This book is the first to explore the application of system leadership to promote sustainable solutions for contemporary and future environmental and social problems. The combination of synthesized research summaries and case studies of individuals and organizations contribute considerably to the field by expanding system leadership concepts from theory to practical application. System leadership has been identified as a method by which complex societal problems can be addressed, but it has as yet not been applied to sustainability. The first chapters introduce the background and fundamentals of system leadership and its relevance to sustainability. The chapters that propose methods of developing system leadership, examples of system leaders, and practical application of system leadership in industry, academic, government, nonprofit, and NGO settings. Each chapter includes a chapter case, interview, and/or reflection questions in order to stimulate critical thinking and provide instructional tools for academic use and practical application. The book is particularly relevant to researchers and students internationally in the fields of social development and sustainability. It is also relevant to public, private, and nonprofit/NGO management practitioners who are curious about the leadership styles and skills necessary to develop a sustainable future.

As the first book in the field of leadership studies to approach sustainability as a multi-faceted leadership challenge, Leadership for Environmental Sustainability will help to set the terms of the discussion on this topic among students, scholars, and practitioners of leadership for years to come. It explores the connection between leadership and sustainability from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including sociology, history, psychology, business, literature, communication, and the arts. With short chapters edited for readability, the book is aimed at scholars, practitioners, students, and educated lay readers interested in cutting-edge research and thinking on this topic.

Solving today’s environmental and sustainability challenges requires more than expertise and technology. Effective solutions will require that we engage with other people, wrestle with difficult questions, and learn how to adapt and make confident decisions despite uncertainty. We need new approaches to leadership that empower professionals at all levels to tackle wicked problems and work towards sustainability. Leadership for Sustainability gives readers perspective and skills for promoting creative and collaborative solutions. Blending systems thinking approaches with leadership techniques, it offers dozens of strategies and specific practices that build on the foundation of three main skills: connecting, collaborating, and adapting. Inspiring case studies show how the book’s strategies and principles can be applied to diverse situations: Coordinating the activities of widely dispersed individuals and groups who may not even know they are connected, illustrated by the work of urban planners, local businesses, citizens, and other stakeholders advancing ambitious climate action goals via a Community Energy Plan in Arlington County, Virginia Collaborating with diverse stakeholders to span boundaries despite their differences of opinion, expertise, and culture, as illustrated by the bold actions of a social entrepreneur who transformed the global food service industry with the “plant-forward” movement Adapting to continuous change and confounding uncertainty, as a small nonprofit organization mobilizes partners to tackle poverty, water scarcity, sanitation, and climate change in rural India Readers will come away with a holistic understanding of how to lead from where they are by applying leadership principles and practices to a wide range of wicked situations. While the challenges we face are daunting, the authors argue that these situations present opportunities for creating a more just, healthy, and prosperous world.

Sustainability is a complex concept, and the challenge of understanding it and applying it to a diverse, multi-agent, organisational setting with its potentially conflicting priorities cannot be underestimated. Leadership for Sustainability in Higher Education provides key learning from the authors' extensive academic, leadership and professional experience in this area, supplemented with reference to key learning from other leaders and institutions. Janet Fraser-Haddock, Peter Rands and Stephen Scoffham bring together the wide range of influences and considerations to succeed, including: · an understanding of the core constructs of leadership theory and sustainability · the range of perspectives through which to view and value sustainability · successful activities and actions undertaken by sustainability leaders in the higher education sector · models and methods to successfully implement sustainability that are new to the sector · influencers on the sustainability agenda, whether policy- or demand-led, external or internal · barriers to and enablers of success for leaders at individual, institutional and sector levels These factors all combine to provide a framework for the reader within which to consider leadership for sustainability, both at an individual level and within the higher education culture and organisational norms. The authors provide a theoretical underpinning of key concepts, supplemented by examples of practice across the sector, both within the UK and internationally. Case studies from the UK, Australia, North America and India all bring to life the key opportunities and challenges of leading the sustainability agenda across a range of higher education institutions.

Those who advocate moving towards sustainability debate how change can be achieved. This book focuses on what it means to take up leadership for sustainability, from a variety of organizational and social positions, and considers the consequences of different strategies and practices for influencing change.

This book contains compilation of emerging discourses on responsible leadership for sustainability in uncertain times. Uncertainty is looming large at global level due to COVID, climatic disruptions and persisting social discriminations, especially since the pandemic, which have disrupted economies at both local and global levels. Technology was a boon to mitigate hardships emerging from such disruptions. The book documents the leadership roles, welfare issues, best practices and innovations that help organizations to sustain in a VUCA world. Economic, social and environmental concerns and their mitigation as documented in this book will be relevant for future planning and execution for sustainable existence. A blend of research by practitioners and academicians, capturing organizational experiences through case studies makes it attractive for a wide range of readership. Business leaders will find this book extremely helpful to understand the nuances and insights for responsible leadership and innovative strategies for stakeholder management and engagement for sustained businesses. Practitioners would get insights into responsible leadership for improving existing sustainable practices and speed up the transition which is necessitated due to disruptions. Prospective entrepreneurs may find that book helpful for creating responsible organizations which are sustainable due to responsible management of resources, employees and environment. Students and researchers can learn from the cases and documentation on responsible leadership, social and environmental concerns and sustainability in this book.

All organisations have a responsibility to ensure they have a minimum negative impact on the environment and act as a haven for human development that contributes to positive outcomes for society. But small businesses have limited resources with which to pursue sustainability initiatives and must focus on their core objectives in order to survive. Through an in-depth exploration of quality management theory, this book proposes a "Sustainability Management Framework" as a structure for a balanced approach to developing operations strategy for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Management Systems and Performance Frameworks for Sustainability explores the frameworks, accreditations and awards that small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can utilise to enhance their performance. In the first half of the book, the author demonstrates how complementary techniques such as the Sustainability Performance Framework can help organisational leaders to develop, implement and optimise business strategy into discrete activities of value setting, management system and performance model selection, and target setting and evaluation, to the tactical deployment of sustainability and CSR. Meanwhile, the second half of the book focuses on real SME case studies to illustrate the use of the Sustainability Strategic Growth Model, Sustainability Management Framework and Sustainability Performance Framework to align strategy and policies with compliance obligations, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. This key book is vital reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of quality management, entrepreneurship and sustainability in business, executives of SMEs and sustainability policymakers.

Modern organizations confront an array of existential challenges encompassing environmental volatility, resource scarcity, workforce recruitment woes, employee burnout, and technological disruption. These uncertainties, coupled with the call for sustainability as exemplified by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), necessitate adept management and visionary leadership. Nevertheless, deciphering these intricacies proves formidable, exacerbated by societal shifts and rapid behavioral transformations. The demand for proficient management and comprehensive leadership has never been more pressing as we stand on the cusp of a transformative era. Contemporary Management and Global Leadership for Sustainability, emerges as a remedy for present challenges. This book delves into the core of modern management science and global leadership, offering a roadmap to navigate multifaceted issues across various sectors. Beyond theoretical insights, it bridges the gap between theory and application, equipping a diverse audience with actionable approaches for sustainable triumph. Tailored for academics, professionals in public and private spheres, and students, the book serves as a reservoir of knowledge. Touching industries from hospitality to education and exploring the fusion of religious philosophy with sustainable leadership, provides invaluable guidance. As organizations worldwide seek direction amid contemporary challenges, this book shines as a beacon, guiding the way toward resilience, innovation, and enduring triumph.

Climate change is one of the most significant and challenging problems we face today, and many organisations have recognised their responsibility in reducing emissions and environmental degradation and regenerating biodiversity. However, conventional leadership has failed to respond adequately to the magnitude of the threat, and a profound change in corporate leadership is required to substantively cut emissions and change climate policy to minimise further destructive environmental impact. This book sets out the qualities and approaches needed by leaders to successfully develop and implement climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. Bringing together the foremost experts in climate change leadership from business, leadership, psychology and coaching backgrounds, this book addresses the failures of current leadership practice and proposes a variety of models of how climate change leadership capabilities can be effectively developed in organisations. It is structured around four concepts: foundations, which includes models of environmental, ecological and evolutionary leadership; transitions, which looks at transformational and ethical models that are being repurposed for the age of sustainability; progressions, which explores innovative models that are being developed for the current age including systems, adaptation and maturity-based models of leadership; and actions, which includes models of sustainable goal setting and climate leadership coaching and development. The book is written for corporate leaders, researchers and educators and will be an invaluable addition to the leadership curriculum and executive development programmes to help the next generation of leaders respond to global challenges.