Document Type

Thesis

First Faculty Advisor

John Visich

Keywords

environmental sustainability; community engagement; craft beer; corporate social responsibility; beer

Publisher

Bryant University

Rights Management

CC-BY-NC-ND

Abstract

Craft brewing and craft beer is emerging as an established business in the United States, with many states housing established regional breweries. As the United States looks to implement environmentally friendly practices in business operations, the goal of this report is to analyze the respective steps taken by the craft beer industry to achieve sustainability. Looking into environmental sustainability and community efforts holistically, the corporate social responsibly (CSR) practices of certified independent, craft brewers who are members of the Brewers Association of various sizes, lends insights into the current state of the industry. A combination of educational materials provided by the Brewers Association and autonomous action taken by the brewers themselves will lead to the creation of a “sustainability scorecard” for established brewers and a “blueprint” for new brewers. Observations indicate that many brewers place a high importance on sustainability and community efforts, and have gone above and beyond in terms of community engagement, employing considerable steps ensure environmental sustainability in their operations.

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