Urgent Business

Five Myths Business Needs to Overcome to Save Itself and the Planet

Thomson, Ian, Bates, Dominic, Ian Thomson, Dominic Bates

• Publisher: Bristol University Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781529217599
• eBook ISBN: 9781529217605
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Development
• Index: Business

Getting business on board is essential if we want to achieve the United Nations' goal of building a better future for people and planet by 2030. But much of the sustainable business agenda falls woefully short of what is needed, with some practices even accelerating the problems they're trying to solve.

In Urgent Business Ian Thomson and Dominic Bates, a business school professor and a former journalist, combine their expert insight to challenge five common myths that trap businesses in an unsustainable black-hole and offer a manifesto for change. Combining cutting-edge research – from AI and systems theory to climate science and behavioural economics – with fascinating real-world examples, the authors highlight the practical and holistic steps all businesses can take to play their part in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals..

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Detailed Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword by Paul Polman
• Joining the Dots
• Myth 1: A Successful Business Is a Growing and Profitable One
• Myth 2: Only Manage What You Can Measure
• Myth 3: Laser-Like Focus Gets Results
• Myth 4: The Consumer Is Always Right
• Myth 5: Irresponsible Decisions Are Made by Irresponsible Leaders
• Do Something
• Appendix 1: Get to Know Your Global Goals
• Appendix 2: Connecting Purpose with the Global Goals and Systems that Underpin Them
• Appendix 3: The Resilience Assessment Workbook
• Appendix 4: Carbon Scoping
• Further Reading
• Glossary
• Endnotes
• References