The Financial Times Guide to Sustainable Business
Description
Doing business in a sustainable way is more important than ever. But for many leaders, it can be difficult to understand and apply in practice. It is not always clear what sustainability means for your business or how to take the right steps. This book is a clear and practical guide for leaders who want to make a real difference. It answers key questions such as why it matters, what actions to take and how to put them into practice.
- Learn to create a clear and effective sustainability strategy for your business.
- Understand what it truly means to be a responsible and sustainable leader.
- Find out how to measure your company's real impact on the world.
- Set up the right governance and reporting to build trust and transparency.
- Learn how to get your employees, customers, and suppliers involved.
- Explore how to finance your sustainable goals and create real change.
The Financial Times Guide to Sustainable Business gives you a clear and simple framework to take action. It brings together research and real business experience to explain what works in practice. The book is organised in a logical way, making it easy to follow and apply in your daily work.
After reading this book, you will be able to lead with confidence. You can build a clear strategy and take actions that benefit both your business and society. This book is for business leaders, professionals and students who want to build a better future. It is also useful for investors, consultants, policy makers and leaders in public sector organisations and NGOs.
Reviews / Votes
"I've been waiting for this book. It beautifully strikes that hard-to-find balance that recognises the responsibility companies have for the natural and social systems upon which they depend, while at the same time recognising their responsibility to create value for shareholders. It is both practical and inspirational. I wish every leader would read this book. They'd all be better for it."Professor Robert G. Eccles, Founding Chair, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, co-founder, founding Chair of KKR Sustainability Expert Advisory Group
"This book is a call to action. Far from fads and easy shortcuts, Mary Johnstone-Louis and Richard Barker combine depth of analysis and practical experience to guide us in building more resilient businesses, aligned with nature and people."
Guilherme Leal, co-founder and co-chair of Natura, Most Sustainable Brand in the World, Kantar, 2025
More details
Persons
Richard Barker is a professor at Oxford University's Business School. He is known for making complex business topics easy to understand. With a background in finance and accounting, he brings a clear and practical style to his teaching. He provides simple frameworks that help leaders build the confidence to make better decisions.
Mary Johnstone-Louis is a senior research fellow at Oxford University. She is known for helping leaders put ideas into action. With years of experience working with global companies, she brings real-world insight to her writing. She helps leaders create practical strategies that deliver meaningful and sustainable results.
Content
Chapter 1: Why sustainability matters to you as a leader
Chapter 2: What purpose do corporations serve?
Chapter 3: Climate crisis: The leadership challenge of our time
Chapter 4: Why nature matters to business, and what to do about it
Chapter 5: What is social sustainability and why does it matter to business?
Chapter 6: How and why to embed sustainability into corporate reporting
Chapter 7: How to build your sustainability action plan and lead change