How TBL 21 Began
TBL 21 has a distinguished background based upon more than 15 years of research, discussions and activities including a 5-year inquiry at the national and international levels. We began with a visionary statement of deep understanding:
“Real peace will require fundamental transformations of our own thinking, our organizations, and our whole network of institutions. Because of its central place in modern society, business will be at the heart of that metamorphosis – either as part of the problem or as a force for creative change.
Business has become the most powerful institution on the planet. The dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole. But business has not had such a tradition. This is a new role, not well understood or accepted. …Every decision that is made, every action that is taken, must be viewed in light of that responsibility.”
- Willis Harman
Former President, Institute of Noetic Sciences;
Emeritus Professor, Stanford University;
President, World Business Academy
Phase 1
In 1983, David Wick assisted in the development and launch of Pathways To Peace, pathwaystopeace.org, which became a United Nations NGO. While at Stanford University, David led the creation of a symposium on September 17, 1985 focused on the question "What is the relationship between corporations, business and peace?" This powerful and fulfilling experience inspired further meetings 2-4 times a year. Further exploration, which continued for 10 years, became known as the Peace Within Organizations Project under the Pathways To Peace (PTP) umbrella.
Phase 2
In 1995, as part of World Peace Day, Avon Mattison of Pathways To Peace, and Willis Harman of The Institute of Noetic Sciences and Director of PTP, launched the PeaceBuilding Inquiry into The 21st Century (PB21). The invited members of this extraordinary five-year inquiry were business leaders and planners, educators, writers, community leaders, United Nations officials and governmental leaders.
The focus of the inquiry became "We The People's Initiative: PeaceBuilding Through Business", co-sponsored by PTP and the Fetzer Institute, in association with the World Business Academy. David was a key planner and facilitator of the five-year inquiry which concluded in October, 2000.
Phase 3
PeaceBuilding Through Business (PBTB) has been founded in the The Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. Our regional community is poised to benefit from exploration of the question, "What is the role and responsibility of business in the 21st Century?" by national and international business leaders for over 15 years.
The heart of Phase 3 is the development of a culture of sustainability through the triple bottom line (TBL) approach involving economic prosperity, environmental quality and social equity. We will continue to develop the concept and practicality of PeaceBuilding as it relates to the business community, and will assist in the evolutionary step toward taking “responsibility for the whole”. The goal is to clearly identify the strategies, practices, and values that will allow companies to direct their resources toward providing greater well being and a culture of sustainability and peace. This focus may be internal for a company, and/or external, including local, national, and international levels in scope.
The Triple Bottom Line for the 21st Century Iniative (TBL 21) has been developed to launch Phase 3 and focus the work of PeaceBuilding Through Business in Southern Oregon. The triple bottom line represents sustainable business practices regarding people (social equity), planet (environmental stewardship) and profit (economic prosperity).
Currently, our primary emphasis is on sustainability and assisting business to engage in practices that will be of benefit to their TBL, a win-win all around. TBL business practices are the future of competitive business with measurable, positive results for companies who have taken this leap: 1 out of every 10 dollars under professional management in the U.S. is going into Socially Responsible Investments (SRI). In 1995, $639 billion was invested in SRI categories. In 2005, that amount rose to $2.29 trillion.
To encourage sustainable investing, the United Nations developed the "Principles for Responsible Investments". The Principles lay out 35 possible actions involving the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices into their investment activities. The UN recognizes that ESG issues and strategies can affect business profits and portfolio performance.
Through the TBL21 initiative, we will be creating a regional business alliance and models that reduce waste, conserve energy and resources, increase efficiencies, and improve profits as well as quality of life.
Mission of TBL 21
TBL 21 provides sustainability solutions, innovation and connection for business through guidance, education, resources, promotion and a local business association.
TBL 21 helps businesses to:
- align an individualized business sustainability plan with the triple bottom line
- identify and manage environmental, social and economic impacts
- develop credible communication to customers, suppliers and the community
- create a culture of sustainability
- translate sustainability values and vision into action
