Progressive Business Models: Creating Sustainable and Pro-Social Enterprise

by Eleanor O'Higgins (Editor), László Zsolnai (Editor)

Overview

This book presents and analyses exemplary cases of progressive business, understood as ecologically sustainable, future-respecting and pro-social enterprise. The authors present a number of companies following progressive business practices from a range of industries including ethical and sustainable banking, artisan coffee production and distribution, pharmaceutical products, clean technology, governance in retailing, responsible hospitality and consumer goods. With case studies from around Europe such as Tridos Bank in The Netherlands, Béres Co. in Hungary, Novo Nordisk in Denmark, Lumituuli in Finland, John Lewis in the UK and Illy Café from Italy, these progressive companies have global reach and an international impact. The collected cases aim to show the best to be expected from business in the 21st century in a structured accessible way, suitable for any readers interested in innovative ways of creating forward-looking sustainable business.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319864778
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	05/17/2018
Series:	Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2018
Pages:	310
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Eleanor O'Higgins is Adjunct Associate Professor at the College of Business at UCD Dublin, Ireland, and an Associate at the London School of Economics, UK. She specializes in business ethics, corporate responsibility and governance, and strategic and public management. She is the author of numerous papers in academic and professional journals, book chapters and case studies.

László Zsolnai is Professor and Director of the Business Ethics Center of Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary. He is President of the European SPES Institute in Leuven, Belgium. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Future Earth Finance and Economics Knowledge-Action Network in Montreal, Canada.

Table of Contents

Preface.- Part I Introduction.- 1. What is Progressive Business? (Eleanor O’Higgins and Laszlo Zsolnai).- Part II Progressive Business Cases.-2. Banking on Values – Triodos Bank (Nel Hofstra and Luit Kloosterman).- 3. The Power of Tradition – Béres Pharmaceuticals (András Ócsai and Zsolt Boda).- 4. Coffee Making as Art – Illycafé (Antonio Tencati).- 5. Staff Inclusion – DKV Integralia (Marc Vilanova and Silvia Agulló).- 6. Economy for the Common Good – Sonnentor (Michael Muller-Camen and Jutta Camen).- 7. The Business of Recycling – Armor (Benedicte Faivre-Tavignot).- 8. Clean Energy – Lumituuli (Mikko Jalas and Jukka Mäkinen).- 9. The Ethos of Partnership – John Lewis Partnership (Eleanor O’Higgins).- 10. The Danish Model of Corporate Citizenship – The Novo Group (Jacob Dahl Rendtorff).- 11. Responsible Hospitality – Carlson Rezidor (Knut J. Ims and Kjell Grønhaug).-12. Sustainable Living – Unilever (Patrick E. Murphy and Caitlin E. Murphy).- Part III Conclusions.- 13. Future of Business (Eleanor O’Higgins and Laszlo Zsolnai).

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“At Unilever, I emphasised our brands were owned by our consumers, citizens in a community. Only as a constructive and engaged participant in communities, do we earn the respect of citizens and support of consumers. Thus, responsibility and sustainability is embedded in our DNA. This book gets to the heart of that approach.” (Niall Fitzgerald, KBE, former CEO of Unilever, former Chairman of Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust, and of Investment Climate Facility for Africa)

“Increasingly, the most reputable organizations give great importance to the social value they generate. This book relates specific examples of their “Progressive Business Models”, and will undoubtedly be a source of inspiration for managers, and business school professors and students who are committed to building a more open, sustainable and inclusive world.” (Eugenia Bieto, Director General, ESADE Business School, Barcelona and Chairman, CEMS – Global Alliance for Management Education)

"Beyond a very realisticdiagnosis of the dramatic dysfunctions of the dominant corporate paradigm, O'Higgins and Zsolnai tell us, convincingly, how a diversity of companies and corporate leaders around the world offer alternative models to create sustainable and pro-social organizations. Success is clearly explained, hence much learning. So much needed!" (Henri-Claude de Bettignies, Professor, Emeritus, INSEAD)

“At last a practical case-based book with pedagogical application presenting a workable alternative to what the authors argue is the failure of business ethics and CSR. 11 companies, big and small, demonstrate how models of progressive business work. The authors martial the challenges and show how even a multinational can succeed differently.” (Mike Thompson, Chairman of GoodBrand London, UK and Visiting Professor of Management Practice, China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Shanghai, China)

“This timely and innovative volume ambitiously addresses the heart of the failure of pro-social and sustainability efforts in business. It takes an important step forward in transforming the management of organizations for meaningful change that will benefit present and future generations. It is a must-read for academics and practitioners alike.” (David M. Wasieleski, Professor of Management and Business Ethics, Duquesne University, Pittsburg and Affiliate Research Professor in Ethics and Innovative Management, ICN Business School, Nancy, France)

“We all need business to be a force for good. Without being dewy-eyed this book catalogues successful companies created or transformed to serve human purposes. Creating them is one thing. Sustaining them is another. Read this fascinating handbook for examples of the imagination, single-mindedness, stewardship and entrepreneurial drive required.” (Mark Goyder, Founder, Tomorrow’s Company)

“This well researched book on progressive business models demonstrates that forward looking companies don’t view a comprehensive CSR agenda as a business cost but as a key enabler for long term sustainability and success. As Chairman of Business in the Community Ireland, I welcome this academic endorsement of our aims.” (Ronan Murphy, Chairman, Business in the Community Ireland)