The Business of Sustainability - Building Industry Cases for Corporate Sustainability

Most academics and certainly most sustainability managers agree that research on the 'business case' for sustainability has been very inconclusive. In fact many have simply decided that the business case for sustainability is elusive. This book goes further than ever before in trying to be more specific about the economic rationale for corporate sustainability, by approaching this issue on an industry-specific level. To do this, empirical evidence was gathered from managers in nine industries, along with their stakeholders, during an extensive and ambitious research project. The book gives a detailed and representative insight of the business case in the nine sectors but also a unique cross-industry perspective on this issue.

List of contents

Introduction PART 1: BUILDING A BUSINESS CASE: GENERAL FINDINGS, OBSERVATIONS AND LESSONS LEARNED Corporate Sustainability: The New Catch Phrase? How to Search for a Business Case - and Build It Cross-Sector Research Findings Assessment of the Business Case PART 2: SECTOR REPORTS Automotive Industry; M.Brunner Aviation Industry; A.Gebel Energy Industry; O.Salzmann Financial Services Industry; H-J.Hess Food and Beverage Industry; A.Ionescu-Somers

About the author

MARC BRUNNER Technische Universität Berlin, Germany OLIVER ECHELMANN Technische Universität Berlin, Germany ACHIM GEBEL Technische Universität Berlin, Germany HANS-JÖRG HESS Technische Universität Berlin, Germany AILEEN IONESCU-SOMERS Researcher, Forum for Corporate Sustainability Management, IMD,Switzerland and University College Cork, Ireland OLIVER SALZMANN Researcher, Forum for Corporate Sustainability Management, IMD, Switzerland and Technische Universität Berlin, Germany.

Summary

Most academics and certainly most sustainability managers agree that research on the 'business case' for sustainability has been very inconclusive. In fact many have simply decided that the business case for sustainability is elusive. This book goes further than ever before in trying to be more specific about the economic rationale for corporate sustainability, by approaching this issue on an industry-specific level. To do this, empirical evidence was gathered from managers in nine industries, along with their stakeholders, during an extensive and ambitious research project. The book gives a detailed and representative insight of the business case in the nine sectors but also a unique cross-industry perspective on this issue.

Additional text

'This book is a major contribution to the Business Case debate and both insightful and useful for corporate executives, especially of the more skeptical kind. It also delivers excellent material for the classrooms of MBA and Executive education, where the need for this kind of contribution is even greater.' - Prof Gilbert Lenssen, President European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS)
'This book presents groundbreaking conclusions on a subject that has become highly relevant to modern-day corporations: the economic reasons why companies integrate social and environmental into business strategy. I would advise any business executive who is seeking an overview or indeed a focused industry perspective on this issue to read this book. Based on solid empirical foundations, it is, to my knowledge, also the first-ever comprehensive attempt to look at the business case for sustainability from an industry-specific perspective.' - Peter Forstmoser, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Swiss Reinsurance
'DaimlerChrysler gained additional insight from participating in the research Building a Business Case for Corporate Sustainability. The Case provides helpful hints on the economic logic to be covered in this area and provides ideas on how to move forward strategically.' - Dr. Rüdiger Grube, Member of the Management Board of DaimlerChrysler
'For those with a real interest in corporate sustainability and a desire to make it work in practice, this book will prove an invaluable resource. Detailed and authoritative, it provides a compelling analysis of the issues facing businesses today.' John Ling, Chartered Institute of Marketing Magazine

Report

'This book is a major contribution to the Business Case debate and both insightful and useful for corporate executives, especially of the more skeptical kind. It also delivers excellent material for the classrooms of MBA and Executive education, where the need for this kind of contribution is even greater.' - Prof Gilbert Lenssen, President European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS)
'This book presents groundbreaking conclusions on a subject that has become highly relevant to modern-day corporations: the economic reasons why companies integrate social and environmental into business strategy. I would advise any business executive who is seeking an overview or indeed a focused industry perspective on this issue to read this book. Based on solid empirical foundations, it is, to my knowledge, also the first-ever comprehensive attempt to look at the business case for sustainability from an industry-specific perspective.' - Peter Forstmoser, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Swiss Reinsurance
'DaimlerChrysler gained additional insight from participating in the research Building a Business Case for Corporate Sustainability. The Case provides helpful hints on the economic logic to be covered in this area and provides ideas on how to move forward strategically.' - Dr. Rüdiger Grube, Member of the Management Board of DaimlerChrysler
'For those with a real interest in corporate sustainability and a desire to make it work in practice, this book will prove an invaluable resource. Detailed and authoritative, it provides a compelling analysis of the issues facing businesses today.' John Ling, Chartered Institute of Marketing Magazine

Product details

• Assisted by: Steger (Editor), U Steger (Editor), U. Steger (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer Palgrave Macmillan
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2016
• EAN: 9781349516964
• ISBN: 978-1-349-51696-4
• No. of pages: 238
• Dimensions: 140 mm x 14 mm x 216 mm
• Weight: 331 g
• Illustrations: XVIII, 238 p.
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Management; B, Leadership, Economics, Business Strategy/Leadership, Economics, general, Management science, Business Strategy and Leadership, Palgrave Business & Management Collection