Triple Bottom Line

      According to Slaper and Hall, the triple bottom line is an assessment method that is based on three criteria: environmental, economic, and social factors. The benefit of the TBL (triple bottom line) method of assessment is that companies will make decisions that allow for a sustainable future that will benefit both society and themselves. Companies will not only be considering economic benefits, but also benefits to the environment and society before making a business decision. The difficulty with the TBL is that there is no set measurement for relating economic, environmental, and social benefit as measurements different based on the project at hand or the organizations goals. Business companies that use the TBL assessment will based their criteria more on factors relating to money such as taxes, welfare, career retention, sales, and emissions while non-profit organizations may have a greater focus on sustainability issues such as protecting the environment or providing social services. Overall, TBL allows organizations to make decisions on the basis of building a sustainable future for society.