Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts (AGENCY/DISTRIBUTED) - Hardcover

Epstein, Marc J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1576754863 ISBN 13: 9781576754863

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008

Synopsis

In recent years, corporations of all sizes and orientations have become more sensitive to social issues and stakeholder concerns and they are collectively striving to become better corporate citizens (in some cases, urged on by shareholder pressure or government regulations). The best practices in corporate sustainability are no longer the exclusive domain of companies like Ben & Jerry’s or Body Shop as they were a decade ago; now, large, multi-national companies like G.E. and Wal-Mart are leading the way with significant financial and organisational commitments to social and environmental issues.

But senior executives who have committed their organisations to improved sustainability are realising that implementing sustainability is particularly challenging. While there is a lot written on ethical and strategic factors, there is a dearth of information on the practical nuts and bolts of implementation. And whereas with most other organisational changes, functions, and initiatives the sole objective is improved financial performance, which is clear and easy to measure, sustainability broadens the focus to include both social and financial performance. For managers this dual focus often creates a paradox, with significant challenges in evaluating the tradeoffs between social and financial performance when excellence is expected in both.

This book builds on Marc Epstein’s decades of work publishing articles and books like Irwin/McGraw Hill’s widely respected Measuring Corporate Environmental Performance to offer a complete guide to implementing and measuring the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives. It draws on Epstein's solid academic foundation and extensive consulting work and includes best practices from dozens of companies in Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Australia and Africa. It is intellectually rigorous yet accessible to corporate managers and, like much of Epstein’s previous work, will have broad appeal to both executives and academics.

Many books have been published that describe the need for improved corporate citizenship and numerous books have focused on the development of a sustainability strategy. And some books have offered some general suggestions about the challenges of implementation. Epstein’s is the first to provide managers with detailed guidance on how to implement sustainability and objectively measure its success.

About this title

Product Description:

Making Sustainability Work Epstein outlines the ethical arguments for sustainable business practices and lays out large-scale strategies on how to implement and measure the actual social and financial impacts of these initiatives. Full description

Review:

They are realising they must effectively manage their social and ecological impacts in order not just to excel, but to survive. With stakes so high, the question on every corporate leader's mind is how to make CSR a reality.

In Making Sustainability Work, Marc Epstein firstly acknowledges somewhat reassuringly the difficult nature of putting these step changes in place. This book spells out the plan to make sustainability happen, with practical day-to-day, results-oriented sense. This is not just a "how to do" guide but very much a "how to get it done" bible. Epstein crucially includes instructions on how to measure the results of CSR initiatives, which is notably lacking in previous texts. Drawing on research into best practices of 100 companies worldwide including Starbucks, Dell and Coca-Cola, the book puts forward a model for implementing sustainability initiatives. Although vast, the topics covered revolve around the following critical areas:* The role of executive management in leading sustainability activities* How organisational design can improve sustainability* Integration of social risk factors into investment, costing and risk* Improving sustainability performance through incentives and rewards* Measuring corporate social, environmental and economic impactsMaking Sustainability Work successfully translates the strategic rhetoric of CSR initiatives into practical, real-life use. Epstein provides and explains tools, processes and metrics to produce and monitor true corporate sustainability. This insightful guide will appeal to corporate leaders, strategists, academics, sustainability consultants, and anyone else with an interest in actively practicing sustainability. http://www.lmcuk.com/book-review/making-sustainability-work - London Management Centre

As a practitioner's guide, Epstein's book offers several virtues not found in other similar sustainability works for managers. First and foremost, his language is the language of business ... Second, sustainability impacts are described using quantitative measures based on Epstein's extensive experience across decades of work with companies. Third, the challenge of sustainability is framed in terms of structures, systems, and procedures ... Fourth, a range of management techniques is offered, including scenario planning to assess future trends. Fifth, the work is peppered with relevant examples to illustrate key points ... And sixth, Epstein does an elegant job in providing a broad strategic vision of the role of global corporations in today's world – a role in which innovation and profit are consistent with addressing sustainability challenges for society and the environment ... Epstein has done a remarkable job of taking the existing methods of management and expanding them to include environmental and social impacts that, until now, were externalized or relegated to the business fringe. Armed with the insights and techniques in this book, practitioners will be able to tackle the sustainability challenges of their organizations in ways that can make them and their companies more successful.Read the full review (PDF) - Chris Laszlo, visiting professor at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Manageme

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About this edition

• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1576754863
• ISBN 13: 9781576754863
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272