The Reading List
Book Recommendations on Sustainability Issues
In 2018, I have embarked on a journey to find accessible books that would help people have a better understanding. This will be a sticky post and I will continue to update it with relevant books.
Rethinking Reputation Risk: Revealing the Behavioural Risks Behind Reputational Damage (Anthony Fitzsimmons and Derek Atkins)
Fitzsimmons and Atkins argue that there’s the need for companies to reassess how they perceive and measure different types of risks and how they eventually build or dent an organisation’s reputation and its future as a going concern. Their major concern is behaviour-related risks which they discuss at great length and different levels of an organisation. Rethinking Reputational Risk would be a great read for anyone interested in corporate governance and risk management.
You can read my complete review here
The Activist Director: Lessons from the Boardroom and the Future of the Corporation ( Ira M. Millstein)
Similar to Rethinking Reputational Risk, Millstein argues that board members need to take a more active role in the day to day management of the company without interfering with the management roles. He stresses that boards of directors must see the capital markets for what they are today and act accordingly by curtailing their myopic interests for long-term corporate sustainability. Through this part-memoir, part-business-advisory, readers will enjoy episodes from his illustrious career and get meaningful takeaways.
You can read my complete review here
Endangered Economies: How the Neglect of Nature Threatens Our Prosperity (Prof. Geoffrey Heal)
Drawing from his extensive career in environmental economics both as an academic and advisor, Prof. Geoffrey Heal attempts to tackle the age-old question of whether it is possible to strike a balance between sustainable development and economic growth. He weaves anecdotes and evidence from economics, politics and environmental science and presents it all in a digestible manner. Though quite US-centric, it would be a great introduction to the politics of climate change.
You can read my complete review here
Quantified: Redefining Conservation for the Next Economy ( Joe Whitworth)
In Quantified, Joe Whitworth proposes imitating innovative data-driven approaches like Google and Apple to fast track environmental conservation for the economy’s sake. Drawing from his experience in the water conservation sector and the current CEO of The Freshwater Trust discusses a five-pronged framework to make his point, accompanied by various case studies largely from the US. One of the grey issues in sustainability is the formulation and adaptation of standardised quantifiable measures, which Quantified acknowledges and attempts to address.
You can read my complete review here
Capital and Common Good: How Innovative Finance Is Tackling the World’s Most Urgent Problems (Georgia L. Keohane)
Traditional forms of official development assistance (ODA) is no longer the only viable way of dealing with global problems. Capital and Common Good argues that when markets fail to produce the desirable public goods, it is up to governments, philanthropists and other actors to put their money into innovative mechanisms. Keohane presents interesting examples of accessing capital from public and public sources from both developed and developing countries. This book would be perfect for anyone interested in Development Finance and Economics 101.
You can read my complete review here
Green Wisdom: A Guide for Anyone to Start, Engage and Energize a Sustainability Team ( Nikki Pava)
Being a sustainability “convert” is one thing, but getting other people on board to revolutionise things at school, work or community is another thing. Nikki Pava distils how ten companies have been able to create sustainability teams and integrate sustainability initiatives into their operations. She shows change does not require external consultants or an extraordinary set of skills. What’s more important is the diversity of roles and skills to match the diversity of arising problems and the solutions they create.
Read my article inspired by Green Wisdom here
Business Lessons from a Radical Industrialist (Ray C. Anderson with Robin White)
In 1994, as the CEO of Interface, the late Ray Anderson was troubled by a question that was raised by a persistent customer, “ What was Interface doing about the environment?” As a carpet producing oil-intensive company, Anderson knew that he could give the run of the mill answer, that Interface fully complied with environmental laws. Following an epiphany, he embarked on revolutionising Interface’s global operations to make zero negative impact on the environment by 2020.
You can read my complete review here
What’s Mine is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption (Kate Botsman and Roo Rogers)
Consumerism and disposable culture are harming the environment and are no longer sustainable. Botsman and Rogers trace how we got this way and how technological advances can promote a circular economy through sharing. They further examine how this sharing culture will transform the way that we interact with businesses and each other for the greater good.
You can read my complete review here
Renewable Energy: A Primer for the Twenty-First Century (Bruce Usher)
Renewable energy is an important but intimidating topic to bring up in any conversation. In this Primer, Brian Usher explains in a clear, intelligible and balanced manner the rise of renewable energy. Using examples and data makes a compelling case (in a concise manner) for the transition by outlining the issues and opportunities; and sets out the potential winners and losers-individuals, businesses and countries.
Cradle to Cradle (Michael Braungart & William McDonough)
Braungart and McDonough propose an industrial re-evolution that mimics nature’s model of doing things. The current take-make-waste model is posing serious consequences for the environment and our general quality of life. They do not pull any punches when addressing some of the commonly held beliefs about what is sustainable but at the same time inject wit and grace in a topic that may be perceived as “dry”. In the end, they let the readers consider putting eco-effectiveness into practice by offering five steps and key principles.
Do you have any book recommendations? It would be particularly interesting to get title recommendations from outside the Western World (the US, UK and AU). I am particularly eager to read case studies from in China, Colombia, Mexico, MENA region. Nonetheless, all suggestions are welcome. I might even compile all of them in a future post as ‘crowdfunded reading list’.
If you are a Goodreads enthusiast, please feel free to update my Sustainability Potential Reading List. You can also read other non-sustainability book reviews on my other blog.
Editor’s Note: This post was last updated in January 2020 and does not include affiliate links.
