Businesses’ relationships with society are changing: The unmitigated race for profits is no longer to be tolerated if profits must come at the expense of people’s well being, or the planet’s preservation.
For decades, the corporate world’s thesis was that “the business of business is profit”—and nothing else. Yet for decades, an antithesis has grown, coming to be known as the ‘triple bottom line’ imperative: People and planet are as important as profit. Social and environmental preservation and enhancement are as important (or more so) than the relentless pursuit of financial gain.
What does the synthesis of these look like?
Ten years from now (or twenty), we’ll be looking back at the transition from the consumption economy to a sustainable one, and wondering how we ever lost sight of two-thirds of our organizations’ license to conduct business. But what does a successful triple-bottom-line company look like? There are numerous examples, including Patagonia, Interface and others. But one local company has piqued my interest.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company recently opened a new restaurant in Vancouver’s Lynn Valley neighbourhood (its second in Vancouver and third overall). The company was “born of a simple desire on one couple’s part to find environmental, social and financial success.”
Our kids love it, because they get to make their own pizzas on Sunday and Monday evenings. My wife and I love it because the food’s really good, and that atmosphere is super-casual. But my professional side loves it because they take an enlightened, non-intrusive approach to sharing their mission.
The company’s social and environmental aspects are built in to all that they do—from local, organic sourcing of ingredients, to beneficial but practical building practices, and their school outreach program. A quick read through their website gives the clear impression the founders are really walking the talk.
Yet they don’t get in your face about their mission and accomplishments.
They lead with great quality food, and then tuck in messaging about ‘organic,’ ‘sustainable,’ and ‘social conscience.’ These themes are there for those who care to engage with them, but aren’t so loudly broadcast as to make the company appear preachy: A mention on the menu. Some signage on the walls.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread simply does the right things. And I wonder if this is what the synthesis will look like, ten (or twenty) years from now….
Tags: rocky mountain flatbread, triple bottom line
Octopus Strategies Vancouver | London
September 17th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I think the collective conscious is pushing us in this direction. Impossible to feel good about doing business any other way.
Cheers!
Teri
October 16th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
How enlightening. I am promoting ‘sustainable’ employee development and recently wrote an article about the need to move away from traditional workshops that take people off the job, use precious resources to move people to hotels, fly or drive to their destiation for learning and then return to work and pick up where they left off. Instead I’m promoting a ‘shadow coaching’ or actio-learning’ model which I’ve used with huge success. It helps a company reduce their carbon footprint, save money and they get a huge improvement in performance. That’s a great ROI in this ecoomy and we save the planet too.
April 16th, 2011 at 12:09 am
Hello there! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my good old room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this post to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Thanks for sharing!