Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility in the Beer Brewing Industry: Case Study of Colorado and Iceland

• Main Author: Bradley Irving Butzin 1987-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og Auðlindafræði; Ölgerð; Sjálfbærni; Samfélagsábyrgð; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/37253

The beer brewing industry has been growing rapidly across the globe with significant economic, environmental, and social impact. The beer brewing industry is traditionally an economically profitable industry that can offer substantial opportunity for economic growth in regions heavily dependent on tourism such as the State of Colorado in the United States and Iceland. Alcohol production is considered a controversial industry associated with the significant negative environmental and social cost of alcohol consumption. The beer brewing industry is tasked with reconciling the positive growth opportunities with the negative effects of alcohol consumption through proactive development. This study examines the drivers and barriers that dictate sustainable development within the beer brewing companies included in the study and evaluates how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has and could be utilized by the companies. To determine this, six semi-structured interviews (12 in total) were completed in each Colorado and Iceland with representatives from beer brewing companies. The interviews were coded into themes using the SWOT and PESTEL tools and then analyzed using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG´s) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. Only two companies interviewed had formal CSR reporting practices and subsequent interaction with the SDG´s or GRI. No formal reporting was required nor completed by other companies. These companies were shown to have minimal interaction with the SDG’s but still incorporated varying levels of CSR themes into their business practices. Drivers and barriers that influence the development of sustainable solutions in the beer brewing companies in each Colorado and Iceland were identified. This research contributes to the study of CSR in small to medium sized companies in controversial industries and provide practical information on how strategy can be developed towards sustainable development. Bjórgerð vex hratt víða um heim og hefur í för með sér ...