The 3 Ps
Sustainability definitions and business plans often refer to the three Ps which consist of planet, people, and profit. These three words that all start with a P, describe how the goal of sustainability is within the sweet spot of all of these different values.
The three Ps are often referred to the Triple Bottom Line, which was a term created by Andrew Savitz. Mr. Savitz wrote a book called the Triple Bottom line which is described as ensuring business success by overlapping interests of our society and the environment, in addition to business interests.
More information about the Triple Bottom Line can be found within this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Triple-Bottom-Line-Companies-Environmental/dp/0787979074
People & Society
Within sustainability, relationship can refer to anyone within society such as employees, customers, citizens, or communities. People are either part of a particular business seeking economic growth that can work toward implementing sustainability practices. Or, the people can refer those in the broader society that may be affected by the business or consumers who have the choice to either purchase products from a given business, or perhaps avoid a business that isn’t making responsible sustainability practices part of their strategy and operations.
People are increasingly looking at the practices businesses use to create their products and offer their services. Everything from the supply chain and resource management to animal testing and recycling could be considered within a the sustainability practices of a company. Additionally, part of a sustainable oriented business would be to keep their workers safe within the business with an emphasis on a healthy workplace and manufacturing practices that involve low risk for employees in addition to low impact on the earth’s environment.
In order to fulfill the people aspect of sustainability, businesses attempt to minimize the harm to society and also work hard to promote their positive efforts and sustainable activities. Promoting sustainability practices is part of a well rounded business strategy. However, if a company actually stretches the truth somewhat, they need to be careful not to enter a somewhat deceitful practices known as greenwashing.
Greenwashing is when a company promotes their sustainability practices in marketing campaigns without being 100% truthful about outcomes or other damaging practices. This was more of a danger earlier in the years of promoting sustainability practices. However more modern approaches take the danger of greenwashing into consideration mostly because the general public is much more aware and mindful of separating truth from fiction.
Greenwashing is a particularly confusing subject, so I’ve provided more information in the links below.
Green washing, by Pascual Berrone (2016)
Better purchasing, by Kendra Pierre-Louis (2012)
Public awareness and involvement has helped companies stay more truthful in their sustainability marketing strategies. Ultimately companies understand that the power of green practices and marketing are governed by public choices and society consumption. As consumers are increasingly paying attention to company sustainability practices, companies have embraced their role of providing honest and upfront information about their impact on society, and the environment. This communication between public consumers and profitable businesses can encourage sustainable development and care for our planet.
Planet & Conservation
When people discuss sustainability and act in sustainable ways, it’s usually in the context of environmental conservation and care for our planet. Sustainability origins are within environmental science and environmental conservation. The concerns about the planet came first, then as sustainability was refined, the definition incorporated people, and profit in later iterations of the concept of sustainability.
Conservation is at the heart of the planet portion of any sustainability framework, or diagram. The planet part of the sustainability vin diagram reminds us that the essential part of the balance is to care for the earth.
Sustainability guidelines help lead decisions towards choices that lessen the detrimental impact of economic activity across the planet. To help shape decision-making processes, businesses often rely on subject matter experts to help inform them of the impact that their economic activities impose on the earth.
Examples include using less packaging when shipping products or switching to a recycled material to reduce waste when shipping. With this example, not only could a company reduce the materials they are using, and potentially save money. The business could also support recycling efforts by creating policies of sourcing from recycled materials, thus using less raw materials harvested from the planet.
Other examples would be to implement energy saving policies that reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. With this example, a business may introduce improved lighting strategies, obtain energy from sustainable sources, or provide carbon credits as a way to give back to the planet by supporting programs that support conservation.
Profit & Development
Most of the work in the international community around standardizing sustainability practices has been through the lens of sustainable development. Economic development is analogous to making a profit in the world of business.
Businesses are often in the pursuit of creating efficiencies, creating value, or
Most of the work in the international community around standardizing sustainability practices has been through the lens of sustainable development. Economic development is analogous to making a profit in the world of business.
Businesses are often in the
pursuit of creating efficiencies, creating value, or innovating. Luckily for us
these goals often emphasis the desire for people to hold businesses accountable
for their actions. The more our public community emphasizes a need for
businesses to become sustainable, the better a business will