The Lessons Learned Series of books (and videos) offers advice and counsel from top global business leaders. Going Green is a how-to on merging principles of sustainability with principles of business. The books and videos are catalysts for group / team discussions.

This book in the series contains 14 short essays from individuals in the forefront of corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues. One contributor is the founder and chair of Interface, Ray Anderson. In 1994, he was so moved by Paul Hawken’s book The Ecology of Commerce, he immediately rallied his staff to implement aggressive, sustainable initiatives. Contrary to naysayer predictions, Interface has thrived, proving that economic goals and sustainable goals are not mutually exclusive.

In Going Green you’ll also read of Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, who forcefully told the financial media, "Up your bum...," when the media insisted that corporations which contribute to the local community were "stealing money from our shareholders’ investment."

The other 12 essays cover topics as varied as environmental leadership in business, internal politics in matters of communication and collaboration, and displaying courage when addressing stockholders. For some of these contributors, sustainability takes on moral implications; for others, their attitude seems "business as usual with a twist of green." Readers will find good strategies for bringing skeptics on board, and learn that sometimes even an unthinkable alliance can result in much good to the planet.