Sustainability is a word we hear often, but for many businesses, it still feels abstract or out of reach. What does it really mean to be sustainable? How do you measure it? And how can you make it work without slowing your business down?

This is where the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework comes in. Brought to us by John Elkington, TBL offers a clear, structured way to evaluate business performance across three essential pillars: Profit, People, and Planet.

What is the Triple Bottom Line?

Unlike the traditional bottom line, which only considers profit, TBL encourages businesses to also track their social and environmental impact.

• Profit: Are you financially sustainable?
• People: How does your business impact your employees, customers, and community?
• Planet: Are your operations helping or harming the environment?

TBL turns the idea of sustainability into something practical and measurable. It allows businesses to make informed decisions, not just feel-good ones.

Why It Matters

New Zealand businesses have a unique opportunity to lead in sustainability. With our strong values around kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment) and community, TBL aligns perfectly with the Kiwi mindset.

By using TBL, we can:

• Future-proof our businesses
• Improve stakeholder trust
• Align with emerging global reporting standards
• Contribute to a better NZ for future generations

Getting Started with TBL (The Simple Way)

You don’t need to overhaul your entire business. Here are three practical steps:

1. Map your current impact Use simple surveys, interviews, and reporting tools to understand where you stand in terms of people, planet, and profit.
2. Use data to track progress Tools like Power BI or Web Dashboard can help you visualise your sustainability metrics and make smarter decisions. Want to go further? Use AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to assist in brainstorming solutions.
3. Start small, build fast Pick one initiative per area (e.g. reduce energy use, improve employee wellbeing, or support local suppliers) and build from there.

What Excel in BI Can Offer

At Excel in BI, we believe data should drive better business and a better world. We help businesses in NZ:

• Create dashboards that track TBL outcomes
• Automate reporting using Power BI and AI
• Train teams to understand and act on their data

We also run workshops on practical sustainability for business. Our goal? Make sustainability real and doable.

Final Thoughts

Sustainability isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore. It’s essential. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. With the Triple Bottom Line, New Zealand businesses can move from talking about impact to creating it, with purpose, data, and the right tools.

Let’s build businesses that succeed on all three fronts: People, Planet, and Profit.