Companies that integrate economics with environmental and social concerns also tend to outperform their less-savvy competitors.

IT'S NOT FOR NOTHING that Amazon bet big on acquiring Whole Foods last month. Sure, the Food giant was floundering a bit, as other retailers adopted the same “crunchy” product offerings at lower prices. But in the upscale mental and physical space, Whole Foods still had a towering presence. In other words, Amazon bought more than just a grocery chain. They bought access to a certain kind of buyer, via a company with its “triple bottom line” already established.  Amazon paid $13.4 billion.