It’s year 6 of my annual reading list dedicated to the books that will make you a more sustainable, ethical, responsible leader. This year has been a wild ride for me and for my team. After almost 4 years as a solopreneur, I decided to expand my business in 2023. I brought on a team of incredible leaders this year, rebranded our company – Veerless – and continued to help companies of all shapes and sizes grow their sustainable impact globally. Together with my team, we’ve been focused on “leveling up” all year, and the books I bring to this list have been instrumental in that process. These books have been the cornerstone of my learning as a leader and my team’s learning processes as they continue to build their expertise, breadth and depth our clients need to succeed.
So let’s go…here’s what the Veerless team thinks you need to read in 2024:
Our Planet Powered by AI from Mark Minevich
There is so much to stay about AI and ethics, and this is the first major work I’ve seen that directly connected the use and rise of AI with ESG and our responsibility to each other and the world.
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah is the President at The Rockefeller Foundation, taking over from the incomparable Judith Rodin a number of years ago. And in his new book, he proves the big thinking that got him to where he is. Bringing experience from the Gates Foundation, Rockefeller and more, Dr. Shah encourages anyone with a philanthropy or change-focused budget to take on bigger bets to solve bigger problems. Inspiring, yes. Practical, even more so!
Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst
It’s rare I put a fiction work on this list, but this one really made me think. What happens when a company fails you as a leader? As a person of color? As a woman? Those are the questions Tembe Denton-Hurst tackles in this close to real life tale of job loss, calling a corporation onto the carpet, and what that does to a person’s friendships, family, and career. At any given time, every sustainability professional has considered blowing the whistle on something we’ve seen that turns our stomach in the corporate world. This will make you think…
The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet from Leah Thomas
We spend a lot of time in sustainability talking about the environment. But how often do we cross into the world of environmental justice? Not enough. Leah Thomas takes us there and shows us the disparities in how environmental injustices affect many groups more than others. A practical guide on how to think differently about environmental work and how to get it done.
Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do from Dr. Wallace J. Nichols
Ok, admittedly this one is a passion add. But it’s still worth talking about and reading. Ever wonder why we love the water so much? There’s brain science that shows it makes us….well, see the title. I add it here not just because it’s interesting science, but because the water on this planet is the canary in the coal mine. We’re not taking care of it. Here’s one more book telling you why we should!
Capital in the Twenty First Center from Thomas Picketty
It’s not enough to know about ESG and sustainability, folks. We have to know about business. And more than that, we have to understand how businesses are funded, capitalized, leveraged, etc. This tome from Thomas Piketty is the best overview of our modern economic history I’ve ever read. Stick with it and you’ll learn so much. If you don’t understand how economics got us here, you’ll never be able to help economics get us out of our predicaments.
Thinking the Future: New Perspectives from the Shoulders of Giants from Clem Sunter Clem Sunter and Mitch Ilbury
At its core, this book is about scenario planning. How do we prepare ourselves for the risks and opportunities ahead? And how do we explain those risks to our leadership teams? Just because you understand climate change doesn’t mean everyone does. How can you help them think alongside you?
I’ve said it for a number of years, and I feel the change is coming. There is space in DEI for size inclusion and a stronger understanding of what wellness means. Stop with the weight loss challenges, quit with BMI as a measure of insurability. Don’t we all know these things by now? Apparently not, but you will after you read this book. Help me keep the movement going to make our corporate sector more size inclusive!
Finally, there are two books about to launch on the market and perhaps a book club is in order to read and discuss. Comment below or DM me if you’re interested and I’ll commit Veerless to holding a book club in Q1.