Read the Air Coalition
From the leaders of the "From Vision to Action" Business and Sustainability Roundtable at Temple University Japan
Sustainability becomes 'Business-as-Usual'
“Leading Sustainably” by Trista Bridges and Donald Eubank is a perfect guide for managers who seek to understand the new age of the stakeholder, how to factor sustainability into their decision-making, and why the SDGs have changed everything
Trista Bridges and Donald Eubank are founders of Read the Air, a business advisory firm that helps companies to integrate sustainability into their strategy and operations, with a focus on business intelligence, leadership and development, and strategic advisory services
The business world is at an important crossroads. The age of the stakeholder is rapidly superseding that of the shareholder as climate change and political and societal shifts upend years of seeming prosperity. To move past this agitated age, business and society must learn to lead sustainably by putting purpose on equal footing with profit.
Inspired by the launch of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, "Leading Sustainably" captures the ideas of more than 100 thought leaders and change makers from around the world about how business is putting sustainability at the core of strategy and operations to survive, thrive, and realign its interests with society’s.
“Leading Sustainably” also includes five vignettes profiling best-in-class examples of companies that have been sustainable from the start and includes case studies that span industries, from hospitality to waste management, fashion to finance and more.
Inside "Leading Sustainably—The path to sustainable business and how the SDGs changed everything"
you will find:
The Foreword by Dr. Mark Milstein, Clinical Professor at Cornell’s SC Johnson Graduate School of Management, and Director at the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise and the Preface and a Prologue,"Vision 2030—Where could we be?", in which we imagine an executive looking back from the year 2030 at the journey his company has taken in adopting a sustainable business model. This sets the stage for:
Chapter 1
Now There’s A Plan—The history of sustainability and the SDGs
Chapter 2
For Profit, Purpose, and Survival—Business embraces sustainability
Chapter 3
From ESG to SDGs— Methodologies for measuring and managing impact
Chapter 4
The Transformation of Finance—Enlightened managers of capital lead the way
Chapter 5
The Road to Sustainability—Best practices for building organizational capabilities and driving implementation
Chapter 6
What’s Next— Industries as hotbeds of sustainable innovation
Chapter 7
Achieving the Breakthrough—Sustainability becomes Business-as-usual
Between each chapter is a profile of best-in-class companies that are "mission-driven"—built for sustainability from the start:
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Toad&Co
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ReNuble
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ECOncrete
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TBM, Co. Ltd.’s LIMEX
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Keen
“'Leading Sustainably' is an informative guide for companies seeking to integrate the UN SDGs and sustainability into their business. The book provides valuable insights and practical steps for how to put sustainability at the core of your business.”
Jin Montesano
LIXIL GROUP CORPORATION
Chief Public Affairs Officer and Chief People Officer
“All this time sustainability has been seen by the business community as a 'responsibility' toward future generations—as more of an obligation. This book brings about a paradigm shift in conventional thinking by showing how sustainability principals can be written into your core business strategies for increased profitability through achieving a competitive edge, and thus drive progress on the SDGs.”
Dr. Thusitha Tennakoon
Consortium of Consultants for Sustainable
Development (CCSD) Sri Lanka
Lead Consultant
“'Leading Sustainably' draws a complete scene of sustainability development for business. The authors give concrete steps, practical suggestions, and questions you may face during the process. It’s a great reference for business to start sustainability planning, and also a helpful checklist for businesses that have been on the road to sustainability."
Sharon Lin
SHIN KONG FINANCIAL HOLDING
CSR Project Assistant Manager
“A growing number of entrepreneurs today are building businesses with a social mission, guided by strong sustainability principles. Bridges and Eubank feature five such mission-driven companies and show how traditional businesses can also take meaningful steps to become more like them.”
Robin Lewis and Mariko McTier
SOCIAL INNOVATION JAPAN
Co-founders and Directors
"Without changing and re-examining the underpinning of their business models, their processes and business practices, companies (both large and small) will see their markets shrinking, their customers moving on and their value being destroyed. For those who may find this all a bit overwhelming, Chapter V has ten clearly outlined steps aptly titled, ‘Achieving Sustainability: How to get there’. The book is well laid out and sequenced with powerful stories of businesses that have re-aligned themselves to the changing world."
Shantanu Bhagwhat
Senior Advisor, VC Funds & Impact Investments, Senior Advisor VC Funds, Department for International Trade (DIT), UK Government and Venture Partner, Ufi Ventures
“A must read for everyone on the journey towards sustainable business. It provides the context, and more importantly specific guidance on how to accelerate the transition towards models which will help to change the way business is done, respecting the needs of both society and our planet.”
Jeff Turner
DSM, Vice President of Sustainability
“’Leading Sustainably’ offers a road map for integrating the latest sustainability thinking into business practice. Bridges and Eubank demonstrate―through presentation of excellent case examples and historical evolution of the field―how SDG mandates contribute to effective business management and value creation to the benefit of both shareholders and stakeholders alike.”
Jed Emerson
AUTHOR OF “The Purpose of Capital: Elements of Impact, Financial Flows and Natural Being”
“Bridges and Eubank’s book is a new and ultra-accessible exploration of the rapidly evolving intersection of business and sustainability, with a focus on business cases, best practices and practical steps to make progress, and how the subject is shooting up in importance for companies and managers.”
Dr. Florian Kohlbacher
AUTHOR OF “International Marketing in the Network Economy”, “Advertising in the Aging Society” and “The Silver Market Phenomenon”
“Businesses must respond to climate change and societal changes. Aiming to address these challenges and improve society is the secret to business success. Reading this book will help you understand the important actions and steps to take.”
Kenichi Ishida
SEKISUI HOUSE
Managing Officer & Chief Manager of the Environment Improving Department
“’Leading Sustainably’ provides an in-depth discussion of how to measure and manage impact. It showcases practical ways for businesses to manage their non-financial effects on people and planet, and their contributions towards the SDGs.”
Karl Richter
ENGAGEDX
Executive Director and Co-founder
“Bridges and Eubank have created a useful primer on how business leaders’ response to sustainability is evolving today―covering cutting-edge approaches, up-to-date case studies, and effective management practices. More importantly, the writing is fresh and accessible to corporate executives, investment managers, and researches, alike.”
William J. Swinton
TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, Japan Campus
Director, International Business Studies
“’Leading Sustainably’ is an in-depth look at a subject that ought to be paramount in every corporations’ business plan. Bridges and Eubank share their extensive expertise on what sustainability in business means and its past and future, while laying out a clear, concise roadmap for corporations to follow.”
Maho Uehara-Cavalier
THE HUMANE LEAGUE
Regional Manager
“The SDGs have a strong influence on economies, society, and the environment worldwide in the future. Bridges and Eubank introduce practical business models and procedures to advance the SDGs in this book, which is highly recommended to all.”
Dr. P.C. Wang
Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) and Center for Corporate Sustainability (CCS) Deputy Secretary General and Chung Yuan Christian University Adjunct Assistant Professor
Put sustainability at the core of your business
About the authors
Trista Bridges
Trista Bridges is a highly regarded advisor with extensive experience in strategy development and execution topics. In her recent work as cofounder of Read the Air, she advises businesses on sustainability, providing them with the insights and solutions needed to transition to sustainable business models.
Donald Eubank
Donald Eubank is a seasoned manager with experience across the IT, finance, and media industries. As a cofounder of Read the Air, he serves as an important advisor to businesses that are integrating sustainability into their core strategy, guiding their teams to lead sustainably and apply critical tools for managing their impact.
Read the Air
Read the Air is a business advisory coalition providing a complete range of high-end advisory services and strategic tools that help organizations by creating timely, relevant and accurate solutions to their sustainable business and operational needs (www.readtheair.jp).