28 April 2021
The Amsterdam Airport Schiphol-based brewery said it will maximise energy efficiency and renewable energy use at its production sites and reduce its carbon footprint across its entire value chain.
Heineken has announced an ambitious plan to decarbonise its production and full value chain - from barley to bar - by 2040, making it the first global brewer to aim for carbon neutrality, the company said.
The Schiphol-based brewery says it wants all of its production sites to become carbon neutral by 2030 by maximising energy efficiency and speeding up the transition to renewable energy. It will also work closely with suppliers to cut emissions by 30% on 2018 levels across its entire value chain, which includes barley farmers, glass and can makers, production, logistic providers and fridges.
Speeding up these actions in the next decade will help meet the 1.5C global warming limit set by the Paris Agreement, Heineken’s CEO and chairman of the executive board Dolf van den Brink said. He added: “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.”
Some of Heineken’s recent initiatives include launching five solar-powered breweries, using sustainable biomass from agricultural waste to heat two breweries in Indonesia, and installing smart fridges in Mexico to minimise energy use. In the Netherlands, Heineken is pioneering cleaner inland shipping methods for its beer and cider, such as electric-powered ships, that could eventually see waterways around the world follow the Dutch example.
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