the 'outside world' I could have had access to the top practitioners in the fields of sustainability, leadership and organizational change than those offered through MSLS. My clients will certainly benefit from this deeper level of understanding, consciousness and knowledge I can now bring to our shared work." -Tracy Meisterheim, Blue Heron Sustainability Associates, TNS-U.S.




The feedback from students illustrates not only the strength of the programme, it also reinforces another important element that of co-creation, co-learning and the sharing of experiences. Many people say their year in Sweden changed their lives, providing a valuable learning environment where strong and lasting friendships are created where there is space to explore the beautiful surroundings and conversations to explore what we can positively do to help build a more sustainable world.


Every year the programme puts out an invitation to future sustainability leaders to apply to join this incredible learning journey.

If you would like to find out more or know of someone you think would thrive in such a learning space then have a look at the website and download the brochure. Applications open December 1, 2011 and close January 15th,  2012. Please go to www.bth.se/MSLS <http://www.bth.se/MSLS> 

As an alumnus (2011) I would be happy to be contacted about my Masters year in Sweden and about what I experienced from the course and the place.  (danapearlman@gmail.com)
 

Business Essentials Workshop
How to benefit from Sustainable Business Practices
UZD, Turkey, and Greenomics Corporation of Canada invite you to embrace sustainability
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Discover how sustainability mitigates global economic risks.
Gain access to tools and resources that create a competitive edge.
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See attached for more details.

Parkin, Sara (2010) The Positive Deviant: Sustainability Leadership in a Perverse World. Earthscan: London, England.

When I first started reading this book, I was really excited. The intro claimed the book was for those of us who “does the right thing for sustainability, despite being surrounded by the wrong institutional structures, the wrong processes, and stubbornly uncooperative people.” I was so hungry for a book that could help me and others deal with our role in society, of being Cassandra, trying to convince the oblivious masses on the Titanic that we need to turn the ship. I wanted tools and techniques, or at least some commiseration. But the book never fulfilled my hopes.
Section 1 is a nice review of the state of the world and sustainability concepts, with some new info I hadn’t seen (eg a table showing the rates of depletion of critical metals and minerals).
Section 2 covers our dysfunctional system including leadership models and business schools that contribute to the status quo.
Section 3 covers sustainability-literate leadership, including four habits of thought: resilience, relationships, reflection and reverence.
Section 4 is the global to do list.

Edwards, Andrés (2010) Thriving Beyond Sustainability: Pathways to a resilient society. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers.

Finally a book that doesn’t waste chapters documenting the problems. This book pulls together a lot of the solutions already underway. Chapters include learning from our ancestors, going ‘glocal’, greening commerce, regenerative design, etc. The up-side is that this book pulls together a bunch of good initiatives; the down-side is that if you’ve been in the industry for a while, only dribs and drabs will be new to you.

The last chapter lays out his SPIRALS framework, a set of criteria for what he calls a ‘thriveable future’: scaleable, place-making, intergenerational, resilient, accessible, life-affirming, self-care.

Robert, Karl-Henrik (2002) The Natural Step Story: Seeding a quiet revolution. Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers.

Order: The Natural Step Story

Even though I’ve been teaching The Natural Step framework for years, it was nice to get reconnected to the story of its creation. I’ve seen Robert speak, years ago, but this book allows you to get deeper into his thinking and experience. It also corrects some often quoted misconceptions. He talks about how the framework came to be and some of the success stories. But this is no whitewash. He also talks frankly about the challenges the organization encountered and the political attacks on his integrity. He provides a handful of powerful but effective communication tools for defusing resistance. For anyone who uses or lectures on TNS, this is a good touchstone to go back to, to hone your story and get the details right.