Triple bottom line theory expands conventional business success metrics to include an organization’s contributions to social wellbeing, environmental health, and a just economy. These success metrics are often the first to be abandoned when small businesses face financial headwinds. However, current data suggest that now is the time to re-invest in triple bottom line strategies. In this seminar, we review a simple framework for triple bottom line theory, discuss the challenges and opportunities facing small producers today, and provide actionable strategies for driving impact and measuring outcomes.

Referenced Resources

• Sustainability in packaging: US survey insights
• Consumers want it all: Hybrid shopping, sustainability, and purpose-drive brands
• 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: Living and working with purpose in a transforming world
• Inclusion, Equity & Justice: cultivating buy-in with a business case
• A Better Way to Measure Social Impact
• How to Quantify Sustainability’s Impact on Your Bottom Line
• B Impact Assessment
• Want to succeed in business? Find a problem to solve
• Brewers Association Sustainability Manuals

Learning Objectives:

• Understand triple bottom line theory, scaled for small businesses
• Review current data that underscores the importance of triple bottom line outcomes in today’s marketplace
• Develop a clear picture of the constraints and opportunities surrounding the implementation of triple bottom line strategies
• Learn strategies for driving impact across all elements of triple bottom line spheres of influence