Remaking Sustainability: Why the Pushback Will Make It Stronger - Hardcover

by John Morrison (Author)

Business is at a sustainability crossroads. There is pressure from some shareholders and elected politicians to dial back on environmental and social issues, sustainability being "too woke" and a constraint on economic growth. However, there are competing pressures that mean that these same issues are now increasingly material to the bottom line; businesses ignore them at their peril as they threaten the true longer-term value of the company.

This book sets out the case for the "Sustainability of Sustainability". There is compelling evidence from underlying trends in finance, trade and technology that shows that there is a sustainability bedrock, beyond which it cannot be pushed back. That bedrock is not too deep, and so a course correction is coming. Businesses should be investing now in core sustainability to be ready for the new, more durable sustainability to come. Morrison argues that while sustainability is already perceived by many as an orthodoxy, it has yet to secure the legitimacy and trust required to deliver real and lasting change. The book is for anyone who is curious about why. when and how sustainability will re-emerge and how best to prepare for its homecoming. There is a big opportunity: we will lose a lot of the fluff, green-washing, and noise and build a stronger and more meaningful version of sustainability as we do. The book helps any business manager, policy-maker or community leader find their sustainability bedrock and to build upon solid foundations.

Back Jacket

Business is at a sustainability crossroads. There is pressure from some shareholders and elected politicians to dial back on environmental and social issues, sustainability being "too woke" and a constraint on economic growth. However, there are competing pressures that mean that these same issues are now increasingly material to the bottom line; businesses ignore them at their peril as they threaten the true longer-term value of the company.

The evidence from the underlying trends in finance, trade and technology reviewed in this book suggests that there is a sustainability bedrock, that it is not too deep, and that the course correction is coming. Businesses should be investing now in core sustainability to be ready for the new, more durable sustainability to come.

The book is for anyone who is curious about why. when and how sustainability will re-emerge and how best to prepare for its homecoming. There is a big opportunity: we will lose a lot of the fluff, green-washing, and noise and build a stronger and more meaningful version of sustainability as we do. The book helps any business manager find their sustainability bedrock and to build upon solid foundations.

John Morrison is a leading voice on sustainability, advising businesses, governments and international organisations. Two of his previous books 'The Social License' and 'The Just Transition' look at the importance of centering people in all strategy and decision-making, and this builds on what might be called the 'sustainability of sustainability' (also the name of John's Substack). John was the founding CEO of the Institute for Human Rights and Business' (IHRB) which he led for 16 years from 2009-25. He holds advisory and governance roles with a number of UK government departments, as well as Tetra Pak, The John Lewis Partnership, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. John is also Executive Lead for the World Economic Forum's Global Data Partnership Against Forced Labour.

Author Biography

John Morrison is a leader, advisor, and writer on sustainability. From 2009 until 2025 he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), a global "think and do" tank that aims to provide greater clarity on the roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities of business and government in advancing human rights. He has advised multiple governments, companies, and international organisations on responsible business, trade, and development issues. He is the author of "The Just Transition: a systems-thinking approach to climate action" (2024) as well as "The Social License: how to keep your organisation legitimate" (2014) (both for Palgrave Macmillan). John serves on several advisory boards and councils, including for the World Economic Forum, the John Lewis Partnership, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the UK Government.