4 BAM Bottom Lines: Doing Spiritual, Economic, Social and Environmental Good

In the month of June we are highlighting excerpts from the recently published BAM Global Report on BAM and Mission Agencies. Mission Agencies are a major constituency in the BAM community, alongside our main business constituency and also the church and academia. We believe these resources will be of value whether you are agency affiliated or part of another BAM constituency.

 

The BAM and Mission Agencies Consultation considered the full and effective integration of business and mission and how we keep a positive tension between the multiple bottom lines of BAM. Working subgroups focused on each of the four bottom lines of spiritual, financial, social and environmental outcomes for BAM and these discussions were framed by dialogue on integrating ‘multiple bottom line impact’ in a BAM company.

Introduction to the ‘Quadruple Bottom Lines’ (QBL) of BAM

Business as mission, as we have read in the BAM Global definition, is intentional Kingdom of God purpose and impact on people and nations; focused on holistic transformation and the four bottom lines of economic, social, environmental and spiritual outcomes.

The idea of having multiple bottom lines for a business comes from the original ‘financial bottom line’—the number that indicates net profit (or loss) typically found at the bottom of a company’s income statement. A company that is solely focused on making money for its shareholders will only be concerned about this one ‘bottom line’, its financial earnings. The social enterprise movement introduced the idea of ‘triple bottom line’ impact that is also concerned with social and environmental outcomes. Business as mission extends this idea to ‘quadruple bottom line’ (or four bottom line) impact, including spiritual impact as well.

If intentional impact along these multiple bottom lines is a hallmark of BAM, agencies will do well to build a solid understanding of each. As has been previously stated, while these four areas of impact are integrated together in terms of the business model, strategy and daily operations—all things working together for missional impact—there are times when the focus should be on each one separately. This is especially true when planning for positive outcomes in each. Then careful consideration is needed as to how success is defined in each area and, therefore, how progress is measured so that there can be accountability and ongoing evaluation.

For business as mission, the four bottom lines are:

1. Doing spiritual good

Acting on the belief that faith in Jesus and a reconciled relationship with God addresses sin and brokenness at an individual and societal level that are the root cause of all other social, environmental and economic problems. Lasting change (God’s Kingdom coming on earth) and salvation from death and sin can only occur when our relationship with God, self, each other, and creation are reconciled. It involves sharing the gospel in word and deed, living as a disciple of Christ as a witness to others, and making disciples.

2. Doing economic good

Wealth creation for all stakeholders that is sustainable and relevant to the cultural and societal situation. It includes an increase in income and quality of life of stakeholders such as employees, customers and suppliers, and often the greater economic flourishing of a community and nation as a result.

3. Doing social good

Addressing particular social challenges and acts for the good of people and communities. It involves addressing issues of social inequality and the lack of access to basic human needs and dignified work—and the injustices that result, such as: dire poverty, human trafficking, slavery and exploitation, child labour, and a lack of adequate housing, food, healthcare or education.

4. Doing environmental good

Being good stewards of God’s creation in our business operations and using innovative management strategies and business models to address pressing environmental issues, such as air pollution or lack of appropriate sanitation.

 

BAM companies can intentionally consider how to do spiritual, economic, social and environmental good through their business models. For the BAM and Mission Agency Report, each of these four areas discussed separately, whilst acknowledging that in BAM company operations they tend to be more integrated.

The resulting report first of all defined impact and sustainability in each of the four areas: spiritual, financial, social and environmental. It then outlined barriers to impact and sustainability in each of these areas and how to overcome these barriers, including recommending fruitful practices based on real-world BAM experience. This material can be read in full in the section on The Full Integration of Business and Mission in the BAM and Mission Agencies Report

However, common fruitful practices that were identified across more than one of these areas of impact included:

• Cultivating a vital relationship with Jesus, prayer and spiritual health
• Sound understanding of the biblical perspective on business, mission, creation care, and human flourishing
• Preparation, including both training and research
• Developing robust cultural understanding and adapting to the context
• Planning, especially integrated business planning
• Appropriate metrics and systems for evaluation and accountability
• Openness to adapt as a business and a degree of flexibility from the agency
• Collaboration and drawing on the expertise of other kinds of entities

Look out for the next part of this series for more on how the four bottom lines integrate in a BAM company context.

Download the full BAM and Mission Agencies Report

A free BAM Global Think Tank Report

 

 

Photo by Christian Joudrey on Unsplash