SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt
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168<br />
The Meaning of Sufficiency Economy <br />
International Conference<br />
Sustainability<br />
Sustainability means different things to different people. Sometimes when<br />
business people talk about sustainability they are only referring to the ability of a<br />
business to continue indefinitely. In stricter circles it is more precisely defined. Six<br />
generally accepted essential characteristics of sustainability are discussed below in<br />
how they relate to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and our research.<br />
Triple top-line value production<br />
Triple top-line (TTL) value production is more commonly referred to as triple<br />
bottom-line value production. This places a premium on creating value not only in<br />
financial accounting terms but also in terms of social and environmental impact.<br />
The modification in the term to top-line production is to emphasize the importance<br />
of all three factors as opposed to the traditional bottom line figure.<br />
All of these companies are fully cognizant of the triple top-line and all are<br />
actively working toward increasing impact in all three areas. One company while<br />
building a financial bottom-line that has been strong enough to allow them to pay<br />
back the debt (to themselves) incurred in start-up, triple the number of employees,<br />
and double the size of their restaurant, have done this serving only organic foods,<br />
recycling all materials, and serving meals to low-income and no-income people six<br />
days a week. <br />
The TTL demonstrates a basic level of morality in a business. It more<br />
specifically displays reasonableness, harmlessness, and generosity.<br />
Nature-based knowledge and technology<br />
O n e o f t h e k e y t e n e t s o f B u d d h i s m i s t h e c o m p l e x c o n c e p t o f<br />
interconnectedness. This is reflected in the interconnection of nature. Nature based<br />
knowledge and technology starts with recognizing and understanding that we are a<br />
part of a single ecosystem. Like every other participant in this system, what we do<br />
impacts the whole system. This understanding should lead a reasonable person to a<br />
middle path of moderation rather than a path of over-consumption and overproduction<br />
of all things, over-extension debt, and over-use of the environment as a<br />
resource and a waste receptacle.<br />
Today’s business is overly competitive and aggressive. Studies have shown<br />
that aggression in animals is caused by a number of factors. An animal that is<br />
injured or whose life is threaten will become aggressive. 11 Other studies have been<br />
done to show that additionally aggression in humans is a result of competition. 12<br />
11<br />
Hind, R.A., Aggression in Animals, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1970<br />
February; 63(2): 162–163<br />
12<br />
Baron, Robert A., Richardson, Deborah R., Human Aggression 2nd Edition, p. 343, Springer,<br />
Plenum Press, New York, NY, 1997