Acronyms abound in the Lean world and it’s sometimes a challenge to remember the meaning behind all that vegetable soup!  But here is one that is growing in the realm of corporate social responsibility that deserves a pause for inclusion: the 3 P’s that should be making their way into our Mission and Values:

People
Planet
Profit

The obvious interdependency between the people (customers, suppliers, workers) and the planet (alarming recent exposes of human influence on the environment on which we rely) weigh heavily on our ability and methods for creating profit and sustaining our services.  Balancing the focus of our work to achieve  Ideal in all of these areas is going to be essential for success in this exciting century.

This week’s author is Cindy Jimmerson. Cindy leads HPP’s affiliate company Lean Healthcare West and is a pioneer in Lean healthcare having initiated her work with a grant from the National Science Foundation, 2001-2004. She is the author of the Lean Healthcare West Review© Course and many journal publications. In addition, as part of the HPP’s Lean Healthcare West team, Cindy travels internationally speaking on the subject and organizes the National Lean Healthcare Conference. Cindy has been featured in Industry Week, Business Week, and numerous business and healthcare periodicals for her work in Lean Healthcare and has been a featured lecturer on the subject at the Harvard School of Medicine.