Start typing & press "Enter" or "ESC" to close
  • Learning Solutions
    • Learning Solutions

      Experience the power of experiential learning. The learning solutions can be tailored to your specific learning objectives for your next course or in-company training.

      • Understand the End-to-End Supply Chain
      • Supply Chain Fundamentals
      • End-to-End Supply Chain Management
      • Supply Chain Segmentation
      • Supply Chain and Market Expansion
      • Working Capital Management
      • Supply Chain Finance
      • Experience S&OP and IBP
      • Sales and Operations Planning
      • S&OP and Multichannel SCM
      • Integrated Business Planning
      • Manage Supply Chain Disruptions
      • Supply Chain Resilience
      • Supply Chain Risk Management
      • Supply Chain Finance
      • Create a Sustainable Business
      • Carbon Footprint Optimization
      • Sustainable Business
      • Circular Business Transition
      • Develop Data Literacy
      • Data Analytics in Supply Chains
  • Business games
    • Business games

      Discover the power of experiential learning. Our business games offer a life-like experience based on corporate best practices. This as close to reality as you can get!

      • Business Games
      • Discover The Cool Connection
      • Discover The Fresh Connection
      • Discover The Blue Connection
      • Discover The Triple Connection
      • Getting started
      • Education
      • Incompany training
      • Literature
      • Mastering the Supply Chain
      • Supply Chain Meesterschap (Dutch)
      • Mastering the Circular Economy
      • Inchainge Leadership Program
  • Resource Center
    • Resources

      Inchainge offers a holistic approach to learning. Discover our resources and gain free access to our Harvard-style teaching cases and whitepaper. New materials coming soon!

      • Teaching cases
      • Blogs
      • Webinars
      • Whitepapers
  • Knowledge base
    • Knowledge base

      In today’s connected world, people expect and demand easy access to accurate information. Our knowledge base is a self-serve online library with information about topics related to our business games. Learn more about the key terminology, concepts and methods from our knowledge base!

      • Alignment
      • Sales & Operations Plannning
      • Integrated Business Planning
      • ⟶ view more topics
      • Blended learning
      • Delivery formats and scalability
      • Experiential learning
      • Learning cycle
      • Flipped class room
      • ⟶ view more topics
      • Learning
      • Soft skills
      • Building (virtual) teams
      • Leadership skills
      • ⟶ view more topics
      • Supply Chain
      • Data analytics
      • Logistics footprint
      • ⟶ view more topics
      • Sustainability
      • Carbon footprint
      • Circular Economy
      • ⟶ view more topics
      • Value Chain
  • Trainings & Events
    • Trainings & Events

      Stay on top of our upcoming events, trainings and workshops. Discover how to participate in our flagship events for students, professionals and educators!

      • Trainings & Events
      • Upcoming events
      • Flagship events
      • Global Student Challenge
      • Inchainge Connect Educator Conference
      • Global PRO Challenge
        • History of the Challenge
        • Global PRO Partner
      • Global Educator Challenge
  • About
    • About Inchainge

      Celebrating 10 years of Developing Value Chain Leaders. Our game-based learning simulations are in use all around the globe and present an innovative approach to learning that puts participants at the heart of a lifelike simulation. Learn more about who we are and who we work with!

      • About
      • Learn more about us
      • Meet our team
      • Testimonials
      • Partnership
      • Become a partner
      • Partner network
      • Education associates
      • Customer support
  • News
  • Contact
What's new? Online Demo: Game-based learning solution on Circular Business Transition
  • my.Inchainge
What's new? Check out our brand new business game on sustainability, The Triple Connection!
  • my.Inchainge
  • Get a PDF file with this topic
  • The 3Ps Series: Planet
  • What is ‘Planet’ in the 3Ps?
  • The Ecological Pillar of Sustainability
  • The difficulty of assessing the Ecological Pillar
  • Want to know more?
  1. Inchainge Home
  2. Knowledge base
  3. Sustainability
  4. The 3Ps Series: Planet

The 3Ps Series: Planet

Written by: Ed Weenk, MSc, PDEng | 3 minute read | Last updated on: July 23rd, 2022
Share on:

The 3Ps of sustainability – People, Planet, and Profit – enable a company to harness its complete potential and add real value to its business. In a post-COVID world, companies are quickly responding to the need for a greener, renewable and sustainable business strategy which can withstand unforeseen circumstances. Companies have to adapt a perspective where they prioritize multiple stakeholders rather than focusing on only bringing in revenue. In this series, we will discuss the ‘Planet’ aspect of the Triple Bottom Line and what it means for a company’s transition to sustainability.

Topics in this article
1. What is ‘Planet’ in the 3Ps?
2. The Ecological Pillar of Sustainability
3. The difficulty of assessing the Ecological Pillar
4. Want to know more?

What is ‘Planet’ in the 3Ps?

‘Planet’ forms the second leg in the 3Ps, right after ‘People’.  There is a growing trend among consumers around the world to change the product and services that they use due to concerns about climate change. The graph below, according to a survey from IPSOS, suggests that a global average of 69% consumers have made the change. It is interesting to note that consumers in developing economy such as India are willing to alter their consumption habits. On the contrary, consumers in economically developed regions such as the US and Japan have dropped below the global average.  

Eco-conscious consumers are increasingly putting pressure on companies to take responsibility and adapt to sustainable business models. This way companies are heading to reduce their carbon emission and utilize finite resources to generate maximum value out of their products. They are making the attempt to engage in environmentally charged activities which not only lead to profit but also ensure environmental sustainability.  

The Ecological Pillar of Sustainability

When it comes to corporate sustainability, company directors and investors are aware of the pressure that consumers are putting on them to be more conscious. The ecological pillar compels them to be accountable and understand that they have to abide by certain rules and regulations concerning environmental issues. This also means that companies come under the close scrutiny of governments who are responsible for implementing policies which focus on environmental developments. The UN has set up Sustainable Development Goals which address specific environmental concerns, such as: 

  • To make cities and spaces more inclusive 
  • Combat climate change by focusing on increasing product life span 
  • Conserve finite resources from the waterbodies 
  • Promote sustainable use of ecosystems 
  • Focus on creating an inclusive and peaceful society 

Companies are expected to abide by these concerns and to work towards improving on them.  

The difficulty of assessing the Ecological Pillar

Despite its necessity, a challenge that businesses often face is how to measure the ecological pillar. Under the ‘Profit’ pillar which can be calculated in numbers, the Ecological Pillar cannot be reflected in income statements. It is also not always possible to quantify the waste generated or the CO2 emission, land reclamation, and other externalities which could be consequences of the company’s activities.  

One quick solution to this, however, could be benchmarking. It is a fruitful process of understanding, identifying, and analyzing the practices which the company takes over for sustainable development. It is beneficial in comparing the company’s environmental performance against certain standards of measure, such as whether the company has reduced waste generation or if they have become energy efficient. In the case of a transport and logistic company the benchmarking might help them gauge fuel spending or consumption of electricity. Benchmarking may differ across industries but it is a standard process of comparison through which companies can set their sustainable goals.   

Want to know more?

Our latest business simulation game, The Triple Connection, engages its participants in implementing a sustainable strategy for a virtual chocolate milk manufacturer. The Triple Connection finds its roots in the cacao industry and follows the path to create maximum value in its sustainable value chain. This kind of value creation requires multiple high-level roles to align on the concept of the 3Ps: People, Planet, Prosperity! 

Now you know

Now you know that the ‘Planet’ in the 3Ps refers to the Ecological Pillar of sustainability. It takes into account the impact of businesses and companies on the environment. The Ecological Pillar influences companies to create their business models by considering reduction of waste generation, efficient utilization of finite resources, and creating a safer ecological balance. The Ecological Pillar is largely influenced by the Social Pillar (or ‘People’ in the 3Ps) as consumers push companies to take responsibility. It might be difficult for companies to measure the Ecological Pillar since it does not reply well to numbers. However, with industry-wide benchmarking and government policies, companies can assess their ecological performance.

Sources
  1. The ‘People’ or social equity bottom line represents the right, well-being, and development of the people involved in a company’s establishment and development. It ensures better working conditions and overall fair treatment of not only a company’s employees but also all the workers who are involved in the value chain.
    https://inchainge.com/knowledge/sustainability/the-3ps-series-people/
  2. The concept of the triple bottom line which includes the 3Ps – People, Planet, and Profit – was coined by John Elkington in 1994 in the California Management Review. * The idea of TBL is that while businesses have been chasing economic aspects – which is of course a primary goal for any business – they also have to take into consideration the social and environmental dimensions. They have to be integrated at the core of the business model, because, as Elkington points out, “the TBL agenda focuses corporations not just on the economic value that they add, but also on the environmental and social value that they add – or destroy.”
    https://inchainge.com/knowledge/sustainability/the-3ps-of-sustainability/
  3. The Triple Bottom Line is defined by the Harvard Review as, “The triple bottom line is a business concept that posits firms should commit to measuring their social and environmental impact—in addition to their financial performance—rather than solely focusing on generating profit, or the standard ‘bottom line’.
    https://inchainge.com/knowledge/sustainability/what-do-we-know-about-the-triple-bottom-line/

You might want to learn more about

The 3Ps Series: People

The 3Ps of sustainability – People, Planet, and Profit – enable a company to harness its complete potential and add real value to its business. In a post-COVID world, companies are quickly responding to the need for a greener, renewable and sustainable business strategy which can withstand unforeseen circumstances. Companies have to adapt a perspective where they prioritize multiple stakeholders rather than focusing on only churning revenue. In this series, we will discuss the ‘People’ aspect of the Triple Bottom Line and what it means for a company’s transition to sustainability.

Does Green Governance drive the ride to a sustainable future?

In a society that is becoming more aware about making the future sustainable, it is often a matter of discourse whether or not green governance is efficient enough. Green Governance is expected to be an essential driver for restructuring, recategorising, and rebuilding the relationship between humans and green technological revolution. It can play an influential role in the economic development of a sustainable future.

The Great Reveal of The Triple Connection!

Sustainability has a new connection! Our newest business simulation game, The Triple Connection, is finally out. This is a huge milestone for us and we aim to make it also a milestone in the transition towards more sustainable business practices. During the Inchainge Connect Educator Conference 2022, our co-founder Egge Haak revealed the Triple Connection for the first time ever – and we are proud to say that it is ALL ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY!

Dive into our
knowledge base

Alignment
  • Alignment
  • BMC Model
  • External Alignment and Collaboration
  • Integrated Business Planning
  • Key Performance Indicators
  • Sales & Operations Planning
  • Strategic Alignment
  • Total Cost of Ownership
Blended learning
  • Blended learning
  • Delivery formats and scalability
Experiential learning
  • Experiential learning
  • 70 20 10
  • Flipped classroom
  • Learning cycle
Learning
  • Learning
Soft skills
  • Soft skills
  • Building (virtual) teams
  • Leadership skills
Supply chain
  • Data analytics
  • End-to-end Supply Chain Management
  • LARG Supply Chain
  • Logistics footprint
  • Omnichannel
  • Supply Chain
  • Supply Chain Finance
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Supply Chain Risk management
  • Supply Chain Volatility
  • The Bullwhip Effect
Sustainability
  • Sustainability
  • Carbon footprint
  • Circular Economy
  • Does Green Governance drive the ride to a sustainable future?
  • Everything You Need To Know About Eco-Efficiency
  • Greenwashing: Everything you need to know
  • Is it possible to measure the Triple Bottom Line?
  • Sustainability v/s Circularity
  • The 3Ps Series: People
  • The 3Ps Series: Planet
  • The 3Ps Series: Prosperity
  • The Butterfly Diagram
  • The Value Hill
  • What are the 3Ps of Sustainability?
  • What do we know about the Triple Bottom Line?
Value Chain
  • Value Chain

Tags

Supply Chain Circularity TFC Branding HTML Clean CSS3 jQuery

Ed Weenk, MSc, PDEng

Freelance professional: Supply Chain | Consulting | Business Gaming | Training at QuSL
Senior Lecturer at Maastricht School of Management
Senior associate professor at EADA Business School Barcelona

My professional passions are sustainable operations & supply chain, managers & management, projects & project management, training & teaching and business simulations & experiential learning.

My latest book, “Mastering the circular economy. A practical approach to the circular business model transformation”, was published in May 2021 by Kogan Page. Previous books are “Mastering the Supply Chain. Principles, practice and real-life applications” from 2019, available in English and Dutch and “The Perfect Pass. What the manager can learn from the football trainer”, from 2012, published in Dutch, English and Spanish.

Newsletter
Get the latest Inchainge news delivered to your inbox.
The Fresh Connection The Cool Connection The Blue Connection The Triple Connection Education Incompany training
We truly believe that going through an experience,
will result in a better understanding.
Inchainge B.V.
Emmalaan 5
3732 GM De Bilt
The Netherlands
    Follow us on:
Knowledge base
  • Alignment
  • Learning
  • Blended learning
  • Soft skills
  • Experiential learning
  • Supply Chain
  • Sustainability
  • Value Chain
Resources
  • Teaching cases
  • Webinars
  • Blogs
  • Whitepapers
About
  • About Inchainge
  • Meet our team
  • Become a partner
  • Partner network
  • Education associates
  • Testimonials
© Inchainge. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Cookie policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT