Endorsements
‘[Tania Ellis’s] book shows the spectrum of thinking and concrete action around socially and ecologically responsible business that has emerged in the last decade. This spectrum is much wider than any label such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Global Citizenship, Social Investment, Social Entrepreneurship or Social Business would suggest, and her work in aggregating this information will go a long way to inspiring others to lead further into the future. It comprises exciting opportunities of engaging new actors and forging new partnerships to “improve the state of the world”.’
Professor Klaus Schwab (from the foreword), Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum; Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
“The New Pioneers needs to be not only read – but more importantly acted on – by all of us at the frontiers of building and giving life to the new economy. As we enter the Age of Sustainability, it will be the abundancy of our talents that will drive innovation which sees the opportunity in extreme resource scarcity. To harness these talents across the globe, embracing different cultures on the basis of shared equity, we need to know what works and who is doing what, framed by a challenge to current mindsets. The New Pioneers provides all that – and much more”
Tony Manwaring, Chief Executive, Tomorrow’s Company
“The world is changing and the new pioneers are the ones changing it. If you want to make sense of what’s happening–or even better, if you want to help make it happen–read this book. It’s a handbook for the global revolution!”
Alan M. Webber, Co-founding Editor, Fast Company magazine and Author, Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self
“We are living through one of history’s great transitions – from the Age of Greed to the Age of Responsibility – and Tania Ellis‘s “new pioneers” are at the leading edge of the revolution. This is a book that informs and inspires, reminding us that a better world is not only possible, but is already being created. It is an insightful window on a remarkable movement — and a call to action for us all.”
Dr Wayne Visser, Director of CSR International and author of The Age of Responsibility
“I welcome The New Pioneers, as a contribution to moving forward the vision of more ethical and sustainable businesses, reforming markets and growing “greener” economies worldwide. Tania Ellis has performed a great service and we hope this book is widely-read!”
Hazel Henderson, author of Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy (2006) and President, Ethical Markets Media (USA and Brazil)
“For 150 years we have directed companies on two false assumptions, viz. that planet earth had infinite resources and an infinite capacity to absorb waste. The consequence is an ecological crisis which has driven companies into a new economy – business as unusual and learning to make more with less. The New Pioneers illustrates that the stakeholder inclusive governance approach now prevails and everyone has a role to play to make the new face of capitalism work.”
Mervyn King, Chairman of the Global Reporting Initiative
“Past explorers and pioneers found and exploited ‘new worlds’. Humanity will need multiple planets this century to meet its growing agricultural, industrial and consumer needs, but we only have one. So we have to build a new world on the one planet we have. Tania Ellis shows how new breeds of social innovators and entrepreneurs are leading the charge.”
John Elkington, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Volans, Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director of SustainAbility, and Co-author of The Power of Unreasonable People
“If you are joining the social entrepreneurship revolution, or seeking to apply its principles in a mainstream business setting, this insightful and incredibly well researched book sets out the rules of the road ahead.”
John Grant, Author of Co-opportunity and The Green Marketing Manifesto
“Plan A is central to the future competitive success of Marks & Spencer, and to our future relationship with customers and suppliers alike. It is a powerful example that ‘sustainable development’ is making its way into the core of business strategy. It is no longer a nice-to-have, but a need-to-have. The New Pioneers - packed with case studies and guided by the principles which inform them – shows how companies are leveraging their competitive advantage and building innovative business models by putting sustainability into the core of their thinking and practice”
Richard S. Gillies, Director, Plan A, CSR & Sustainable Business, Marks & Spencer
“Like James Cameroun with his movie Avatar is changing the film industry from two dimensions to three dimensions, Tania Ellis’s new book shows the changing face of business from a one dimensional profit focus to capitalism in three dimensions. The New Pioneers takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the evolution of business and its stakeholders providing new insights, lessons learned and roads to walk for creating a future where business globally will play an important part of creating a better world today and tomorrow.”
Mads Kjaer, founder of MYC4
“………‘The New Pioneers’ is a very timely arrival that talks about developing future leaders and talent as businesses begin to recognize more and more that corporate sustainability is stretching the bandwidth of both current business models as well as their leadership profiles.”
Anant G Nadkarni, Vice President – Group Corporate Sustainability, Tata
‘In meticulous, convincing and heartening detail, Tania Ellis rolls out persuasive evidence that a “responsibility revolution” is well underway in the relationship between consumers and corporations. It is empowered by global communications networks the market revolutionaries of past generations – from Henry Ford to Ralph Nader – could never have conceived. It is inspired by indisputable proof – from climate change to the Great Recession – that we are indeed one world and that conscience is the best business model. Today, with governments having difficulty addressing some of the world’s most perplexing problems, consumers, corporations and civil society must take the lead. As Ms Ellis documents so skillfully, that is precisely what they are doing.’
William Becker, Presidential Climate Action Project
‘Best business book in years! Do you know the feeling of reading a new book about business… “sounds right, sounds relevant, we should try this” and then you forget it. The New Pioneers is a completely different experience. You will be surprised about the numbers, be more inspired, and start seeing business opportunities you might never have thought about before… in fact, I bet this will be a book that will move you. Make notes and enjoy.’
Mariianne Crary, co-founder, G3 Incubator and NewallStreet
‘People who claim that social responsibility is not good for business have not read “The New Pioneers”. In this inspiring, comprehensive and knowledge packed book, Tania Ellis takes us through the many whys, whats, whos and hows of social entrepreneurship. She analyses and describes the movement that is setting new agendas for businesses, governments, and civil society organisations alike. Every observation is accompanied by illustrative examples demonstrating how unmet social needs can form the basis for innovation and new business models. The book falls beautifully into the tradition of thinkers and writers such as Paul Hawken and John Elkington. Highly recommended.’
Claes Amundsen, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Telenor Denmark
‘The new pioneers are those companies and organisations who are creating a whole new paradigm, a new motive, for business… Ellis’s book is a fascinating and encouraging tour de force of this brave new world. She peppers her narrative with case studies of businesses that are doing the right thing. Indeed, rather focusing on the bad guys, she is relentlessly upbeat in highlighting business as a ‘force for good’…Ellis acknowledges that ‘we still have hardcore capitalists that work towards one goal only: to get the highest return on their investments irrespective of ethical considerations. But she also addresses behavioural change and claims that ‘there is a growing consensus that ethics and responsibility are necessities ‘to run a business successfully.’
Mike Smith, journalist and author, Caux Initiatives for Business
