Companies being socially responsible seems to have become a requirement for a company to maintain sustainability and profitability. Each and every year, it seems, irresponsible companies are getting shut down or going bankrupt for various reason. Alternatively, it seems that companies that show a concern to the communities around them, prosper. Fort Collins, Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing Co. (NBB) is an example of a socially responsible company that is prospering. To provide some insight into how socially responsible NBB is as a company, three points will be discussed. First is the environment issues that NBB faces and how they address them. Next is how social responsibility provides a competitive advantage for the company. Lastly, how New Belgium’s actions and initiative are indicative of a socially responsible corporation. The first questions asked was, what environmental issues does the New Belgium Brewing Company work to address. NBB works hard at trying to preserve the environment the way it is. This is shown through almost anything the company does, from recycling to renewable energy. NBB is trying to make a better world for those around them and are doing a fantastic job. NBB has shown a concern for protecting winters and stopping climate change. In a story posted on the New Belgium website titled, “Brewing Beer to Protect Our Winters,” the company asks for help from the community to try and save the world. The story describes the impact that global climate change
In 1844, the Empire Brewery was founded by Jacob Best and his sons in Milwaukee, WI. In 1860, Jacob’s son Phillip took over and renamed the brewery the Phillip Best Company. Phillip’s daughter, Maria married a steamship captain, Frederick Pabst. Captain Pabst sold his shipping interest and bought a partnership stake in the brewery. In 1872, Captain Pabst became President of the company. In 1889, he renamed the business the Pabst Brewing Company.
What environmental issues does the New Belgium Brewing Company work to address? How has NBB taken a strategic approach to addressing these issues? Why do you think the company has taken such a strong stance toward sustainability?
Boston Beer’s strategy is primarily focused on growth through differentiation. The sources of its competitive advantage can be classified as a company that provides high quality beer with unique flavors, a market driven approach, and a very efficient contract brewing strategy.
or so many years our society has been thinking of forming new creative and innovative businesses, which would be more environmental and customer friendly. Nowadays a large number of different companies follow the social, ethical, as well as moral consequences when it comes to their decision making. One of the relatively new concepts involving economic and social concerns is Corporate Social Responsibility. Many of us apply this approach not only at work, but also in everyday life without even recognizing.
Estimates of fixed costs are reasonably straightforward and are given in the case (p.280), a total of $250,000 ($160,000+$90,000).
What environmental issue does the New Belgium Brewing Company work to address? How has NBB taken a strategic approach to addressing these issues? Why do you think the company has chosen to focus on environmental issues?
Therefore, it really needed a strong product that responded the market’s needs and wants so that the product could speak itself in order to survive the keen competition.
Frog Leap Winery utilized methods in order to become more sustainable and has been successful thus far. The company appears to be on the right track to becoming a fully self-sustainable company despite changes in the economy. The sustainable measure Frog’s Leap has implemented fail directly in line with the features of the triple bottom line. Frog’s Leap needs to measure “the impacts of their activities upon “people, planet, and profit – that is, how it created social, environmental, and economic value.” Leap Frog has managed to effectively make an impact on all of the aspect of the triple bottom line thus displaying the company’s progression towards self-sufficiency.
The Coors brewing industry had many ups and downs throughout its history dating back to its start in 1873 (Adolf Coors in the Brewing Industry). There were times of great growth and expansion that would get interrupted by numerous setbacks. Some were small and some led to extreme changes. It sounds similar to any type of business. However, the different generations of the Coors family seemed to find ways to usually compete with their competitors and maintain the success of the company. It was also very challenging. Different changes had to be made for each new obstacle that came their way. Over a century has gone by since its start in Golden, Colorado, and the business seems to still be available in stores around the world (Adolf Coors in the Brewing Industry).
New Belgium brewery has increasingly grew throughout the years since their development in 1991. Despite the dominance of the “Big Three” (Budweiser, Miller, and Coors), NBB needs to be aggressive and strive to invest in the attractive beer industry in able to grow more. If positioned correctly, NBB and its main brand, Fat Tire, can continually grow. An evaluation of the industry, the business itself, its brands, and the customers and competitors is needed in order to be continuously successful.
Belgium is known for a culture of high-quality beer and this concept was formulated by an electrical engineer from Fort Collins, Colorado. The electrical engineer, Jeff Lebesch, was traveling through Belgium on his fat-tired mountain bike when he envisioned the same high-quality beer in Colorado. Lebesch acquired the special strain of yeast used in Belgium and took it back to his basement in Colorado and the experimentation process was initiated. His friends were the samplers and when they approved the beer it was marketed. In 1991, Lebesch opened the New Belgium Brewing Company (NBB) with his wife, Kim Jordan, as the marketing director. The first beer and continued bestseller, Fat Tire Amber Ale, was named after the bike ride in
1. What environmental issues does the new belgium brewing company work to address? How does NBB taken a strategic approach to addressing these issues? Why do you think the company has taken such a strong stance toward sustainability?
Social responsibility is a hard core focus at New Belgium has developing and maintaining ethical culture remains a foundation for the company. Entrepreneur.com explains that a company’s social responsibility has the ability keep a company grounded which can make the difference in the long run (“Social Responsibility, n.d.). In the company’s developing stages, creating an ethically conscious environment was a priority. Beginning with the core values and mission statement, creating harmony and collaboration that helped the company flourish was New Belgium’s (Ferrell & Hartline, 2015).
The company has also reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 1800 metric tons a year by switching from coal power to a wind turbine, which was the first wind-powered brewery in the United States. They have also invested in a steam condenser that reuses the hot water that boils the parley and hops to continue making the next brew. Furthermore, they have sun tubes that provide natural daylight time lighting through the full year. They utilize a green design throughout their whole facility and have agreed to participate as of 2002 in U.S Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environment Design for Existing buildings pilot program. To even reduce air pollution, as an incentive, they provide employees a cruiser bike to encourage them to ride to work instead of driving.
Corporate Social Responsibility, a theory that has evolved since the 1990s, seeks to see businesses be responsible for their actions socially and environmentally. There is an increasing trend by businesses to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility Practices. This paper attempts to define the reasons why this is so, and what strategic issues are faced by companies who adopt these practices. The issue of Corporate Social Responsibility will then be highlighted in a case study of De Beers, the world's leading diamond producer.