The Quest for Sustainable Business An Epic Journey in Search of Corporate Responsibility

About this book

In January 2010, author, academic and social entrepreneur Dr Wayne Visser set off on a nine-month, 20-country "quest" to talk to entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators and learn about how companies in all parts of the world can and are helping to tackle the world's most pressing social and environmental problems. His aim was to explore the many varieties of global approaches to sustainable business practices first-hand and to share some of the most innovative global examples. The result is this treasure trove of a book, full of stories, ideas, links to more than 100 video interviews, best practices and tools for making sustainable business work in a myriad of different contexts, cultures and settings.

Besides sharing insights from his 2010 "CSR Quest World Tour", the author captures his professional experiences and the evolution of sustainable business over the past 20 years. The path begins in Africa and winds its way through Asia, North America, Europe, Australasia and Latin America. The author shares what he has learned in encounters with mega-corporations and small farmers, and conversations with CEOs and social entrepreneurs. There are facts and figures about world trends, and interviews with thought leaders and activists. This is a tale that consciously weaves the personal and the professional, mixing anecdotes and case studies. It looks outwards and reflects inwards, and is both autobiography and the life story of a global movement.

Contents

Author's introduction Prologue: Roots and shoots
Early days (Zimbabwe: 1970 - 1978)

PART I: AFRICA
1. Divided and united: Investing in change (South Africa: 1978 - 1991)
2. Holism and hope: Towards a SANE society (South Africa: 1993 - 1994, 1996 - 1997)
3. Governance and greed: Accounting for impacts (South Africa: 1997 - 2001)
4. Tears and flowers: Recreating a culture of ethics (Kenya: 1991, 2010)
5. Friends and foes: Oil on troubled waters (Nigeria, 2011)

PART II: EUROPE
6. Directives and policies: Eurocrats take on CSR (Belgium: 2010)
7. Green and growing: Re-engineering growth (Germany, Austria: 2002, 2008, 2009)
8. Breakdown and breakthrough: Navigating the chaos (Hungary: 2003, 2011)
9. Partnerships and poverty: New governance for a new world (Switzerland: 2008)
10. Cycles and cradles: Faster, further and higher (The Netherlands: 1997, 2002, 2009, 2011)

PART III: ASIA
11. Kaizen and kyosei: Driving a better future(Japan: 1990)
12. Yin and yang: Striving for harmony (China: 2008, 2010)
13. Too much sun: A slow starter (Australia, 2010, 2011)
14. Merlions and orang-utans: A new breed of entrepreneurs (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand: 2010, 2011)
15. Access and justice: Purpose out of chaos (India: 2010)

PART IV: THE AMERICAS
16. Mythology and pathology: Unmasking the corporation (Canada: 1992, 2008)
17. Plantations and houses: The lessons of shared responsibility (Guatemala, Mexico: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
18. Emergence and convergence: Birth of a new capitalism (United States: 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010)
19. Globalisation and innovation: Redefining growth and progress (United States, 2008)
20. Economics and evolution: Barefoot journeys towards abundance (Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador: 2010)

PART IV: THE UNITED KINGDOM
21. Humans and ecology: From New Age to 'new' economics (United Kingdom: 1992, 1995 - 1996)
22. Meaning and change: Making a difference (United Kingdom: 2003 - 2006)
23. Research and reading: Landmarks for Sustainability (United Kingdom: 2007 - 2009)
24. Pioneers and paradoxes: In search of sustainable business (United Kingdom: 2004, 2008 - 2011)
25. Death and rebirth: From CSR 10 to CSR 20 (United Kingdom: 2008 - 2012)

Epilogue: Smart, shared and sustainable The alchemical quest (2012 and beyond)

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