“It’s time to recall the Triple Bottom Line — not to scrap it, but to rethink it.” — John Elkington, Harvard Business Review (2018)
In the early 1990s, a sustainability thinker named John Elkington introduced a concept that quietly reshaped the way businesses viewed success. He called it the Triple Bottom Line — an idea that urged companies to measure their performance not just by profit, but by their impact on people and the planet as well.
At the time, the business world was dominated by one metric: financial gain. Growth was the goal, and profit was the proof. But Elkington believed there had to be more to the story. What if success also meant improving lives and protecting the environment? What if the true measure of a company wasn’t just its earnings, but its contribution to a sustainable future?
When Elkington coined the phrase Triple Bottom Line in 1994, it was revolutionary. He proposed that every organisation should evaluate its success through three interconnected lenses — People, Planet, and Profit.
People represents the social dimension — how a company treats its employees, customers, and communities. It’s about fair wages, inclusion, wellbeing, and creating opportunities that lift others up.
Planet focuses on environmental responsibility — reducing carbon emissions, conserving resources, and building systems that respect the earth we depend on.
Profit remains essential, but in the Triple Bottom Line framework, it’s viewed differently. It’s not profit at any cost, but profit that sustains — enabling long-term value for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Fast forward more than two decades, and the Triple Bottom Line feels more relevant than ever. The world is facing urgent environmental challenges, widening inequality, and a growing demand for accountability. Businesses are no longer judged only by their products or profits, but by their purpose.
Consumers want to support brands that stand for something real. Employees seek workplaces that align with their values. Investors, too, are increasingly drawn to companies with strong ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles.
The Triple Bottom Line gives businesses a framework to respond — to grow responsibly, to innovate with conscience, and to ensure that success benefits everyone it touches.
In 2018, Elkington revisited his own concept in a Harvard Business Review article titled “25 Years Ago I Coined the Phrase ‘Triple Bottom Line.’ Here’s Why I’m Giving Up on It.”
He wasn’t abandoning the idea — he was recalling it, as if it were a product that needed an upgrade. Too many companies, he argued, had adopted the Triple Bottom Line as a branding exercise rather than a transformation tool. It became something to report on, not something to live by.
Elkington’s message was clear: sustainability isn’t a checklist. It’s a mindset — one that redefines capitalism itself. To truly embrace the Triple Bottom Line, businesses must embed it into every decision, not as an afterthought, but as a guiding principle.
So, what does this look like in practice? It starts with awareness. Businesses can begin by asking honest questions:
From there, small, meaningful changes create momentum. Choosing ethical suppliers, investing in energy-efficient systems, empowering local communities — these steps don’t just “look good,” they strengthen resilience and reputation.
When people, planet, and profit are aligned, businesses thrive sustainably.
The Triple Bottom Line isn’t just a concept from the past — it’s a roadmap for the future. As organisations navigate complex global challenges, the ones that will endure are those that understand this simple truth: real success is shared success.
It’s not about choosing between purpose and profit. It’s about recognising that they can — and should — coexist.
Elkington’s original vision continues to inspire a new generation of business leaders to see beyond the balance sheet, to measure what truly matters, and to build companies that leave a legacy worth celebrating.
Because when we balance people, planet, and profit, we don’t just build better businesses — we build a better
world.
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