Hello change agents 👋

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Each year, we curate a list of the top books that sustainable business professionals absolutely *must* pop onto their bookshelves. Welcome to our sixth annual Sustainable Business Reading List!

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This year, we sourced our picks with help from experts in the Change Hub, Reconsidered’s membership community for busy sustainable business professionals. In this year’s curation, you’ll find a diverse range of titles that won’t just bring back the spark that first got you hooked on sustainable business, but will also help you learn tangible skills for making an even bigger impact.

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If you’d like to dig deeper, we’re starting a virtual Book Club in the Change Hub to unpack several of the reads on this list. We’d love for you to join us. 🤗

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A huge thanks to all the members who contributed to this year’s edition, as well as to our own community manager Leeah and content manager Eleni for spearheading the project. Wishing you a summer filled with reading and inspiration!

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✌️

Founder, Reconsidered

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P.S. This issue marks our last newsletter edition before our annual Summer Pause. We’ll be back in action and back in your inboxes on September 6th! ✌️

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🌻 Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life (Dacher Keltner)​

“This book is for everyone needing to be reminded of WHY they are working in sustainability. With burnout, fatigue and cynicism facing sustainability professionals, Dacher helps remind us that the often-neglected emotion “awe” can help motivate and spur us on in the fight to conserve our Earth and steward our resources responsibly.” — Melanie Copple, Executive Director, The Biophilic Institute​

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🔦 Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity's Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism (Vanessa Machado de Olivera)​

“This is a necessarily unsettling book that centers Indigenous approaches to roadmap the bigger-picture challenge ahead: “hospicing modernity”, aka showing me how the often-ambitious ways I was doing sustainability were actually reinforcing the system I said I wanted to change.” — Julia Sherbakov, Founder and Host, Impact Journey Podcast

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⚡️ Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now (John Doerr)​

“I found John Doerr's OKR-centered approach to driving corporate sustainability refreshing. Unlike most books that tend to focus on the why, this one delves into the practical how. I believe it is relevant to the current zeitgeist and has assisted me in effectively speaking to business-minded stakeholders about our ESG initiatives and goals.” — Tony Wu, DEI and Social Impact Program Manager, Sweetgreen

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⛰ The Future of the Responsible Company: What We've Learned from Patagonia's First 50 Years (Vincent Stanley and Yvon Chouinard)​

“This book offers valuable insights into Patagonia’s pioneering success in sustainable business practices, providing replicable strategies for other companies to adopt. It looks at future trends and serves as inspiration for those looking to make a positive impact while running/operating a profitable business.” — Rachel Taplinger, Head of Sustainability, Maybelline New York

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🧠 Thinking In Systems (Donella Meadows)​

“Meadows' classic primer on systems thinking helps us see our societal challenges in new ways, and find solutions through the interconnected nature of everything. After reading this book, the world will make more sense to you.” — Chris Gaither, Co-Founder, Regenerous​

FIND THE FULL LIST HERE 👉

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Don't forget to register for Reconsidered's next Coffee Chat! Our popular virtual networking series is back on July 30th and co-hosted by Sustainable Career Pathways' Trish Kenlon. We'll be diving into Meaningful LinkedIn Engagement with a quick "wisdom drop" from Trish, followed by breakout rooms with fellow sustainability and social impact professionals. Registration is required to attend so sign up now to book your spot (they fill up fast)!

REGISTER NOW 👉

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Meet Allison Reser, Director of Sustainability and Innovation at the Pet Sustainability Coalition and a member of the Reconsidered Change Hub. In this profile, she shares the early experiences that shaped her commitment to environmental impact, her best recommendations for how to break into the sustainability space and the one skill that has been essential for her in driving change.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW 👉

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A few highlights from this week’s curation:

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• ​7-Eleven — Regional Environmental Compliance Analyst (Irving, Texas, U.S.)
• ​Google — Energy and Sustainability Policy Manager, Government Affairs and Public Policy (Washington, D.C.)
• ​Penguin Random House — Social Impact Manager (Hybrid, London)
• ​UNDP — Policy and Advocacy Intern, Climate and Security Risk (Remote, U.S.)
• ​World Business Council for Sustainable Development — Program Director, Equity Action (Amsterdam, London or New York City)
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THIS WEEK'S JOBS CURATION 👉

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​Hiring in September? Plan ahead and reach thousands of exceptional candidates by booking a Sponsored Job Post here.

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Browse our new database of sustainability and social impact related courses, trainings and leadership programs, including:
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• Voiz Academy's Net Zero Analyst Cohort, with a reduced July price, and its Sustainability Analyst Cohort. Register TODAY before their kickoff tomorrow!
• Girls Club Collective’s Magicmind Leadership Cohort, an eight-month mastermind-style leadership cohort for mission-driven women.
• The Untangling Circularity Podcast’s Practical Circularity for Small Businesses Coalition, a multi-module coalition that offers actionable circular economy strategies.

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🧨 P.S. If you sign up for any of these programs, be sure to mention you heard about it from Reconsidered! And don’t forget that Change Hub members get special discounts and bonuses for all of these opportunities (and more).

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VIEW ALL UPSKILLING OPPORTUNITIES HERE 👉

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🎯 Most clicked from the last issue… Fast Fashion Ad — Saturday Night Live. To laugh or to cry? This SNL sketch had you all in the same conundrum.
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💥 In our LinkedIn group, we’re sharing ESG courses, perspectives on how to measure human sustainability in business and masterclasses on regenerative principles. Join 14,000+ of us here.

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Have a launch scheduled for this fall? Our newsletter is back on September 6th! Get a head start and book your sponsored post here.

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Reconsidered is an impact strategy and communications studio dedicated to helping sustainable business leaders drive bigger, bolder, more sustainable change. Here are a few ways we can support your work:

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✅ Helping your company articulate a brand-aligned ESG mission and framework that clearly communicates who you are, what you stand for and how you make change happen

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✅ Creating internal employee engagement strategies that use behavior change principles to integrate sustainability right into the core of your company’s culture

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✅ Delivering non-sucky trainings and talks that leave participants feeling equipped, energized and reconnected with their sense of purpose

LEARN MORE 👉