Complete playbook to plan, execute, and showcase corporate sustainability initiatives

Based on extensive research conducted in the past several years at the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland (IMD), Leading the Sustainable Business Transformation: A Playbook from IMD helps readers understand why sustainability matters, what it involves, how it fits with corporate strategy and how to implement it according to the specifics of their companies. This playbook emphasises both strategic and organisational work, delivering a framework to generate solid financial returns without depleting the world’s natural and social wealth.

With detailed case studies and quotations from executives to provide context, this book explores topics including:

• How social and environmental sustainability initiatives sharply differ from the much-criticised Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework
• Barriers to change based on gaps in organisational capacity and how to overcome them
• Minimising risks, accelerating change and fostering innovation through AI powered by Big Data
• Managing performance and measuring impact through new KPIs that utilise relevant metrics
• Marketing strategies to showcase sustainability efforts in a way that resonates with consumers

Filled with actionable strategies to navigate the intersection of global impact and financial success with precision and purpose, Leading the Sustainable Business Transformation is an essential read for executives and business leaders seeking to transform their organisations for the better.

Julia Binder is IMD Professor of Sustainable Innovation and Business Transformation. She is also a director at IMD’s Center for Sustainable and Inclusive Business. Her work has been published in the Journal of Business Venturing and the Academy of Management Review.

Knut Haanaes is IMD Professor of Strategy and the Lundin Chair Professor of Sustainability. He is involved with IMD’s partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. His work has been published in the Harvard Business Review.