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THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY:How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance

THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY:How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance

Published 11-04-03

Submitted by Island Press

Can green business really lead to green in the bank? Are economic profits and corporate responsibility compatible? The answer is a resounding yes, according to Chris Laszlo, author of THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY: How to Create Lasting Value Through Social and Environmental Performance (Island Press, October 8 2003, Cloth: $26.00, ISBN 1-55963-836-2).

A case in point: The Co-operative Bank of Britain boasted a profit of $155.7 million on a $660 million operating income in 2002 and has increased its profit growth every year for the past eight years. The bank, which dates back to 1872, has a longstanding history and reputation of ethical, social, and environmental performance. It received the UK Social Reporting Award and the UK Environmental Reporting Award in 2000 for its extensive survey of customers about ethics expectations. The bank's strong social and environmental record has directly contributed to 20% percent of company profits, according to a 2001 report.

As former Lafarge executive and business consultant Chris Laszlo details in THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY, The Co-operative Bank is just one company that has turned ethical conduct into tangible profits for its executives, employees, shareholders, and the community it serves. From outdoor clothing companies to the oil & gas industry, social responsibility is becoming an important form of business advantage and therefore, a lasting incentive. Beating regulators to the punch in terms of environmental and social standards can be a source of competitive advantage, lowering financial risk, encouraging loyalty among employees, and serving as a powerful marketing tool in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Distinguishing itself from other green business books, THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY, breaks new ground by offering line managers and executives a step-by-step guide for reaping economic and social profits. Its straightforward and engaging toolkit provides eight key disciplines to create sustainable value. The corporate community has long known the importance of ethical conduct. THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY shows business leaders how to make those good instincts lucrative.

Chris Laszlo spent nearly ten years as a senior executive at Lafarge S.A., a leader in building materials, before co-founding the consulting firm of Sustainable Value Partners. Educated at Swarthmore, Columbia, and the University of Paris, Laszlo earned a Ph.D. in Economics and Management Science.

For further information about THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY, to request additional review copies, or to arrange an interview with Chris Laszlo, please contact Emily Turner at 202/232-7933 x24 or via e-mail at eturner@islandpress.org.

If you review or otherwise include THE SUSTAINABLE COMPANY in your publication, please forward two tearsheets to: Emily Turner, Island Press, 1718 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009.

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