Abstract
ABSTRACT Context: 25 years after it was coined, the triple bottom line (TBL) is now considered a failure by its own author. The concept can be considered the foundational base for the development of a necessary new business model for sustainable operations management. Objective: this paper aims to present systematic literature updates, controversies, limitations, and future framework developments of the TBL concept presented by Elkington in 1998. Methodology: through a systematic literature review spanning from 1998 to 2019, considering two main bibliographical databases, it was possible to evaluate the use of the concept in the sustainability literature. Results: the main results present that the concept has not lost its credibility; on the contrary, it reached its peak in the past five years, due to environmental and societal pressures. Also, it has been used inadequately considering only two of its three spheres (either financial and social, or financial and environmental). Conclusion: the study also exposes capabilities that if included to the TBL concepts can result into success of the business model. Therefore, our aim is to scrutinize how the concept has been used along these years, reflect on its impact in the academia and the business segment, and draw some conclusions on future research agenda and the transition toward a holistic framework for sustainable operations.
Highlights
In 1994, the concept of triple bottom line was introduced into the business world as the new sustainability taxonomy embracing new guidelines for industries to undertake and address the set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) established in the United Nations Rio+20 summit and the following Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2015 on
To verify our purpose on whether the concept of triple bottom line (TBL) has been in use along 25 years of studies, if the framework has been considered relevant and useful in the sustainable operations literature, we count on the selected articles to shed some light on state-of-the-art studies on TBL and consider some factors that have been included in the sustainability literature along the years
Besides the frequency of occurrences, TBL is relevant in theoretical discussions on sustainability
Summary
In 1994, the concept of triple bottom line was introduced into the business world as the new sustainability taxonomy embracing new guidelines for industries to undertake and address the set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) established in the United Nations Rio+20 summit and the following Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2015 on. In Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business, Elkington (1997) postulates the 3Ps designation for people, planet, and profits as a triple goal toward true sustainability. By his definition, industries should assess the three segments when planning their strategies as all three of them are characterized by the same importance, accounting for the financial returns (Moneva, Archel, & Correa, 2006). Decreasing the level of negative outcomes is not considered by Elkington (1998) a solution to the environmental and societal problems we have been facing, as settled and established in the MDGs
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