Bryan Smith

Peter M. Senge

Sara Schley

Joe Laur

Nina Kruschwitz

The Necessary Revolution is a book about the end of The Industrial Age Bubble the take, make, waste way of thinking that has dominated the developed world for the past 200 years. It is also a book about a new era emerging in which companies are beginning to recognise the larger systems in which they operate (environmental, social, and economic) and integrate these into their core strategies. Imagine a world in which the excess energy from one business would be used to heat another. A world in which environmentally sound products and processes would be more cost effective than wasteful ones. A world in which corporations like BP, Nike, Coca-Cola, and countless others are forming partnerships with environmental and social justice NGOs to ensure better stewardship of the earth and better livelihoods in the developing world. Now, stop imagining that world is already emerging. We must act together now.

How Individuals and Organizations are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World

The Necessary Revolution

Imagine a world in which the excess energy from one business would be used to heat another. Where buildings need less and less energy around the world, and where “regenerative” commercial buildings – ones that create more energy than they use – are being designed. A world in which environmentally sound products and processes would be more cost-effective than wasteful ones. A world in which corporations such as Costco, Nike, BP, and countless others are forming partnerships with environmental and social justice organizations to ensure better stewardship of the earth and better livelihoods in the developing world. Now, stop imagining – that world is already emerging. A revolution is underway in today’s organizations. As Peter Senge and his co-authors reveal inThe Necessary Revolution, companies around the world are boldly leading the change from dead-end “business as usual” tactics to transformative strategies that are essential for creating a flourishing, sustainable world. There is a long way to go, but the era of denial has ended. Today’s most innovative leaders are recognizing that for the sake of our companies and our world, we must implement revolutionary—not just incremental—changes in the way we live and work. Brimming with inspiring stories from individuals and organizations tackling social and environmental problems around the globe, THE NECESSARY REVOLUTION reveals how ordinary people at every level are transforming their businesses and communities. By working collaboratively across boundaries, they are exploring and putting into place unprecedented solutions that move beyond just being “less bad” to creating pathways that will enable us to flourish in an increasingly interdependent world. Among the stories in these pages are the evolution of Sweden’s “Green Zone,” Alcoa’s water use reduction goals, GE’s ecoimagination initiative, and Seventh Generation’s decision to shift some of their advertising to youth-led social change programs. At its heart, THE NECESSARY REVOLUTION contains a wealth of strategies that individuals and organizations can use — specific tools and ways of thinking — to help us build the confidence and competence to respond effectively to the greatest challenge of our time. It is an essential guidebook for all of us who recognize the need to act and work together—now—to create a sustainable world, both for ourselves and for the generations to follow.

Working Together to Create a Sustainable World

Life is hectic. Moms, dads, kids — all of us — are running at breakneck speed. We need to find ways to be renewed — as individuals, as families, and in our communities. Sara Schley, who runs at her own breakneck speed as wife and mother of twins while leading a successful company consulting to businesses on sustainability, has found soul-saving sanity and renewal through her family's observance of the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat). Secrets of the 7th Day, the first book in the Radical Renewal series, is about how everyone can learn from this ancient Jewish ritual, whether or not they are Jews or even religious. The practice of unplugging from the world, slowing down, and sharing in the simple joys of food, stories, songs, and the outdoors can be celebrated by all. Secrets of the 7th Day invites readers to make their own these beautiful practices for renewing the spirit. Ancient as the Sabbath is, we need it now more than ever.

Sara Schley

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