Embedded Sustainability: The Next Big Competitive Advantage

by Chris Laszlo, Nadya Zhexembayeva

We are in the midst of a sea-change. In years past, corporate social responsibility may have been seen as a feather in a corporation's cap but, today, ecological and social pressures require a new type of business response. In Embedded Sustainability , authors Chris Laszlo and Nadya Zhexembayeva convincingly show how companies can better leverage global challenges for enduring profit and growth. In this outstanding book, readers will learn about the marquis concept of "embedded sustainability": the incorporation of environmental, health, and social value into core business activities with no trade-off in price or quality. When Clorox introduced its new line of Green Works cleaners or Nissan developed its Leaf 100% electric car, these firms were pursuing a profit shift in mainstream markets. In addition to churning out smarter (instead of just greener) products for consumers at large, embedded sustainability is capable of hugely motivating employees. Most of all, it enables companies to create even higher returns for investors, while responding to the new market realities of declining resources, radical transparency, and rising customer expectations. This book helps readers to comprehend―and act on―the notion of embedded sustainability, explaining why it is now a requisite in every sector, how smart companies are creating even higher value for their customers and investors, and what new management competencies are needed to compete in today's marketplace.

Genres: Environment, Nonfiction, Business

289 pages, Hardcover

First published March 28, 2011

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Embedded sustainability was an interesting book about how corporations can modify their behaviors to increase their viability and improve the good they do for the world while still profiting financially.

I enjoyed the concepts this book explained, but I felt the authors may have had a overly optimistic perspective of what can be accomplished and at what price points.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I’ll set aside this was published in 2011 and I’m reading it in 2019. Even though this speaks heavily about sustainability in the business world, which I am not interested in, there is more than enough quality information and strategy, especially for anyone who’s new to understanding our self-inflicted emergency of climate change.

[Ian McGaffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was insightful as it provides a guide for business to improve and embrace sustainability as a value. While dry at times it tries to create a methodology to allow tomorrow's managers, if not today's, to change the future and make the necessary changes in business before it becomes a crisis. This is definitely something environmentally conscious business people should read.