Triple Bottom Line

Triple Bottom Line

Triple bottom line (TBL) integrates the concept of sustainability into business decisions. It is composed of three dimensions: social, economical, and environmental. The TBL dimensions are also frequently called the three Ps: people, planet, and profit, and referred to as the "three pillars of sustainability". The TBL framework empowers organizations to take a longer-term outlook and evaluate the future consequences of decisions.

There is no universal process for calculating the TBL. The economical dimension is more easily calculated in dollars, but the social and environmental dimensions become more difficult to measure. According to the textbook by James A. Fitzsimmons, Mona J. Fitzsimmons, and Sanjeev Bordoloi, Service Management: Operations, Strategy, Information Technology, some social issues include “labor practices, workforce diversity, human rights and community outreach” (2014. pp. 39). A few economic issues include “capital efficiency, growth enhancement, cost reduction, and risk management” (2014. pp. 39). And lastly, some environmental issues include “clean air, water and land, emission control, and waste management” (2014. pp. 39). Some of these topics overlap with each other. When all three of these are satisfied, true sustainability can be reached.

There are many companies that address the triple bottom line. One company that directly addresses the TBL is Southern Energy Management from North Carolina. If you go to their website, http://www.southern-energy.com, they have two mission statements: “To improve the way people make and use energy” and “To build a prosperous company that supports people and the planet.” Also on their website, they have a link under their About Us section called Triple Bottom Line. They state we are “committed to creating a sustainable NC triple bottom line company that is positioned to thrive for a long time to come.” They say that