This book is a "must read" for every director, every CFO aka CVO, every accountant, as well as all stakeholders with high expectations for tomorrow's companies to create value in responsible and sustainable ways. We interviewed IFAC International Gold Service Award winner Professor Mervyn King in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. In that interview, Professor King rose above the main issue of those days by visioning that: "One of the things that terrifies me about the financial meltdown is that governments will overregulate from a financial point of view and forget about the sustainability crisis, which will be ongoing long after the financial crisis comes to an end." This was because "the long-term survival of organizations is no longer only affected by economic factors, but also by social and environmental ones." "Practicing good governance," King continued, "means that in working out the long-term strategic direction of a company, directors also need to integrate the sustainability issues pertinent to the business of that company. In fact, directors have to realize that their ultimate responsibility is social, environmental, and economic performance. And they need to report on how the business of the company impacts, both positively and negatively, on the community and the environment in which it operates." At the end of our interview, Professor King prophesized that "if we start now, at least we have a chance of a sustainable future.

Otherwise, it will be too late for mankind on planet Earth." I am delighted to see that Professor King, in between his incredibly busy schedule, now has found the time to put (t)his vision--supported with quotes from many other thought leaders--on paper in this well-written book.