Fundamentals of Sustainable Business

Book excerpt: Fundamentals of Sustainable Business begins by briefly describing the legacy of environmental and social problems that have arisen as a result of conventional business practices, and then details the coalescence of a broad-based contemporary movement that has been called "The Next Industrial Revolution." Combining the long-term interests of business, community, and the natural world, the resulting sustainable business reformation is unlike any previous human endeavor. The book deftly synthesizes a diverse collection of movement components, including some original concepts, and provides a single comprehensive and definitive source for understanding the emerging and complex phenomenon of sustainable business. This work challenges many long-held conventional assumptions involving the relationship of the natural world and humankind as well as our fundamental approaches to industrial production. It critiques the various emerging brands of sustainable business activities, and provides the reader with a clear understanding of the essential design components of a movement that provides a conceptual infrastructure for a prosperous and healthy world for all generations of all species for all time.