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.

About the Author: Güler Aras is Professor of Finance and Director of the Graduate School at the Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. She is the author of 15 books and contributed over 150 articles to academic, business and professional journals and magazines and to edited book collections. She has also spoken extensively at conferences and seminars and has acted as a consultant to a wide range of government and commercial organisations. Her research is into financial economy and financial markets with particular emphasis on the relationship between corporate social responsibility and a firm's financial performance.

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.

Reviews: 'In an era of Globalization, relationships among government, business, and Non-Governmental Organizations are being redefined.
Central to this new alignment is the concept of ‘sustainability’. In The Durable Corporation, Aras and Crowther provide the most comprehensive and sustained analysis of "sustainability" to date. The analysis has important implications for the future direction of corporate governance. This is not a book to be missed by those who seek to discern the contours of the future direction of debate.'
Nicholas Capaldi, Director, National Center for Business Ethics

This title is also available as an eBook, ISBN 978-0-7546-9216-4

Extracts from this title are available to view:

Full contents list

Foreword

Introduction