The Durable Corporation Strategies for Sustainable Development

Sustainability is normally considered to be about choices for the future being limited by decisions made in the present, and is frequently portrayed as concerning environmental issues alone. The Durable Corporation rejects both of these notions to argue that sustainability is a more complex concept that involves balancing many factors. It explores the nature, value and role of sustainability in business and maintains that resource utilization must be based upon the twin pillars of equity and efficiency rather than attempting to ensure that our choices in the future are not reduced. The authors of The Durable Corporation propose a new model of sustainability and a fresh approach to managing resources. They extend this to the development of difference strategies for achieving sustainability and an alternative approach to managing for the future. These features make it essential reading for all those with responsibility for the sustainability or durability of the enterprises in which they are engaged or in the study of the issues at stake.

Contents: Foreword; Introduction - why sustainability matters; Defining sustainability; Managing risk; Governance and sustainable performance; Implications of the size and sector of a firm; Satisfying stakeholders - distributing effects; External verification - audit and rating systems; International standards and regulations; Globalisation, competition and financial crisis; Corporate social obligations for sustainability; Implementing sustainable practice; Conclusion - creating and sharing common value; References; Biographies; Index.

Güler Aras is a professor of Finance at Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey, and a Visiting Professor at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. She is the founding director of The Center for Finance, Governance and Sustainability (CFGS) at YTU. She is the former Dean of the Faculty of Administrative and Economic Sciences and the Graduate School. Her research focus is on the economy and financial markets with particular emphasis on the relationship between sustainability, corporate governance, social responsibility, and corporate financial performance. She has published more than 20 books and has contributed over 200 articles in academic, business and professional journals. Her most recent co-authored books are entitled The Durable Corporation: Strategies for Sustainable Development, published by Gower, and Governance and Social Responsibility: International Perspectives. . David Crowther is Professor of Corporate Social Responsibility, De Montfort University, UK. He is a qualified accountant who worked as an accountant, systems specialist and general manager in local government, industry and commerce for 20 years before moving in to the higher education arena. He has authored or edited over 25 books and has contributed over 250 articles to academic, business and professional journals and to edited book collections. He has also spoken widely at conferences and seminars and acted as a consultant to a wide range of government, professional and commercial organisations. His research is into corporate social responsibility with a particular emphasis on the relationship between social, environmental and financial performance. Their joint research is concerned with sustainability, sustainable development and with governance issues. Together they run the Social Responsibility Research Network www.socialresponsibility.biz.