Behind economic metrics like a company’s profit and loss, national debt, or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are complex markets and supply chains that are deeply interconnected with the climate crisis.

Terms such as the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are gaining traction as calls for corporate and governmental accountability grow. These terms emphasize the need for businesses and governments to align their practices with environmental and social responsibility. Despite sounding like financial jargon, the core focus of the Triple Bottom Line is on three pillars: People, Planet, and Profit—which are critical areas for our collective attention.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is another key term, first introduced by the United Nations in 2005 through the Freshfields Report. ESG provides a framework to evaluate how companies perform on sustainability and ethical issues. It helps investors identify companies that prioritize keeping emissions and resource use in check, protecting human rights, and adhering to fair labor standards.

Under the shared value concept inherent in sustainability, frameworks like ESG, CSR, and TBL could become the standard—if we collectively make them a priority and demand accountability. However, benchmarking progress and ensuring accurate reporting on carbon savings or tracking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can be challenging, especially when companies prioritize maximizing profits at any cost. Pressure from workers, consumers, and investors for transparency and accountability across supply chains is crucial to shifting the current paradigm.