The 4-Fold Bottom-Line
Updated: Aug 13, 2022
THE COMPLETE PICTURE OF SUSTAINABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Based on Rudolf Steiner’s 3-Fold Social Order and his
7 Conditions for Sustainable Human Development
(A short version of this article was published
in the Tasmanian Green Party Magazine “The Daily Planet”)
Previously published by Persephone College of Psychophonetics, Australia
A Foundation document by Yehuda Tagar[1] (draft 1 April 2003)
Human civilization is not completely human until its structures reflect the complete reality of the human constitution: living body, living soul, individual spirit and sustainable economy’. Y.T.
"Is it progress if a cannibal uses a fork?" Stanislaw Lec (Polish poet)[2]
Introduction
In this foundation paper I wish to place in front of you the possibility of establishing the framework of a ‘4-fold Bottomline’ approach to the evaluation of the viability, sustainability and accountability of all economic and organisational activities, placing them in the context of their actual contribution to human evolution of consciousness and of culture as a whole. The validity of the ‘Triple Bottomline’ principle of sustainable development has been already established at the dawn of the 21st century: it states that an economic projects are only justified if they are responsible and accountable not only for the profitability of their financial bottom line, but also for the benefit of the environmental and social impact on the society in which they operate.
“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.” It can be broken down into “three Ps”: profit, people, and the planet”. Kelsey Miller, Harvard Business School Online[3].
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[1] Yehuda L.K. Tagar is an Israeli, Australian, South African and British psychotherapist, trainer and consultant now living in Slovakia. He is the founder of Psychophonetics, Methodical Empathy, Humanising the Workplace and Applied Psychosophy, director of Psychophonetics Institute International, co-director and dean of studies of PACE – Psychosophy Academy of Central Europe and Skola Empatie, Slovakia. He is the major teacher in the professional training in Psychophonetics-based Holistic Coaching, Counselling, Psychotherapy and Consultancy in English in Slovakia and in other countries.
[2] Stanisław Jerzy Lec, (6 March 1909 – 7 May 1966), born Baron Stanisław Jerzy de Tusch-Letz, was a Polish aphorist and poet. Often mentioned among the greatest writers of post-war Poland, he was one of the most influential aphorists of the 20th century
[3] Kelsey Miller, Harvard Business School Online. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line#:~:text=The%20triple%20bottom%20line%20is,%3A%20profit%2C%20people%2C%20and%20the
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