Remaking Sustainability

Business is at a sustainability crossroads. There is pressure from some shareholders and elected politicians to dial back on environmental and social issues, sustainability being "too woke" and a constraint on economic growth. However, there are competing pressures that mean that these same issues are now increasingly material to the bottom line; businesses ignore them at their peril as they threaten the true longer-term value of the company. The evidence from the underlying trends in finance, trade and technology reviewed in this book suggests that there is a sustainability bedrock, that it is not too deep, and that the course correction is coming. Businesses should be investing now in core sustainability to be ready for the new, more durable sustainability to come. The book is for anyone who is curious about why. when and how sustainability will re-emerge and how best to prepare for its homecoming. There is a big opportunity: we will lose a lot of the fluff, green-washing, and noise and build a stronger and more meaningful version of sustainability as we do. The book helps any business manager find their sustainability bedrock and to build upon solid foundations. John Morrison is a leading voice on sustainability, advising businesses, governments and international organisations. Two of his previous books 'The Social License' and 'The Just Transition' look at the importance of centering people in all strategy and decision-making, and this builds on what might be called the 'sustainability of sustainability' (also the name of John's Substack). John was the founding CEO of the Institute for Human Rights and Business' (IHRB) which he led for 16 years from 2009-25. He holds advisory and governance roles with a number of UK government departments, as well as Tetra Pak, The John Lewis Partnership, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. John is also Executive Lead for the World Economic Forum's Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour.