The first Tuesday night of every month brings a new presenter to the S2 Sustainability Lecture Series at Wynkoop Brewery in Denver, Colorado. In the inaugural lecture, a representative from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter’s office spoke about the Colorado Carbon Fund. For the June presentation, Katie Wallace, sustainability specialist from New Belgium in Fort Collins, spoke about the brewery’s use of the triple bottom line in business decision making. Last fall 2nd Green Revolution visited the northern Colorado brewery and took a tour of the facilities to see the sustainability initiatives first hand.
Ms. Wallace explained that businesses traditionally use profits (the fiscal bottom line) to measure wealth. However, New Belgium’s model employs a wider definition of wealth, which includes friends, family, health, and ecosystems. This is where the triple bottom line comes into the conversation. New Belgium, which is employee owned, has a strong history of protecting the surrounding environment and advocating for local causes. One of the main campaigns they have supported is “Save the Poudre” River, which serves as their water source. This represents one of the many instances where social and environmental concerns align. New Belgium already uses nearly 40% less water per barrel of beer (3.8 barrels vs. the industry standard of 6 barrels), than stipulated by regulations.
Ms. Wallace’s message throughout her presentation came back to the idea of people, profits, and planet as the guiding principles. This three-pronged approach is the essence of the triple bottom line. By continuously using “people, profits, and planet” to help guide decision making, New Belgium has successfully integrated the triple bottom line into their business model. Check back over the next few days for more information on the various sustainability initiatives at New Belgium.
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