Sustainable & Ethical Business Strategy
Success in the 21st century means more than just profit. Customers, employees, and investors are holding organisations to higher standards—demanding accountability, transparency, and sustainability. The best businesses of tomorrow will be those that create value without compromising people or the planet.
This Insight Pathway is for executives, founders, strategists, and policymakers who want to lead responsibly while still competing effectively. It combines visionary thinking with practical tools for action.
Included Summaries
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Net Positive – Paul Polman & Andrew Winston (doing well by doing good)
A roadmap for making business a force for good. Polman, former Unilever CEO, argues for companies to contribute more to the world than they take—moving beyond CSR to embedded, scalable impact. -
Doughnut Economics – Kate Raworth (rethinking growth and prosperity)
Raworth introduces a visual framework for balancing human needs with planetary boundaries. This challenges the obsession with GDP and reframes economics as a tool for sustainability and equity. -
The Responsible Company – Yvon Chouinard & Vincent Stanley (ethical practices at Patagonia)
Lessons from Patagonia on embedding environmental and social ethics into operations, supply chains, and corporate governance—without losing competitiveness. -
Green Swans – John Elkington (exponential innovation for regeneration)
Elkington argues for a shift from incremental change to systemic transformation. He introduces “Green Swans”—positive market disruptions that drive regenerative value. -
Principles for Responsible Investment – UN-backed PRI (investment frameworks for ESG)
This practical guide outlines how capital can be steered toward ethical and sustainable outcomes, helping boards and financial leaders align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.
Reflection & Application
A sustainable business isn’t a niche strategy—it’s the future. These books challenge old assumptions and offer credible paths toward ethical leadership and long-term value creation.
Key Takeaways:
- Net Positive reframes business as a net contributor to society.
- Doughnut Economics replaces outdated growth metrics with holistic wellbeing.
- The Responsible Company shows how ethics can be operationalised.
- Green Swans inspires system-level innovation with regenerative outcomes.
- PRI equips leaders to align investments with sustainability principles.
Applying the Insights
To lead sustainably:
- Audit your business model using the Doughnut framework—what boundaries are you ignoring?
- Establish a ‘net positive’ initiative in your organisation to give more than you take.
- Embed ESG metrics in executive dashboards and board reviews.
- Redesign incentives and governance to reward long-term, ethical behaviour.
- Engage in scenario planning around climate risk and social license to operate.
Profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive. This pathway equips you to drive both—responsibly and boldly.
“The business of business is to improve the state of the world.” – Marc Benioff