Radical Business Perspectives for Sustainability Transitions

• Title: Radical Business Perspectives for Sustainability Transitions
• Editor(s): Nicolas Chevrollier, Associate Professor at Nyenrode Business University; Aikaterini Argyrou, Associate Professor of Sustainable Business Law and Entrepreneurship, Nyenrode Business University, and Ronald Jeurissen, Professor of Business Ethics at Nyenrode Business University.
• Published by: Edward Elgar Publishing, January 2025
• Where to find it: https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/radical-business-perspectives-for-sustainability-transitions-9781035308019.html?srsltid=AfmBOopCoPiVYikjKUjYT0YC7d97bm9wiECB9h6VhvaRU3jvx5LWN9Ux

The New Year is typically a time for optimism, setting ourselves goals for self-improvement and hoping that the twelve months ahead will bring more promise than those that preceded it. Unfortunately, the dawn of 2025 brought with it the news that The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) had made the decision to move hands of the Doomsday Clock – the symbolic countdown to how close humanity is to complete destruction – forward by one second. Now standing at 89 seconds to midnight, the time is the closest it has ever been to irreversible disaster.

The reasons for the time adjustment were multiple; conflict such as the wars in Ukraine and across the Middle East, emerging and re-emerging diseases threatening human health and the growing threat from ever more capable technologies.

However, one key reason the scientists highlighted was our continued lack to effectively tackle climate change. According to the BBC, the scientists said “the long-term prognosis for the world’s attempts to deal with climate change remains poor, as most governments fail to enact the financing and policy initiatives necessary to halt global warming”.

It’s no shock or secret that global efforts enacted so far towards curbing the damage we are doing to our world have fallen woefully short. At the last annual climate change conference hosted by the United Nations it was acknowledged that little progress had been made to meet the commitments agreed by attending nations twelve months prior.

And it’s not just governments that have failed to rise sufficiently to the challenge. Industry too shoulders a responsibility to step up, but thus far has failed as a whole to do more to reduce the impact their activities have on the planet. This is despite the fact that there are proven benefits – not just to planet and people but also to profits – for going green.

Taking a new approach is long overdue. Thankfully, focusing on society’s transitions towards sustainability from a business perspective is the focus of a new book “Radical Business Perspectives for Sustainability Transitions“, written and edited by a collective of experts from the faculty of Nyenrode Business University.

It is not necessarily that businesses, and those that lead them, do not wish to do better when it comes to preserving the planet, but common challenges such as walking the delicate line between people and planet whilst ensuring a profit make business transformation difficult to design, gain backing for and enact.

This book provides a promising step forwards when it comes to encouraging and supporting industry to take charge and create a positive impact on the world. The team behind it say their book addresses a key question for driving sustainable business forward: what needs to radically change in businesses to thrive while also respecting the natural environment and contributing to building social foundations?

In answering this, the book brings together a collection of radical concepts paving the way for businesses to start operating more dynamically when it comes to making sustainability transitions. By focusing on three central institutional dimensions; cognitive, normative, and regulatory, and examining key business theories the team resolve through their work to tackle the core challenges sat at the intersection of business, society, and ecology and provide readers with a more positive step forward.

So, how can forward-thinking businesses get radical about their sustainability efforts? We sat down with the book’s co-editor Nicolas Chevrollier to find out more…

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new book? What motivated you to write it?

We were driven by the urgent need to rethink how business can play a role in tackling the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. The traditional ideas of endless growth and profit maximisation seemed increasingly out of sync with planetary boundaries and social inequalities. So, we wanted to bring together diverse, radical thinkers to explore alternative pathways for business and society.

The book is our effort to amplify voices that dare to reimagine business as a force for ecological balance and social justice. The book argues for “radical” business perspectives that are both fundamental and deviant from the status quo.

What are the key takeaways or main ideas that readers can expect to find in your book?

This book introduces readers to a wide range of radical concepts – like corporate de-growth, nature stewardship, transgenerational accountability, and managerless organisations. The main takeaway is that real sustainability transitions require a fundamental shift in our values, behaviours, and institutional structures. We call for holistic thinking, long-term vision, and inclusive approaches that account for both human and non-human life.

Who is the target audience for your book, and how do you believe it will benefit them?

Our primary audience includes academics, business leaders, students, and policymakers interested in sustainability, business ethics, and institutional change. It will benefit those who are not just looking for incremental improvements, but who are open to bold, transformative ideas that can reshape how business is done.

What do you think makes this topic particularly relevant or timely in today’s business world, or for the years ahead?

With climate change, inequality, and ecological collapse becoming harder to ignore, the time for radical rethinking is now. Especially in a world that has become so unpredictable and when the attention for sustainability topics might decrease. Businesses are being asked to do more than minimise harm – they need to actively contribute to building a sustainable future. Our book provides a forward-looking framework that anticipates the changes businesses will need to embrace over the next decade.

Please share some practical tips or strategies from your book that readers can immediately apply to improve their business or career?

Readers can begin by embracing systems thinking – understanding how their organisation fits into broader ecological and social systems.

“Businesses are being asked to do more than minimise harm – they need to actively contribute to building a sustainable future. Our book provides a forward-looking framework that anticipates the changes businesses will need to embrace over the next decade.”

– Nicolas Chevrollier, Nyenrode Business University

Another takeaway is adopting a stewardship mindset, where decisions prioritise long-term well-being over short-term profits. For those in leadership, exploring managerless structures can inspire fresh thinking around organisational design.

Can you discuss any specific case studies or real-world examples from your book that illustrate its principles in action?

Yes, the book discusses organisations like Patagonia, Buurtzorg, and W.L. Gore. These companies embody principles like eco-centric governance and decentralised decision-making. Their stories show how radical concepts can be successfully implemented and scaled in the real world. A number of radical concepts being systemic they are investigated at the level of a sector (e.g., energy transition, textile transition) so beyond an organisational perspective.

How does your book add to/expand existing discussions on this topic?

Most sustainability books either stay within traditional frameworks or offer utopias without pathways. Our book bridges that gap by grounding radical ideas in institutional theory and empirical research. We map how change can occur at different levels – from the individual to the regulatory – offering a more nuanced roadmap for transformation.

Finally, what book(s) written by another author would you recommend as essential reading for your audience and why?

We’d recommend ‘Prosperity Without Growth’ by Tim Jackson,  and ‘Changing the Game” by Lucas Simons and Andre Nijhof. Both challenge core economic assumptions and offer bold visions for sustainable futures. They align well with the spirit of our book.

By, Kerry Ruffle

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