The Green Leap to an Inclusive Economy

A study by Oxfam has indicated that eight men own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity. Equally significant is that if consumption in the developing world were to suddenly match that in the developed world (levels in China are still 11 times lower than in the United States), current use and waste of natural resources would have catastrophic consequences for natural capital and the environment.

In The Green Leap to an Inclusive Economy, two leading thinkers on the base of the pyramid, Stuart L. Hart and Fernando Casado, challenge head on these two biggest issues facing humanity and the planet today: Inequality and Environmental Degradation. They present the new design thinking required for a more inclusive and sustainable economy which respects both people and planet.

Far from simply presenting the problems, this book offers insightful case studies that showcase the challenges and opportunities of base of the pyramid venturing in different geographical and cultural contexts, as well as providing a detailed description of the tools that have been proven to enhance the innovation of business models to address the issues. Through telling these stories, the authors provide a roadmap for how to make an inclusive and sustainable economy a reality, where opportunity and prosperity are available to more of the people that participate in the economy as workers, consumers, owners and the wider community, whilst addressing the risks to the natural capital we all depend on.

This book is essential reading for anyone looking to accelerate the development of an inclusive business for the benefit of society and the planet, as well as those involved in the study and research of the base of the pyramid and sustainable business solutions.

Stuart L. Hart is Professor and the Steven Grossman Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business at the University of Vermont Business School, and the Samuel C. Johnson Chair Emeritus in Sustainable Global Enterprise and Professor of Management Emeritus at Cornell University’s Johnson School of Management.

Fernando Casado Caneque is the founder and director of CAD and an economist and journalist specializing in projects related to economic and sustainable development.