HEINEKEN today announced a new ambition 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[1]we are committing to accelerating our actions to address climate change. We aim to be carbon neutral in our production sites by 2030 in order to meet the 1.5°C goals 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. I want to thank our deeply committed employees for their passion for this topic. Together, we will do our part to brew a better world”, said Dolf Van Den Brink, Chairman of the Executive Board/CEO.
From barley to the bar, HEINEKEN continues to focus on concrete actions to reduce its carbon footprint, working closely with customers, consumers and suppliers.
Key milestones on the path to zero impact
HEINEKEN 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, HEINEKEN aims to cut emissions by 30% across its entire value chain[2] from a 2018 baseline.
Looking ahead to 2040, the company 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[3]to validate its new commitment.
The work has already started
Building on momentum from the last decade of Brew a Better World efforts, since 2008, HEINEKEN has reduced carbon emissions per hectoliter in its breweries by 51%. Since committing to the transition to renewable energy in 2018, the company has implemented over 130 renewable energy projects, including 5 of the world’s 10 largest on-site solar-powered breweries.
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, HEINEKEN 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.
To mark its commitments, HEINEKEN is joining alliances to drive collective forward momentum. The brewer is proudly becoming a member of the Business Ambition for 1.5C, the Race to Zero as well as RE100.
[1] The UN’s Decade of Action calls for accelerating sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges — ranging from poverty and gender to climate change, inequality and closing the finance gap
[2] Including barley farmers, glass and cans makers, own production, logistic providers and fridges to customers