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?
NBB try to reduce negative impact on environment by using cost-efficient energy-saving alternatives. NBB invests in a wind turbine, making it the first fully wind powered brewery in the United States. NBB has also used a steam condenser that captures and reuses hot water used for boiling barley and hops in the production process to start the next brew. The steam is redirected to heat the floor tiles and de-ice the loading docks in cold weather. NBB also purchased an energy efficient brew kettle that conserves energy more than standard kettles. NBB also use sun tubes which provide natural daytime lighting throughout the brew house all year long. NBB use complex system to capture its waste water and extract methane from it. I think Jeff and Kim have strong belief. They love nature that’s why they go to Rocky Mountain national park to think about their business. So they decide their core values and beliefs to try to protect environment.
2. Do you agree that new Belgium’s focus on social responsibility provides a key competitive advantage for the company? Why or why not?
Yes, I think NBB’s focus on social responsibility is a key competitive advantage. Because only one small detail things make big difference in image. In USA, there is a lot of Beer Company. Their appearance like design and taste are all different. Everyone has different preference, so taste or design can’t be a big competitive advantage. Therefore, in this situation social responsibility activities can be a key competitive advantage. For example, if man watched or heard NBB’s social responsibility activities, he remembers NBB as good company. After that, when he go to convenient store to buy beer and see NBB’s product, the probability to buy NBB is higher than before. Moreover, social responsibility activities help the company have good image. So NBB’s focus on social responsibility provides a key competitive advantage.
3. What are the challenges associated with combining the need for growth with the need to maintain customer intimacy and social responsibility? Does NBB risk losing focus on its core beliefs if it grows too quickly? Explain.
NBB is asked to enlarge their business from other states. To do that, they should build another factory with facilities helping reduce negative impact on environment. NBB could be uncomfortable with that because it would cost a lot. So NBB should have to build less energy efficient facilities than now. However, customers expect same social responsibility activities that NBB does now even though NBB enlarge the business. If they enlarge their business, they should care a lot of thing as I mentioned before. So maintain customer intimacy and social responsibility will not be easy. Also, lack of employee that leads other state could be another problem to do social responsibility. Therefore, if NBB can’t maintain customer intimacy and social responsibility, enlarging the business could be bad decision. Customers will be disappointed if NBB doesn’t do it like before. Then preference of customers to NBB will be rapidly fall down.
4. Some segments of society contend that companies that sell alcoholic beverages and tobacco products cannot be socially responsible organizations because of the nature of their primary products. Do you believe that new Belgium’s actions and initiatives are indicative of a socially responsible corporation? Why or why not?
In my opinion, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products is not a bad thing. The problem is excessive consumption. If people don’t drink too much and smoke little (not a level of addictedness), it’s not a socially problem. It rather can help reducing stress. Also, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products has been used for a very long time. So it can’t be the reason that the company is not socially responsible corporation. However, if they produce alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in a bad way, for example throw chemicals without any protection, they should be criticized. So I think NBB is a socially responsible corporation. They try to reduce negative impact on environment, help communities, and give benefits to their employees. It is hard to find the company like NBB that does their socially responsibilities. NBB is selling beer for the profit, but they spend large amount of it to social responsible activities. In this point, I think NBB is socially responsible corporation.
