Over 25 years ago John Elkington (a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development) coined the phrase ‘Triple Bottom Line’ referring to People Planet and Profit. This term was designed to promote deeper thinking about the future of capitalism and the need for systemic change.
The Triple Bottom Line is a sustainability framework that examines a company’s social, environmental and economic (not just financial) impact.
• People: the impact an organisation has on its most important stakeholders e.g. employees, families, customers, suppliers and communities.
• Planet: the impact an organisation has on its natural environment e.g. consumption of natural resources, carbon footprint, disposal of waste, etc.
• Profit: the impact an organisation as on the local, national and international economy. This goes beyond the financial profit of the organisation. There is much debate about replacing the word ‘Profit’ with ‘Prosperity’.
• People: the impact an organisation has on its most important stakeholders e.g. employees, families, customers, suppliers and communities.
• Planet: the impact an organisation has on its natural environment e.g. consumption of natural resources, carbon footprint, disposal of waste, etc.
• Profit: the impact an organisation as on the local, national and international economy. This goes beyond the financial profit of the organisation. There is much debate about replacing the word ‘Profit’ with ‘Prosperity’.
The goal should be for an organisation to minimise the negative impacts of the 3Ps, and maximise the positive impacts, trying to achieve a net positive.
Good Dividends expands on this framework to provide real, practical guidance and tools for organisations to pursue a sustainable, moving to a regenerative, business model.
Good Dividends expands on this framework to provide real, practical guidance and tools for organisations to pursue a sustainable, moving to a regenerative, business model.
