The Three Bottom Lines

I really like the concept of the triple bottom line (3BL) . Like many of the best ideas it is simple and powerful. The strength of the idea that truly long term advantage requires positive outcomes in three dimensions - economic, social and environmental - is evident in how quickly it has been adopted around the world. The vision of a three legged stool that only stands when each leg is strong comes to mind whenever I think of 3BL.

Unfortunately it is clear that too often the discussion is dominated by just one of the aspects. Whether it is too heavy an emphasis on “green” or on “profits” the result is the same and the three legged stool is bound to fall over.

Kudos to the folks at Tourism Queensland for including not only social, environmental but also information on markets and business development on their sustainability microsite. All three bottom lines are being nurtured in Queensland !Tourism Queensland Sustainability