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Title: L'entreprise verte Authors: Elisabeth Laville. Publisher: Village Mondial, 2002, 304 pages. Manageris 112b. Companies today must be good citizens accountable for their actions before society at large. This idea has progressed over the years, and most companies are now thinking deeply about their duties to the community. L’entreprise verte demonstrates the crucial importance of sustainable growth. Based on a study of companies reputed for their ecological and social commitment, the author offers many concrete tips on how to make this constraint into a real strategic advantage. Along the way, she delivers the secrets to implementing these types of initiatives successfully. Main subject [Sustainable
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Reading Tips for...
The objective of this book, written in French, is to make readers aware of the opportunities that sustainable development offers to companies, and provide useful tips on building a winning strategy based on these principles. The author, a recognized expert and head of a leading French consulting firm in this field, supports her arguments with her own experience.
The book is illustrated by many examples, sometimes surprising, but always instructive. It is therefore a stimulating thinking guide as much as a rich suggestion box offering valuable tidbits to every manager. The author’s conviction and enthusiasm that permeate every page make reading L’entreprise verte just as pleasant as it is useful.
- To understand the reasons why more and more companies are investing in sustainable development, refer to chapter 2. Ecological, social, political and economic imperatives are described here, supported by examples like Coca-Cola, Pelican Packers and Monsanto. This chapter is well complemented by the analysis of resistance to change found in the last part of chapter 1 and the end of the conclusion.
- The core message of the book is clearly that sustainable development can be a fantastic growth engine. Chapters 4 and 5 show how to get there, using concrete case studies like Nike and Co-operative Bank. This analysis covers every aspect of the life of the company, from purchasing to marketing, not to mention office layout and human resources. The additional examples of Patagonia, Working Assets and The Body Shop presented in chapter 3 show how these companies succeeded by consistently and persistently breaking down their ecological strategy at every level of the organization.
- Readers will also find many tips on how to facilitate deployment of sustainable growth strategies in the first part of the conclusion, which is supported among others, by the examples of Scandic and British Airport Authorities.
- Those who would like to know more about the key concepts and reference texts underpinning current efforts to support sustainable development are advised to refer to the first two parts of chapter 1.
Critical commentary…
By Philippe Lasserre,
Professor of Strategy at INSEAD.
Here is a book that makes a complete tour of corporate social responsibility.
Until now, most books devoted to sustainable development addressed just one of its multiple facets at a time. In L’entreprise verte, Elisabeth Laville provides clear and talented coverage of the immense territory that all “responsible” corporations must explore. She describes the stakes involved, cites many well-documented examples and produces practical, accessible references for those who would like to go deeper into the subject. Yet, the book is neither boring nor preachy for all that.
The author is not merely satisfied to draw the attention of executives and managers to the immense job of sustainable development and the role that companies must play in this. She plunges into the heart of management to orient initiatives and formulate practical approaches. This book not only shows conviction, but also provides a precise “user’s guide” to the various ways the company can work to ensure the adoption of sustainable development solutions by the various parts of the organization – marketing, R&D, purchasing, production and general policy makers.
This book goes straight to the heart of the new managerial issue for the 21st century, namely, corporate governance. Until recently, the notion of governance was limited to tracking and verifying the consistency of management practices and policies with the interests of shareholders and immediate stakeholders (unions, employees, suppliers, customers, local community, etc.). Henceforth, governance must take account of the whole environment. Here, Elisabeth Laville provides us with the key to this changing paradigm.
Managing the environment and social responsibility (Chapter 5) must transcend all borders. Alas, national policies, under pressure by certain lobbies, often take the egotistical, short-term path. Many U.S. examples cited in the book evidently show that the same country can generate the best in responsible management as well as the worst, as we can see from what we read in the papers every day (refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, or the staunchly obstinate support for GMO against all objections).
L'entreprise verte is a convincing and useful book. One of the quotes offered by the author, taken from a Native American proverb, neatly summarizes her intention and ultimate goal: “We don’t inherit the earth from our parents; we borrow it from our children.”
Further readings…
- Down
to Earth
Forest L. Reinhardt – Harvard Business School Press. (Book)
Make ecology a source of competitive advantage. - Value
Shift
Lynn Sharp Paine – McGraw-Hill. (Book)
Adapt management systems to ethical imperatives. - Common
Interest, Common Good
Common Interest, Common Good – Shirley Sagawa and Eli Segal – Harvard Business School Press. (Book)
Strategically manage your company’s humanitarian commitments.
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