The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook:
When It All Comes Together

By William G. Russell, Managing Director, SustainEdge
      Jeana Wirtenberg, CEO, Transitioning to Green
      David Lipsky, PhD, Senior Consultant, Conversant

Today, managers and leaders of organizations, in both the private sector and civil society, are being challenged as never before to find ways to play a proactive role in addressing the concerns of sustainable development. But they are often overwhelmed by a bombardment of conflicting messages from the media, shareholders, customers, employees, and NGOs. The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook helps managers deal with this confusion. It teaches them how to strike a better balance, moving from an “either/or” mind-set to one that holistically embraces social, environmental and economic issues simultaneously. It addresses the “what” (“what is a sustainable strategy for  a company or organization?”) as well as the “how” (“how do we go about building a sustainable enterprise?”).

The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook has been put together by an network of experts from business (Microsoft, Sony, Philips, and AIG), consultancies, and academia. Its aim is to teach and guide leaders, managers, practitioners, students, and professors in every sector of society, and in every industry, in creating a successful and sustainable enterprise. By making the steps needed clear, understandable, and simple to follow, the book naturally engages readers in their journey and encourages their participation in three key ways: by increasing their understanding and awareness of what sustainability means at a conceptual and practical, as well as a personal, level; by energizing and expanding people’s commitment to building sustainable enterprises; and by providing readers with extensive tools and techniques so they can individually and collectively take actions that will improve the social, environmental, and economic performance of their organizations in both the short and long term.

Each chapter of the book illustrates through models, tools, cases, stories, and examples from a wide range of companies how to integrate sustainability into the day-to-day realities of running a business. Managers are coached, facilitated, and guided to enable them to create a better balance between the short and long term, to help them to become change agents in their organizations and to provide answers to the question “How do I make a difference?” Some of the areas covered are leadership, strategy, managing change, employee engagement, metrics and measurement, networks, and globalization.

Readers of The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook will find access to the innovative Living Fieldbook which is an online community support service providing ongoing updated assistance in building a sustainable enterprise.

The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook offers an ingredient that has been missing in the enormous outpouring of information on organizations and sustainability: an holistic integration of solutions, which will make the journey personal for each reader.