Quadruple Bottom Line Approach to Sustainability: A Case Study of Tohu Wines and Air New Zealand

Running head: QUADRUPLE BOTTOM LINE APPROACH
QUADRUPLE BOTTOM LINE APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY
OF TOHU WINES AND AIR NEW ZEALAND
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QUADRUPLE BOTTOM LINE APPROACH1
Introduction
As opined by Crane and Matten (2016), the majority focus of the contemporary
business enterprises is on the aspect of profitability and the resultant effect of it is that they
often take the help of the kind of measures which are not only detrimental from the
perspective of their stakeholders but also the planet as well. Walters and Takamura (2015) are
of the viewpoint that the major problem arises because of the fact that the majority of the
business enterprises rather than following the broad view of corporate social responsibility
(CSR) which requires them to contribute towards the economic, environmental and the social
development of the regions of their operations are following the narrow view of CSR. More
importantly, the narrow view of CSR states that the primary responsibility of the business
enterprises to make money and thereby contribute towards the economic growth of the
nations of their operation (Hussain, Rigoni & Orij, 2018).
According to Ahi and Searcy (2015), what the business enterprises fail to realise is the
fact that mere economic growth or the enhancement of profitability is not likely to help them
to attain sustainability, which in turn had become the catch phrase of the modern-day
business world. In this regard, it needs to be said that the contemporary business enterprises
in order to attain sustainability are taking the help of the concept of ‘triple bottom line
approach” to contribute in an effective manner towards the economic, social as well as the
environment development of nations of their operations (Alhaddi, 2015). However, a major
defect of the triple bottom line approach to sustainability lies in the fact that it focuses
primarily on the aspects of “people, profit and planet” and fails to takes into account the
entity of ‘purpose’ which in turn can be characterised as culture, spirituality and others
(Lawler, 2018). It is precisely here that the construct of ‘quadruple bottom line approach to
sustainability’ gains prominence since it takes into account the entity of progress or future
growth that becomes especially important from the perspective of the modern-day business

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world and the different problems that it faces. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the
concept of “quadruple bottom line approach” in the particular context of the business
enterprises Tohu Wines and Air New Zealand.
Quadruple Bottom Line Approach
Simons et al. (2017) have articulated the viewpoint that the origin of the concept of
quadruple bottom line approach can be traced back to the second half of the 20th century
when the business enterprises released the fact that it was not possible to improve the
condition of the planet by merely focusing on the people, profit and planet. As opined by
Bodner (2017), the quadruple bottom line approach has an extra dimension called ‘purpose’
in addition to the three attributes which the triple bottom line approach to sustainability
comprises. In this regard, it needs to be said that the term ‘purpose’ had been described in
many ways by the individuals as well as the business enterprises depending on the context in
which it had been used. For example, the national government of New Zealand using the
concept of ‘purpose’ as culture had sought to improve the condition of its indigenous people
by supporting their business ventures like Tohu Wines and others (Walters & Takamura,
2015). On the other hand, there are business enterprises for which the term ‘purpose’ has
spiritual dimension and thereby believe in the idea that the business enterprises as well as the
people related to them need to have spiritual affinity with the planet so as to safeguard or
protect it in the best possible manner. Furthermore, it had been seen that there are business
enterprises like Greystone Bakery (in Yonkers, NY), Namaste Solar (in Boulder) which have
made it their purpose to improve the community wellbeing by offering employment to the
people who live on the streets (Forbes.com, 2019).
Espiner, Orchiston and Higham (2017) are of the viewpoint that an important feature
of the business enterprises which are using the quadruple bottom line approach is the fact that
these enterprises rather than trying to mitigate the danger faced by the environment or planet

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have made it their ‘purpose’ to offer or manufacture the kind of commodities or services
which intends to improve “the environment and all peoples’ lives”. In simple words, the
primary moto of the business enterprises which are taking the help of the quadruple bottom
line approach is to contribute in a meaningful manner towards community wellbeing and also
to improve the health of the environment or the planet (Alibašić, 2018). In addition to these,
it is seen that the business enterprises unlike the earlier times when they used to take up these
kinds of actions feeling pressurised by the international regulatory bodies and also the
national governments of different nations, now feel it a part of their responsibility to look
after the spiritual or the cultural wellbeing of not only their own employees or their
stakeholders but also the wider community and also the environment itself.
Tohu Wines
Tohu Wines, the largest wine exporter of the nation of New Zealand was founded by
Wakatū Incorporation in association with two other enterprises which were primarily
managed by the Maoris of the concerned nation in 1998 (Tohuwines.co.nz, 2019). More
importantly, over the years the concerned business enterprise had received full support from
the national government of New Zealand as part of the quadruple bottom line approach
followed by it and the resultant effect of this is that the enterprise under discussion here had
become “He mātāmua taketake” or in simple words the first fully operational as well as
autonomous business enterprise of New Zealand which is completely owned by the Maoris
(Scoop.co.nz, 2019). In this regard, it needs to be said that one of the most important aspects
of the business operations of the concerned enterprise is the fact that it had integrated the
Maori value, culture, social traditions and other aspects of their live within the product
portfolio offered by it and also the manner in which the diverse business activities are being
managed by it (Stuff.co.nz, 2019). Furthermore, the business enterprise under discussion here
is known for the wide variety of wines that it offers to customers each of which are