Beyond the Triple Bottom Line: Eight Steps toward a Sustainable Business Model

by Francisco Szekely, Zahir Dossa, Jeffrey Hollender (Foreword by)

Overview

A pragmatic new business model for sustainability that outlines eight steps that range from exploring a mission to promoting innovation; with case studies.

Many recent books make the case for businesses to become more sustainable, but few explain the specifics. In this book, Francisco Szekely and Zahir Dossa offer a pragmatic new business model for sustainability that extends beyond the traditional framework of the triple bottom line, describing eight steps that range from exploring a vision and establishing a strategy to implementing the strategy and promoting innovation.

Szekely and Dossa argue that businesses and organizations need to move away from the business case for sustainability toward a sustainable business model. That is, businesses should go beyond the usual short-term focus on minimizing harm while maximizing profits. Instead, businesses on the path to sustainability should, from the start, focus on addressing a societal need and view profitability not as an end but as a means to support the sustainable organization.

Szekely and Dossa explore key problems organizations face when pursuing a sustainability agenda. Each chapter presents one of the eight steps, describes a business dilemma for sustainability, provides a theoretically grounded strategic framework, offers case studies that illustrate the dilemma, and summarizes key findings; the case studies draw on the experiences of such companies as Tesla Motors, Patagonia, TOMs, and Panera. The book emphasizes leadership, arguing that leaders who question the status quo, inspire others, and take risks are essential for achieving sustainable business practices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262552806
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	08/06/2024
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Francisco Szekely is Sandoz Foundation Professor of Leadership and Sustainability at IMD Business School in Lausanne, where he is also Director of the Global Centre for Sustainability Leadership.

Zahir Dossa is is the CEO and Co-founder of Function of Beauty.

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xiii

Executive Summary xvii

Acknowledgments xix

1 Introduction 1

2 Sustainability Mission: What Is the Purpose of Your Organization? 29

3 Long-Term Vision: What Will Your Organization Look Like in Twenty-Five Years? 49

4 Sustainability Strategy: Identify Your Stakeholders and Develop a Plan to Impact Them in a Positive Way? 67

5 Implementing Sustainability Strategy: How Can You Engage Your Stakeholders for Maximum Impact? 91

6 Measuring Sustainability Performance: How Do You Measure Nonfinancial Performance? 109

7 Transparency and Accountability: Can You Pass the Newspaper Test? 131

8 Scaling: Can Sustainability Scale? 149

9 Sustainability Innovation: What Makes Sustainability Innovations Unique? 165

10 Making It Happen 177

Notes 199

Index 217

What People are Saying About This

Carol A. Hee

Beyond the Triple Bottom Line is an exceptional contribution for those who are honestly interested in leading their organizations to true sustainability. The text provides a valuable balance between the theoretical and practical; it inspires while simultaneously providing clear and actionable steps. The book's writing is engaging and thought-provoking—equally as valuable in a boardroom as in a classroom.It is well past time to move beyond doing less bad and toward creating value for all stakeholders based on business models formulated with the objective of achieving what is good and just.

John Varley OBE TD

At Clinton Devon Estates we have survived over 700 years of transformation. This excellent book reflects our view that unless society wants you to exist, you will be out of business. Szekely and Dossa are right to emphasize the responsibility of those who lead organizations to always look ahead, consider what new generations will want, and deliver it.

Endorsement

At Clinton Devon Estates we have survived over 700 years of transformation. This excellent book reflects our view that unless society wants you to exist, you will be out of business. Szekely and Dossa are right to emphasize the responsibility of those who lead organizations to always look ahead, consider what new generations will want, and deliver it.

—John Varley OBE TD, CEO, Clinton Devon Estates

From the Publisher

Beyond the Triple Bottom Line is an exceptional contribution for those who are honestly interested in leading their organizations to true sustainability. The text provides a valuable balance between the theoretical and practical; it inspires while simultaneously providing clear and actionable steps. The book's writing is engaging and thought-provoking—equally as valuable in a boardroom as in a classroom. It is well past time to move beyond doing less bad and toward creating value for all stakeholders based on business models formulated with the objective of achieving what is good and just.

—Carol A. Hee, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

At Clinton Devon Estates we have survived over 700 years of transformation. This excellent book reflects our view that unless society wants you to exist, you will be out of business. Szekely and Dossa are right to emphasize the responsibility of those who lead organizations to always look ahead, consider what new generations will want, and deliver it.

—John Varley OBE TD, CEO, Clinton Devon Estates