Embedding the Environment in Strategic Thinking

This chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities for strategic thinking regarding the environment. With decreasing natural resources, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss, organisations face significant implications that demand urgent responses. Global frameworks like the United Nations Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals offer new perspectives on addressing these environmental challenges. Organisations must adapt quickly to foster actions that balance their environmental impact. While the climate crisis presents opportunities for some, others face complex challenges across business units and supply chains. Strategic thinking about the environment raises questions about how organisations meet stakeholder expectations, including those of the planet. Traditional neoliberal views of competitive advantage often limit systemic thinking that encompasses more than just profit. This chapter explores strategic approaches that emphasise the interconnectedness of economic, social, and ecological impacts, referencing concepts like Circular Economy and Doughnut Economics. It highlights cases demonstrating how strategic thinking can mitigate environmental harm and inspire innovative solutions for sustainable practices.