Quadruple Bottom Line Impact: Doing Spiritual, Economic, Social and Environmental Good

In BAM we often talk about four intentional areas of impact for companies to consider: spiritual, financial, social and environmental, an idea known as the ‘Quadruple Bottom Line’. This excerpt from a longer paper briefly introduces this idea.

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

Business as mission is intentional about 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, [any entity engaged in BAM] will do well to build a solid understanding of each. 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… whilst acknowledging that in BAM company operations they tend to be more integrated.

When the working group on BAM and Mission Agencies came to consider the four bottom lines of BAM, it 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

 

If you are new to business as mission, we recommend visiting our Start Here page. You can read more on how the four bottom lines integrate in a BAM company context in the Integration category of The BAM Review.

 

This article is an excerpt from the BAM Global Report on BAM and Mission Agencies and was first published on The BAM Review blog is June 2024. 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.

 

BAM Global Summit 2026

Thursday 7 May

The BAM Global Summit 2026 theme Flourish reflects that God loves flourishing! 

Flourishing businesses help people, communities and nations to flourish. 

Join us at this annual gathering of the global BAM community, to hear from God and learn from each other. Come and be equipped to flourish in your own BAM journey—to help you build flourishing companies and communities.

 

 

Photo by servet photograph on Unsplash