When I first started Tunley Environmental, I did not set out to write a book.
In fact, if you had told me back then that I would one day be sitting and reflecting on something that I had written along with the team at the company I founded, as well as some of our wonderful clients, I probably would have laughed… and then gone back to worrying about whatever problem was in front of me at the time. But over the years, something kept happening. I found myself having the same conversations again and again and again. Different organisations, different sectors, different challenges on the surface, but underneath it all, the same questions kept coming up. Where do we start? What actually matters? How do we turn all of this into something practical?
These conversations were usually with top executives whose roles directly aligned with reducing the environmental impact of their organisations. One of the most important challenges that kept coming up? How do we make sustainability work inside a real organisation and provide tangible benefits to the business? That is where the idea for the Sustainability Leaders Playbook 101 really began, as a response to a very real problem. There is no shortage of information on sustainability. If anything, some might say there is too much. What is missing, in many cases, is structure. Something that connects the dots and helps organisations move forward with clarity and confidence. This book is our attempt to do exactly that.
Why The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101?
Frankly, we could have written on any topic related to sustainability, and we have before (See our previous book, 99 Facts of Climate, Science and Society). From my perspective as CEO, one of the most striking changes over the last decade has been how quickly sustainability has moved from the sidelines to the centre of business strategy. But awareness does not always translate into action. In fact, in many cases, it creates a different kind of challenge. Organisations are faced with an overwhelming amount of guidance, frameworks and expectations. There is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, Net Zero targets, biodiversity regulations and a growing list of standards that all seem important, all seem urgent and all seem slightly disconnected from day-to-day operations. What we saw time and time again was not a lack of intent, but a lack of clarity.
The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 was created to address that. Not by simplifying sustainability to the point of losing its meaning, but by structuring it in a way that makes it usable. Something leaders can pick up and actually apply, rather than something that simply reinforces what they already know.
What Topics Are Covered in The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101?
One of the things I felt strongly about when shaping The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 was that it needed to reflect the true breadth of sustainability. Too often, sustainability is reduced to a single topic, usually carbon. While carbon is clearly important, it is only part of a much bigger picture. That is why The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 covers a broad range of areas, including:
- Leadership
- Regulation
- Carbon
- Biodiversity
- Water
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Brand and communication
- Genetics and innovation
- “What we have missed” (arguably one of the most important sections)
It is also worth saying that this is not a theoretical exercise. The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 has been written with real organisations in mind. The kind that have limited time, competing priorities, and the need to make decisions that balance sustainability with commercial reality.
Why Should You Get a Copy of The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101?
One of the most common things I hear from organisations is that sustainability feels overwhelming. There is a sense that there is too much to do and not enough clarity on where to begin. The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 is designed to reduce that sense of overwhelm. It is done by:
- Discussing challenges faced by global businesses
- Breaking down complexity
- Providing clear priorities
- Offering insight on resolution
The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 also supports better decision-making. Sustainability is now a core part of business strategy, influencing everything from investment decisions to brand positioning. The book provides a way to approach these decisions with greater confidence and alignment. Perhaps most importantly, it focuses on outcomes. Sustainability is often discussed in terms of ambition, but what really matters is delivery. The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 helps organisations move towards tangible impact.
What if You’re New to Sustainability?
If someone is new to sustainability, the biggest challenge is usually not motivation, but direction. There is a tendency to either overcomplicate things or to underestimate what is required. Both approaches can lead to frustration and slow progress. What we have tried to do with The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 is provide a clear starting point. Something that explains the fundamentals, connects the different elements, and shows how to begin in a way that is both practical and effective.
The Bottom Line
Looking back on it all now, The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 is not something that appeared overnight, but is the result of years of experience, conversations, challenges and learning. It reflects what we have seen work, what we have seen fail and what we believe organisations need to move forward. This book would not have been possible without the work of the amazing scientists and personnel from Tunley Environmental who worked together to bring it to life. I would also like to thank our clients who collaborated with us to share real-world case studies and examples. Many thanks to Christian Mabey from Optima, LeeAnne Scherer from Sound United, Benedicta Bakpa from Bespak, Peter Williams from SMS Technology, and Reuben Maxbaeur from Levy.
The Sustainability Leader’s Playbook 101 has been created to support every organisation’s journey, creating a pathway to sustainability leadership is about turning understanding into action.