Solitaire Townsend is the co-founder and chief solutionist of Futerra, an award-winning sustainability agency. Townsend works with clients like Ikea, Formula 1, Google, the United Nations and Lancôme to make sustainable development happen. The 2008 Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year, she has chaired talks at COP26 and COP27, delivered a TED talk on the creative industries' responsibility to act on climate emergency and is an in-demand sustainability and change speaker. A Forbes contributor, she writes for or has been featured in The Guardian, Management Today, Campaign, Raconteur, and The Independent. She is based in London, UK.
"Solitaire Townsend's passion for finding answers is as infectious
as it is compelling. Her core argument is brilliantly argued: move
over pessimists and naysayers; the future belongs to the
Solutionists."
*Paul Polman, business leader, campaigner and former CEO,
Unilever*
"The world needs many more solutionists - and if you're going to
read just one book about them this year, it should be this
one!"
*Professor Rebecca Henderson, John and Natty McArthur, University
Professor, Harvard University and author of Reimagining
Capitalism*
"Here it is.... all in one book: how each of us can and should
actively contribute to solving our urgent global challenges. Deeply
transformational and yet delightfully light reading."
*Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change from 2010-2016 and co-author of The
Future We Choose*
"Actions speaks louder than words, and The Solutionists is all
about that. This book gives you the insights and the learnings of
how to lead with purpose and get things done."
*Jesper Brodin, CEO, Ingka Group*
"The Solutionists is a breath of fresh air, where no stone is left
unturned by its ambitious, yet fun and energetic search for
solutions. The main lesson: the Solutionists can be all of us, we
just need to find our star and begin the journey now. Reading this
book is an excellent way to set sail."
*Daniel Servitje, Chairman and CEO, Grupo Bimbo*
"We have a new name for those leading change for a better world -
Solutionists. Solitaire Townsend has set out clear guidance,
tactics and advice for the millions more Solutionists we need."
*Erik Solheim, Green politician, diplomat and 6th Executive
Director, UN Environment*
"If you enjoy saying things like '1.5 degrees is out of reach, we
might as well prepare for the apocalypse', beware reading this
book, it might just encourage you to dare to hope. If you've
already taken the first courageous step of daring to imagine a
better world, you'll have fun and take practical inspiration from
every page!"
*Nigel Topping, UN High Level Climate Action Champion, COP26*
"Solitaire Townsend's The Solutionists provides experience-based
insights and concrete examples and guidance to help young business
people become agents for change within their organizations."
*Professor Tensie Whelan, Director, NYU Stern Center for
Sustainable Business*
"Courage and stamina are always essential, but so is the
playfulness to think around corners. How joyous to find Solitaire
Townsend's irrepressible energy and creativity between the covers
of this book."
*John Elkington, Founder & Chief Pollinator, Volans and author of
Green Swans*
"The polycrisis world needs Solutionists in every job at every
level - Solutionist CEOs and workers, Solutionist chemists and
farmers and accountants, Solutionist money people and energy
people, Solutionist designers and marketers and customers. In this
book Solitaire Townsend sets out an ebullient, well-argued and
compelling blueprint for anyone who wishes to become (a bigger)
part of the solution."
*Bruno Giussani, Lead Curator, TED Countdown*
"I love the term Solutionist and have now proudly adopted it for
myself and so many other wonderful colleagues and friends! We need
a movement of Solutionists and people should read this book to get
inspired to become one."
*Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google*
"If the next quarter keeps you awake at night, read the newspapers.
If it's the next quarter century, read The Solutionists."
*Rafael Pamias, Executive VP and Chief Sustainability Officer,
Grupo Bimbo*
"For anyone beginning to despair that all is lost, this book comes
as a wake-up call that solutions are not only desperately needed
but are great business opportunities, and you might have some fun
along the way. It serves not just as a call-to-arms, but also a
how-to guide for anyone who's got a solution that needs unleashing
on the world."
*Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group*
"While the non-profit industrial complex continues to talk to
itself, businesses operating out in "the wild" are responding to
masses of consumers who vote with their dollars. Solitaire
illustrates the value of that crucial link between who we are and
who we want to be."
*Majora Carter, Real Estate Development Consultant and author of
Reclaiming Your Community*
"In The Solutionists, Solitaire Townsend lifts the weight of the
many challenges we face with a new way of thinking about how we
build a fairer and more sustainable world. This is the book - and
the motivation - we need to build the world that we can all thrive
in, and be proud of."
*Aron Cramer, CEO, Business for Social Responsibility*
"Even partway through Soli's engaging book you recognize that
anyone has an opportunity to be a Solutionist. Through the numerous
conversations and Soli's research and writing, you will learn what
it takes to move forward and how to become part of the next
generation of stars."
*Tom Szaky, Founder & CEO, TerraCycle and Loop*
"This is a must-read book and call to action for sustainable and
solutions focused business innovation. Solutionists can lead us to
a greener, equitable and climate-optimism fuelled future, and this
is the guide to get us there."
*Leah Thomas, author of The Intersectional Environmentalist*
"I hope The Solutionists becomes a much-used reference in every
business leader and changemaker's library. Solitaire's brilliant,
uplifting prose reminds us - we can still rise and solve our
existential challenges - within our generation."
*Karimah Hudda, Founder and Chief Catalyst, illumine.earth*
"Insights gained from the experts in "The Solutionists" will
provide readers with fresh perspectives that hopefully spark even
more innovative actions to help the planet."
*Toni Petersson, CEO, Oatly*
"The Solutionists is full of inspiring case studies from impact
entrepreneurs and changemakers. If you are looking for a book to
inspire you to address a social or environmental problem in the
world, either as an impact intrapreneur or entrepreneur, this book
should be at the top of your list."
*Jamie Palmer, Co-Founder & CEO, Social Supermarket*
"The Solutionists offers something for everyone, whether you are
already in the mix of making change or wanting to take the first
steps. Reading this book gives you a much-needed boost to keep
facing the challenges and finding those solutions"
*Karina O’Gorman, Head of Force for Good, innocent drinks*
"We don't need another hero, we need a world of solutionists
..."
*Jon Khoo, Head of Sustainability, Interface*
"It's rare that I finish a book by thinking, "Everyone who cares
about the future needs to read this." But I did this time.
Solitaire Townsend, a gifted storyteller, has captured the essence
of what it takes to tackle the seemingly impossibly broken parts of
our world and to fix them - with passion, impact and joy."
*Joel Makower, Chairman and Co-founder, GreenBiz Group*
"The Solutionists is a good reminder that each of us is the
solution. It is a breath of pragmatic optimism and inspiration. And
best of all, Solitaire extends an open invitation to be a part of
the greatest opportunity our generation has ever had: to tackle
climate change together."
*Vaitea Cowan, Co-founder, Enapter*
"Solitaire Townsend's unique perspective on the challenges we face,
enables understanding of how we can be involved in making urgent
and necessary changes to the way we think about how live and
work."
*Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE*
"This book is a breath of fresh air in our transformational change
discourse. If you are not yet a Solutionist, Soli Townsend entices
you to become one with her easy "solutionist star methodology", and
if you are a Solutionist she'll make you recognise once again the
thrill and deep sense of being that solving today's complex
challenges offer."
*Sandrine Dixson-Declève, President, The Club of Rome*
"The Solutionists is as inspiring as it is fun, both of which are
critically important to unlocking the toughest challenges. By
focusing on the change-makers, Solitaire Townsend digs behind the
usual approach of identifying the solutions by instead focusing on
the mindset and approach it takes to achieve the transformative
change those solutions are intended for."
*Diane Holdorf, Executive Vice President, The World Business
Council for Sustainable Development*
"The Solutionists is unusual among books on solving the world's
challenges: it's easy to read, fun, and optimistic. But more
importantly, it's an invitation...to join the game of fixing the
world."
*Andrew Winston, sustainability strategist and author of Net
Positive*
"We are all obliged to act within what is possible for us to
address the world's greatest challenges. The Solutionists offers
tangible advice and examples that can serve as inspiration for
everyone."
*Mads Nipper, CEO, Ørsted*
"An English literature expert and a climate expert walk into a bar.
Turns out they get along. Turns out they need each other! Solitaire
Townsend embodies this intersection, making her one of the best
climate communicators I've met."
*Emma Stewart, CSO, Netflix*
"Solitaire Townsend assembles a cast of Solutionists who combine
vision, grit, flex, fun and soul to reimagine what it means to
lead. Through their stories and her personal reflections, an
inspiring blueprint for how to change the world takes shape."
*Amanda Gardiner, Sustainability Innovation & Engagement Head,
Meta*
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
