I wrote this book to bring attention to the damage we are doing to our planet and to present a plan for change agents to create sustainable business outcomes. Sustainability is the issue of our times and reflects collective, long-term, damaging behavior that needs our immediate attention. Mass immigration challenges speak to inequality, oceans filled with plastics to unsustainable consumption, and unusually strong weather events to climate change. Poverty remains endemic even in the wealthiest of nations, and the lack of clean water and sanitation is a growing challenge for millions. Yet these issues are not new. They have been with us for generations, and the warning signs were visible if you chose to look. So, why has progress been so slow? Why have we chosen to continue behaving in ways that are clearly harmful? In some instances, despite overwhelming information, we continue to make matters worse.

In order to accelerate change, our effort must be a united one. We need to help everyone in our organizations develop a heightened degree of awareness about both the problems and the opportunities. How can we generate positive economic results while solving the problems of polluted oceans, unpotable water, and unsafe working conditions? We need to come up with new ideas, scale solutions, and develop the talent to operate sustainable businesses. I generally have faith that people have good intentions, which is why I believe these challenges are solvable. I do not believe most business leaders or government officials deliberately seek to destroy the environment, operate sweatshops, or ruin the communities in which they live. The problem lies in the way we have been trained to behave, the incentives that encourage similar behavior, and the business practices that keep us going down the same path.

I have been an advocate for “conscious capitalism,” or responsible growth, for a long time. However, even making that statement is something of an excuse. While I may profess advocacy, I have also happily driven gas and diesel cars for forty years and racked up several million frequent flyer miles in aircraft.