New belgium brewing ethical and environmental responsibility case study

Case: New Belgium

What are the three parts of the ”triple bottom line” at New Belgium Brewery?

Why do they have these three?

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NEW BELGIUM BREWING COMPANY AND B CORPORATION

CERTIFICATION

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

It was the winter of 2012. In contrast to the quiet cold outside, there was a roar of clapping inside the New

Belgium Brewery (NBB) in Fort Collins, Colorado. Employees applauded as a fleet of cruiser bikes

ceremoniously rolled in to greet the employees celebrating their first year anniversary at NBB. The

greater prize came along with the new bikes: ownership in the company. Although employees had always

partially owned the NBB, the company planned to be fully employee-owned by the end of the year. Such

dedication and willingness to share with their employees had always been a part of NBB whose values

also extended to the natural environment and philanthropy. With a focus on the triple bottom line NBB

had grown tremendously over the years. Not only were they the third largest craft brewery in the U.S., but

they were also giving strong consideration to opening a second brewery. Such economic growth was,

perhaps surprisingly, accompanied by a reduction in their carbon footprint and an increased impact on

their industry and society through their philanthropy and lobbying for stricter environmental

requirements.

Their success with the triple-bottom-line was also driving them to consider B Corporation certification, an

independent third-party certification process that could legitimize the business model NBB had been

practicing for so long. While rigorous and potentially cumbersome and risky, B Corp Certification also

presented a number of benefits such as increased exposure to informed investors, policymakers,