I just started reading The Triple Bottom Line by Andrew Savitz. I plan on blogging some of my notes from the book.
You may ask yourself, “I know what the bottom line refers to (profit), but what is the triple bottom line.” The book’s subtitle says it like this when describing the purpose for the book–“How Today’s Best-Run Companies Are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success.”
Sustainability is a buzzword right now, and I appreciate how Savitz uses the introduction of his book to clearly define sustainability. Savitz defines a sustainable corporation as:
“one that creates profit for its shareholders while protecting the environment and improving the lives of those with whom it interacts. It operates so that its business interests and the interests of the environment and society intersect” (Savitz, x).
Business can be a powerful tool for improving lives, and it is important for firms to step back and evaluate the decisions that they make based on additional criteria.
Filed under: Sustainability , andrew savitz, Sustainability, the triple bottom line
