Shared Value – People/Planet/Profit: The shared value approach to analysis for business decision-makers has a conceptual focus through perspectives like the “Triple Bottom Line” – in which a manager reviews how a business model addresses issues of People, Planet and Profit. Based on what you see in the 55 second video on Thread International, how is Thread’s business model reflective of People, Planet and Profit:
Thread is a very straightforward company that relies on the trash from poorer neighborhood in order to create their product. They pick up trash in neighborhoods, helping both the planet and the people of those neighborhoods, who Thread claims are “forgotten”. On top of just picking up trash, Thread claims to break stereotypes and show the world who these people living in poorer areas really are. Obviously, their products rely on getting the trash in order to recycle it into their products, so they are profiting via that process.
Shared Value – Social/Economic/Environmental : The shared value perspective to analysis for business decision-makers through measurement approaches like documenting Social Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Environmental Sustainability. Based on what you see in the 55 second video on Thread International (also on the website), how does Thread International demonstrate its impact in one (or more) of these areas:
Social Sustainability: Thread hires people from the areas that they try to aid, such as Homewood, and in doing so they give jobs to people who need them, and who also benefit from the recycling that’s being down in their very own homes. As they said, they connect the bottom and top of the supply chain together in order to create a beautiful, self sustaining system for these poorer areas.
Environmental Sustainability- The environmental aspect of Threads work is clear. They clean up neighborhoods not only to clean an area, but also to help out with the economy in those areas. As long as Thread remains a company, they will always have people to clean up the neighborhoods in order to make clothes and create jobs, making the self-sustaining.
Other Examples Like This?: As a future manager facing complex environments, where do you see the utility of either of these approaches to shared value in your future work?
Especially with the Homewood example, often times these environmentally friendly companies make great strides in one field, but Thread goes the extra mile and tangibly gives back the community through jobs. They said they want to give the people a voice, and they are doing just that. Social sustainability is an important concept for a manager because Thread showed the impact that making the extra effort to help has positive results all around. If they help the community, the community will in return help them.