Heineken is aiming to decarbonise its own production by 2030 and its full value chain by 2040.
This is the first in a series of refreshed ‘Brew a Better World’ ambitions, which form an important part of the company’s new ‘EverGreen’ balanced growth strategy.
“In this Decade of Action, we are committing to accelerating our actions to address climate change,” said Dolf van den Brink, Chairman and CEO of Heineken.
“We aim to be carbon neutral in our production sites by 2030 in order to meet the 1.5°C goal set by the Paris Agreement. We will further reduce our emissions through energy efficiency and speed up the transition towards renewable energy.
“A large part of our overall carbon footprint beyond production comes from agriculture, packaging, distribution and cooling.
“This means we will work in close partnership with our suppliers and partners to reach our ambitious goal of a carbon neutral value chain by 2040.We know that HEINEKEN can only thrive if our planet and our communities thrive.”
The brewer aims for all of its production sites to become carbon neutral by maximising energy efficiency and renewable energy use by 2030.
In close partnership with suppliers, also by 2030, it aims to cut emissions by 30% across its entire value chain from a 2018 baseline.
Looking ahead to 2040, the company said it will be the “first global brewer to aim for carbon neutrality in its full value chain”.
The company is taking a science-based approach by working closely with the SBTi to validate its new commitment.
Heineken has partnered to build a wind farm in Finland that will inject renewable electricity in the European grid supplying 13 of its operating companies.
In Indonesia, the company utilises sustainable biomass made out of agricultural waste to heat its two breweries. In Nigeria, HEINEKEN has recently inaugurated solar panels in its Ibadan brewery, and in Vietnam, the company sources rice husks from local farmers to heat its brewing boilers.
In addition, it is supporting a pilot of 500 low-carbon farming projects in eight countries, as well as shifting to zero-emission breweries in Spain and Austria.
In Mexico, the company is using smart fridges that leverage software to automatically adjust cooling settings to minimize energy use.
Heineken Netherlands is pioneering cleaner inland shipping methods for its beer and cider. In the UK, Heineken has launched an innovative cardboard multi-pack called Green Grip, reducing carbon and saving 500 tonnes of plastic every year.
The brewer is proudly becoming a member of the Business Ambition for 1.5C, the Race to Zero as well as RE100.
