Sustainable Business - Managing the Triple Bottom Line

Sustainability is about meeting today’s needs without negatively affecting the needs of the future. This course first discusses sustainability, as well as its importance for and relationship to running a business. You will study the triple bottom line (TBL) and learn what could happen if a business does not focus on it. The material then examines the social, environmental and economic impacts of business and teaches you the ways in which a company can address them.

Next, you look into the theories of Limits to Growth (LTG) and No Limits To Growth as well as study neoliberalism, consumerism and the ‘tragedy of the commons’, an economic problem that posits what happens when personal gain trumps the common good. The course then discusses the Earth's history and resources, different human activities that affect ecosystems, and the factors that affect climate change. You will also study the IPAT Relationship, which is an equation that demonstrates the multiple ways of reducing the undesirable effects of human activity on ecosystems.

Ideally, a sustainable business seeks to have positive social, environmental and economic consequences. Taken together, a company’s contribution to social justice, environmental quality and economic prosperity are referred to as the triple bottom line. This course will give you an in-depth understanding of how sustainable practices can help modern businesses deliver better services at lower environmental and social costs.