The Green Executive

Book excerpt: Over the last five years, the corporate sustainability debate has shifted from one of compliance to one of strategic competitive advantage. Accordingly, responsibility for environmental and sustainability issues has risen from management functions to director level executives. The Green Executive provides everything you need to know to develop a winning sustainability strategy and the leadership skills you require to implement that strategy. The first part of the book explores the business case for action taking into consideration opportunities, threats of inaction, risks of action and the ethical dimension. This is followed by an overview of global environmental problems, including the big three: climate change, resource depletion and toxic materials, and global solutions - including eco-efficiency and industrial ecology. The third part translates these large scale solutions into practical actions for a single business ranging from simple housekeeping measures through to innovative business models. The final, crucial part introduces the sustainability maturity model and provides an insight into how the highest level of that model can be achieved. A range of personal views is provided in the form of 18 exclusive interviews with senior level executives from a wide range of sectors including retail, transport, manufacturing, logistics and the service sector, from small businesses through to international giants like Canon, BT, Marks & Spencer, National Express and GlaxoSmithKline.