ABSTRACT
IT HAS BEEN A DOMINANT THEME OF THIS BOOK that sustainability can be achieved only with the whole-scale participation of the business sector—the engine of economic prosperity. To some authors, such as Anderson, McDonough, and Braugart, nothing short of a new industrial revolution will suffice. While sustainability brings with it challenges and threats to the established order, it also brings extraordinary opportunities not only for long-run corporate profitability but also for a more stable social, political, and physical environment. Figure 28–1 summarizes the dual nature of the challenge facing business—as epitomized by the Chinese character for “crisis” described in chapter 1. To date, we have witnessed the adoption of numerous incremental steps toward sustainability by many mainstream businesses as well as the emergence of social enterprise dedicated to the advancement of sustainable goals [see chapter 27]. What is ultimately required is the adoption of fundamental principles of sustainable strategy, process and products across all sectors of the global economy, and all types and sizes of enterprises. This goal still remains a distant hope. Corporate sustainability threats and opportunities https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203107478/c2bc82bb-d1e1-4a9f-b07e-484744df4bd9/content/fig28_1_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>
