The triple bottom line or the three P’s (2024)

In this section we will be looking at the 3Ps; People, Planet, and Profit of sustainability.

The triple bottom line or the three P’s (2)

© RMIT University 2017

The 3Ps of sustainability are a well-known and accepted business concept. The Ps refer to People, Planet, and Profit, also often referred to as the triple bottom line.

Sustainability has the role of protecting and maximising the benefit of the 3Ps. Green programs take care of people. They acknowledge the planet’s needs by respecting its valuable resources, and they aim to produce profit without waste.

The triple bottom line (TBL) is the idea that companies prepare three separate bottom line measurements. The TBL is a version of the balanced scorecard approach, and ultimately what a company measures is most likely to get the most attention. However, companies rarely measure the social and environmental impact of their business.

What this highlights is that the relation between business and green mindset, in order to reach and maintain realisation, may not be as straightforward as we expect it to be.

The triple bottom line or the three P’s (3)

The articles below introduce a few other 3P models that may be of interest.

Activity

Based on concepts of TBL, reflect on whether you think businesses are really engaged in achieving sustainable practices, or rather is it economic growth that is still the ‘main game’ of businesses, governments and investors?

Post your thoughts in the Comments area below.

© RMIT University 2017

This article is from the online course:

Business Futures: Sustainable Business Through Green HR

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Business Futures: Sustainable Business Through Green HR

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The triple bottom line or the three P’s (2024)

FAQs

The triple bottom line or the three P’s? ›

In economics, the triple bottom line (TBL) maintains that companies should commit to focusing as much on social and environmental concerns as they do on profits. TBL theory posits that instead of one bottom line, there should be three: profit, people, and the planet.

What are the 3 p's of the triple bottom line? ›

The TBL dimensions are also commonly called the three Ps: people, planet and profits.

What is the triple bottom line answer? ›

The “triple bottom line” stands for the idea that firms' performance should not be assessed in merely economic terms, but along three dimensions: social, environmental, and economic (the “three Ps”, for People, Planet, and Profit). Since its inception 25 years ago, this idea has permeated into business practice.

What does the triple bottom line or 3p approach address? ›

Triple bottom line theory expands conventional business success metrics to include an organization's contributions to social well-being, environmental health, and a just economy. These bottom line categories are often referred to as the three “P's”: people, planet, and prosperity.

Is the triple bottom line really that important? ›

This bottom line measures businesses' impact on human capital. A company using the triple bottom line has a responsibility to not only shareholders but also employees, vendors, customers, the community where it does business and anyone else impacted by the organization, whether directly or indirectly.

What is the 3 P's? ›

If you want your business to succeed, you absolutely must focus on three key variables: people, process, and product. The three Ps, as they're often called, provide the highest return for your efforts because they act as the cornerstone for everything your business does.

What were the 3 P's? ›

The second objective of the Early nationalists was to influence the British government and the British public. To achieve this objective, they made use of three P's i.e. petitions, prayers and protests. They sent petition request and letters of protest to the British government to look into the problems of the Indians.

What are the three parts of the triple bottom line? ›

TBL theory posits that instead of one bottom line, there should be three: profit, people, and the planet.

What is the meaning of the bottom line answer? ›

Britannica Dictionary definition of BOTTOM LINE. 1. the bottom line. a : the most important part of something : the most important thing to consider. The bottom line [=all that matters] is that the product just wasn't practical.

What is an example of a triple bottom line approach? ›

Some examples of the Triple Bottom Line in action include: Sportswear brand Nike has refocused its strategy to be more energy efficient, including investing in innovative new materials, and launching sustainable processes to make and remake materials for products.

Is it triple bottom line or 3p? ›

The Ps refer to People, Planet, and Profit, also often referred to as the triple bottom line.

Which best describes the triple bottom line? ›

The triple bottom line can be broken down into “three P's”: profit, people, and the planet.

Is triple bottom line a strategy? ›

Implementing the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) means your company is considering profit, people and the planet in its activities. Read on to learn about how to build it into your business and the benefits of including Triple Bottom Line thinking in your strategy.

What are the 3ps of triple bottom line? ›

The triple bottom line is a business concept that posits firms should commit to measuring their social and environmental impact—in addition to their financial performance—rather than solely focusing on generating profit, or the standard “bottom line.” It can be broken down into “three Ps”: profit, people, and the ...

How to improve your triple bottom line? ›

The three best ways to begin improving your business's triple bottom line are to improve your human capital management strategy, implement a sustainability management system, and be more socially responsible.

What is the triple bottom line TBL theory? ›

The triple bottom line concept suggests that business outcomes cannot be measured by just the financial bottom line. Instead, they must also consider the well-being of people and the planet. This means organizations that adopt TBL frameworks are accountable to all stakeholders—not just shareholders.

What is a 3p triple bottom line company? ›

The triple bottom line is an accounting framework that incorporates three dimensions of performance: social, environmental, and financial. These three facets can be summarized as "people, planet, and profit."2.

What do the three P's stand for? ›

The three p's of first aid form the foundation of effective emergency response. By understanding the importance of preserving life, preventing deterioration, and promoting recovery, you can make a significant impact on the outcome of an emergency.

What is the 3 P's in marketing? ›

This, then, is the "3 P's." And there is only one logical order for the 3 P's and that is price, then place, then promotion. As a restatement of a brand's positioning strategy, a brand's core benefit proposition suggests what pricing strategy it should use.

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