In a survey of 900 global corporations released by PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2003, 80 percent of CEOs said they believe "sustainability" is or soon will be vital to the profitability of their company, and 71 percent said they would consider sacrificing short-term profits to move their company towards sustainability--a sure sign that the world's leading CEOs see it as the corporate model of the future. Just what is sustainability? In a nutshell, it is a management principle that aims to create long-term shareholder value by seizing opportunities and managing risks related to the economic, environmental, and social impact of doing business. By putting the profit motive alongside a concern for the environment and for people, this movement has created what we [unclear who "we" is--the author?] call a "win-win-win" situation. Its leaders are solidly in the Fortune 100--companies like General Electric, DuPont, BP, Pfizer, and HP--and it is rapidly spreading to all companies that are looking towards a sustainable business model. The Triple Bottom Line is the first book to chart the rise of sustainability, identify and explain the new paradigm, and show organizations, of all sizes and industries, exactly how they can benefit from it.
