New Belgium Brewing Company

The New Belgium Brewing Company is a fine example of how social awareness can impact so many areas of your business. They also show that being a nonprofit isn't necessary to doing good.

Founded in 1991, the company boasts 18 beers, but it's how they operate that's the focus on today's feature. 

New Belgium's corporate culture is all about providing employees with a safe, happy, fun, and collectively beneficial working environment. This starts with the employee owner clause, which awards employees with ownership on their one year anniversary with the company. In addition, the company's core values include:

• Kindling social, environmental and cultural change as a business role model
• Environmental stewardship: Honoring nature at every turn of the business
• Cultivating potential through learning, high involvement culture, and the pursuit of opportunities

In 1998, New Belgium became the first wind powered brewery in the United States, as part of the company's commitment to being less wasteful, more efficient, recycling, and reusing. The company has strived to be green by:

1.  Increased efficiencies in the brewery process
2. Utilized green design throughout their building
3. Implemented a process for treating their wastewater 
4. On site energy production
5. Wind powered electricity
6. Employ a high involvement culture
7. Sustainable Eventing
8. Actionable Advocacy
9. Constant benchmarking
10. Partnering to support innovative technology

For more information of the future steps New Belgium is taking visit their website.

New Belgium, in an initiative similar to nonprofit practices, has open-book management, "a policy of fiscal transparency throughout the company that encourages a community of trust and mutual responsibility." The website provides a lot more information, including New Belgium's responsibilities as financial stewards, their sustainability report, and their philanthropic works. You can  join Team Wonderbike, a group- 15,000 strong- committed to carbon-free transportation by riding a bike instead of driving.

A brief note about the Philanthropy, or Brew-lanthropy... to date New Belgium has donated $2.9 million through its philanthropy program. For every barrel of beer sold the previous year, the company donates $1 to philanthropic causes within their distribution territory. In 2009, they will donate $490,000.

In 2007, New Belgium joined 1% For The Planet, an alliance of businesses committed to leveraging their resources to create a healthier planet. 

Visit New Belgium's site to view the company's list of causes, and to learn more about the sponsorships, product donations, and small grants to donated to benefit nonprofits.