ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 looks at how the economic and scientific foundations of Chapter 2, and the principles, regulations and guiding tools from Chapter 3, could translate into tangible strategies and models for business to respond to the sustainability challenge. The chapter starts with the strategic responses to sustainability. Sustainability has traditionally been seen through a trade-off lens as a cost and as value destruction but is increasingly seen through a win-win lens as an opportunity for value creation, requiring a number of shifts in thinking, such as from offering product ownership to providing functionality and service, from defensive to offensive, from linear to circular. Within conventional strategy frameworks that are used for sustainability purposes, generic and blue ocean strategies, disruptive innovation and the resource-based view are covered. Dedicated sustainability strategy frameworks include The Natural Step, Natural Capitalism, Green to Gold as well as eco-effectiveness and cradle-to-cradle principles. Business models for sustainability are also covered. As sustainability is a learning process and a journey, the different phases and stages in moving towards it are discussed, drawing on various models. The incremental and transformational changes as well as leadership (e.g. change agents) needed to drive companies towards environmental sustainability conclude the chapter.
