Ask The Expert - TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE - Assets

Triple bottom line (TBL) is a technique used increasingly in corporate social responsible (CSR) reporting by organisations and by external stakeholders and third parties to rate an organisation’s performance on measures of environmental, social and economic performance which it determines that businesses have positive impacts on the three P’s: people, profit, and planet.

This session will explore some of the characteristics which are commonly associated with the successful application of TBL, and the importance to measure TBL and not just simply define it. In addition, this session will provide you with best practice advice, and an open opportunity to ask questions to our expert panel.

Ask the Expert - Triple Bottom Line Q&A

Q 1- How is this linked to UN convention on environment?

A – The environmental component of the Triple Bottom Line framework measures impact of organization’s activities on the environment. Some of these activities result in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that deplete the Ozone layer with consequences of extreme earth temperatures. So, TBL has a direct link to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) whose parties acknowledge that change in the Earth’s climate has adverse effects on human kind. Extreme temperatures can lead to heat-related illness.

Q2 – What would you say of expired commodities being incinerated and turned into interlocks in the block industry?

A – Yes, that would be an economical and sustainable way of utilizing the waste. If the incinerated dust can be made into soil blocks using technology such as Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSB) it can go a long way in reducing the cost of construction in low and middle-income countries in Africa. Interlocking blocks reduce the need for brick mortar between the blocks and wall building is faster thus reducing the cost of labour.The slum areas where exposure to health challenges is high would benefit in a big way, if the shanties can be turned into blocked housing. “The building and construction industry is considered a key player in sustainable development, with the potential to significantly impact society and the environment” (Shelter Initiative for Climate Change Mitigation)

Q3 - If this has backing in UN conversations, So the opponents may not have a point on legal issues concerning the TBL?

A – The whole conversation and debate around UN and TBL can be a complex one. Once the link between TBL and UNFCC is understood (See Q 1 response) the issues of legality should be clear. However, in the context of TBL the opponents can be many for each of the pillars of the framework. Under the economic pillar we have businesses that may not necessarily support environmental protection. In 2017 it will be remembered that the then US President Mr. Donald Trump overturned his predecessor’s commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and pulled the US out of it claiming that the 2015 deal was unfair to the US citizens and taxpayers. The TBL can be broken down into People, Profit and Planet. In the three P’s People represent social component, Profit the economic component and Planet the environment. The President’s was a business orientation that only saw the profit side of things and as much as taxpayers are people he did not consider the importance of protecting the planet. It should also be noted that not all countries in the world ratify the UN Conventions on Climate Change. Only members of the Conference of the Parties (COP) which is the supreme-decision making body of the convention are bound by the rules, regulations and legal instruments of the Convention. So, the UN conversations including the Sustainable Development Goals do not necessarily bind non-member states or non-supporters of the initiatives. Infact, the UNFCC in 2015 launched an initiative dubbed Climate Neutral Now as one of the several initiatives by the Secretariat to rally the non-Party stakeholders to support the Climate Change initiatives.

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