The sustainability crisis is the greatest challenge of the 21st Century. Yet for various reasons sustainability continues to receive neither the attention nor the resources it merits. At the planetary level, this is a symptom of deep confusion and a cause for grave concern. It is also a symptom of confusion when this disregard occurs at the level of the individual business.

As a campaigning organisation, Ecos is committed to addressing the global threat. We do so by communicating to corporate executives, especially senior-level decision-makers, the business implications of sustainability. Rightly understood, sustainability can create shareholder value. Misinterpreted or ignored, it can do the opposite. At Ecos, we help corporate executives convert crisis into opportunity.

This is our focus because we believe that the business sector has the resources and positioning to drive the transition into a more sustainable culture. But first business must sign on, and it must do so voluntarily, and the only way this will happen is if executives believe that operationalising sustainability can potentially create shareholder value. And so we dialogue with corporate executives about the business implications of sustainability, we present, as fairly and objectively as possible, the case for operationalising it, and we support their efforts to do so.

In today's society, business value, as conventionally defined, is often not aligned with societal values. This is socially and environmentally harmful, and it often rebounds on business by hurting economic performance as well. Business and societal value must be brought in line with each other. Conveniently, the supremely interconnected New Economy provides a framework for doing so. In the New-Economy Value Web, business multiplies its opportunities by aligning with societal expectations and by responding to widely-held wants and needs: values are converted into value.

At Ecos, we have a term for this alignment of society's and shareholders' interests: 'sustainable value.' Sustainable value brings an end to the perennial tug of war (perceived or actual) between industry's pursuit of profits and humanity's collective yearning for a high quality-of-life for all.

At Ecos we help corporate executives create sustainable value. We do so by explaining what it is and what it entails, generally and for their companies. We bring our expertise, experience and integrity to the task of mapping strategic paths for our clients through what remains, in significant measure, uncharted territory.

We understand the boundary conditions under which businesses operate and know that operationalising sustainability isn't easy. We stand side-by-side with our clients in asking the hard questions, confident that persistent, rigorous analysis and clear, creative thinking will turn up effective, appropriate, practical business solutions. We build our relationships with clients based on our shared commitment to create sustainable value - and, beyond that, a world that works. We know this does not come easily. These are uncharted waters. This is a learning journey for us all.