Terms for Endearment [eBook] [PDF]
Business, NGOs and Sustainable Development
Contributing Editor: Jem Bendell
July 2000 280 pp 234 x 156 mm 1.5 M
eBook (PDF) ISBN 978-1-907643-14-9 £19.95
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Business and NGOs are seen by many to be locked in a perpetual war of values and ideologies. What this book demonstrates is that the war has moved on.
"Terms for Endearment breaks the mould."
Anita Roddick
"a true treasure chest"
Georg Kell
Business and NGOs are seen by many to be locked in a perpetual war of values and ideologies. What this book demonstrates is that the war has moved on. Many companies are now engaging with their stakeholders — even those with which they have traditionally had antagonistic relationships — as part of their strategies for improved social and environmental performance.
With contributions from an outstanding and diverse group of experts from business, consultancy, research institutes, NGOs and academia, Terms for Endearment investigates the how and why of these new collaborations and provides concrete examples of business working with stakeholder pressure for sustainable development.
The book forcibly argues the notion of organisations of civil society setting the standards for business behaviour in the 21st century. For those companies that choose not to pursue high standards of social and environmental performance, confrontation with NGOs must be expected, with negative consequences for sales, costs and social capital, i.e. the bottom line. Terms for Endearment therefore presents business with both a threat and opportunity as we move closer to establishing a social basis for global economic activity.
Terms for Endearment breaks the mould. It brings new voices to the
debate on the future of business. The writers explain why business needs to put
the important things in life first and how to translate such principles into
practice. We're all challenged to do the same.
Anita Roddick,
Founder and Co-Chair, The Body Shop International; Founder, New Academy of
Business
This book is a true treasure chest. It gives a unique insight into the
dynamics and motives of the actors involved and it describes dilemmas and
possible responses that are at the forefront of social change. Communicating
this insight will hopefully only be the beginning of a much-needed debate on the
role of business in society in an era of globalising markets.
Georg
Kell, Senior Officer, Executive Office of the United Nations
Secretary-General
At a time of rising concern over where the world is heading, the experiments
and innovations detailed in this book provide new insights into the
possibilities of humanising capitalism. Rich in case studies and challenging in
its conclusions, Terms for Endearment lays out an exciting agenda for
NGO-business collaboration in the 21st century.
Michael Edwards,
Director, Governance and Civil Society, The Ford Foundation and author of Future
Positive
Terms for Endearment effectively explores some of the fascinating
and important highways and byways along which NGOs pass in seeking to influence
business practice, and thereby being deeply influenced themselves.
Simon Zadek, Chair, Institute of Social and Ethical
Accountability
This is a must-read for the champions of corporate responsibility, for those
that want to go beyond the PR stuff and really engage with stakeholders. Its
combination of case studies and commentary goes beyond exhortation to provide
insights into the potential benefits as well as the pitfalls.
Barry
Coates, Director, World Development Movement
Global business and civil society are the superpowers of the 21st century.
This book shows that, in both battle and detente, they are shaping our futures.
Anyone interested in novel ways of achieving the sustainable governance of
markets should read it.
Professor Richard Welford, University of
Huddersfield, UK
Managing relations with stakeholders is an essential aspect of modern
business. More than suggesting a strategy, Terms for Endearment
presents a philosophy for success.
Maria Sillanpää, Director, KPMG
Sustainability Advisory Services
This well-structured book draws on many practical examples to show how
business and society can collaborate to achieve a more socially just and
ecologically sustainable world. Moreover, its analysis provides innovative ideas
and concepts which will both speed up and increase the possibility of attaining
development that is sustainable for the many, rather than for the few. If you
are concerned about improving the quality of the world you will live in
tomorrow, whether as a corporate manager, social activist or citizen, this
publication is for you.
Alan Fowler, Co-Founder, INTRAC
This book is helpful to anyone involved in sustainability management,
accounting, auditing and reporting, because, without ongoing dialogue with local
and international stakeholders, no organisation can develop and implement
locally acceptable solutions to global issues.
Dominique Gangneux,
Bureau Veritas Quality International
A sustainable future can only be guaranteed by responsible business practice.
This book provides many practical examples of how companies can work with
stakeholders to develop more effective solutions for a sustainable future.
Teresa Fabian, PricewaterhouseCoopers
We are all stakeholders in sustainability, and Terms for Endearment
moves the practicalities of collaboration between all stakeholders in society
well and truly onto the agenda of the 21st century. This is a timely, necessary
and significant contribution to the expanding worldwide debates on effective
partnerships between business and civil society organisations. The book is
essential reading for all involved in securing sustainable change in the future.
Professor David Birch, Corporate Citizenship Research Unit, Deakin
University, Australia
Terms for Endearment is useful for the essential task of achieving a
better understanding of where power lies and what drives NGOs, businesses and
the political process.
Caspar Henderson, The Ecologist
Reading this book will not guarantee you success. But it will give you a
better insight into the dynamics at work. Partnership, dialogue, and engagement
are the sexy words of the moment, and good fodder for a future library of books
to follow.
Suzannah Lansdell, Elements (The Environment
Council, UK)
... it provides meaty evidence of the evolving relationship between
businesses and the societies in which they operate. Informative and
well-argued.
Community Affairs Briefing
The contributing editor should be commended highly for his contributions ...
I find the text informative and the writing very accessible ... it should be a
library source for societal, environmental and ethical accounting and management
courses.
Social and Environmental Accounting
With increased attention being paid to both corporate responsibility and
global civil society, a collection that examines the interaction between the two
is particularly timely. Terms for Endearment should be notable for both
practitioners and analysts of business/NGO
relations.
Environment magazine
With contributions form a diverse group of experts from business,
consultancy, research institutes, NGOs and academia, Terms for Endearment
investigates the how and why of these new collaborations and provides concrete
examples of business working with stakeholder pressure for sustainable
development [and] therefore presents business with both a threat and opportunity
as we move closer to establishing a social basis for global economic
activity.
Connections — UNED Forum Quarterly
Newsletter
... the book is a must-read for those who champion corporate responsibility
and wish to truly engage with stakeholders.
Sustain
magazine
Terms for Endearment is an interesting and groundbreaking book,
bringing new voices to the debate on the future of business.
Scottish
Environmental Protection Agency


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