I feel like I won a golden ticket with our visits today. Today we took a chocolate tour, went to a farm-to-table restaurant, and heard a lecture on medical devices, one of Costa Rica’s biggest exports. Out of everything we’ve seen so far, the chocolate tour was by far my favorite. That says a lot after watching Saprissa win and seeing the beautiful waterfalls at La Paz. This trip was incredible. Outside of the chocolate tasting, I learned so much about the history and production of chocolate as a product and an industry. While I enjoyed the other trips we’ve taken, it’s clear that Julio is so much more than a tour guide. Like a tour guide, he was engaging, but he was also passionate, educated, and knew exactly how to cater his message to an audience of business students. It was also clear that Sibo is doing all they can for their Costa Rican community and environment.

I would say Julio and his company Sibo are advocates for the triple bottom line and represent how great it can be when it works. As he introduces mechanics that would improve his company’s efficiency, he is also ensuring he can keep good wages for employees and good prices for customers. He balances this growth while making sure he does not have to replace employees and get rid of jobs. Part of green infrastructure, environmental sustainably, and a community centered brand (the true goals of the triple bottom line) is focusing on your company and not just trying to get a huge profit. I was particularly moved by his motivations to start this company. These motivations again emphasize the triple bottom line with no exploitation of people, especially children, and allowing the Costa Rican community to experience their own incredible cacao.  He explained that sugar, specifically, has bad conditions, is bad for the environment, and relies on slave labor in other countries. So, he uses less sugar, but still produces high quality chocolate. Additionally, as he turns to outside investors, he is growing and increasing internal production and conservation. Sibo is widely successful, but has a culture of conservation. The community focus supports competitors for the international recognition of the industry and the country. The environmental focus means other companies can take inspiration and use environmentally friendly practices too, like the box made with shells of cacao beans moving all the way to France. It’s important that everyone’s a “winner” in some regard. Make a living first, then provide good working conditions close to home with good salaries, produce heathy, affordable chocolate, and pay competitive prices for quality supplies to ensure that everyone feels good about Sibo. Even competitors, despite Sibo being the first in Costa Rica, are good for community and environment and bring postive attention to the Costa Rican chocolate market. Just because something has an higher monetary cost, doesn’t mean it will be worse for the company when there are so many other factors to consider. Ultimately, Sibo truly emphasizes what the triple bottom line looks like when it’s working. I believe the triple bottom line means a balance between supporting yourself and supporting others, and Sibo has mastered that.