Amsterdam – Heineken N.V. (‘HEINEKEN’) published its 2012 Sustainability Report on April 11. The report focuses on the Company’s efforts to manage the social and environmental impacts of its business in the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012. The full report is available in an online only version, embodying the Company’s forward-looking commitment to reduce both its carbon footprint and impact on the earth’s natural resources.
The 2012 report highlights the significant progress made in the three years since the launch of the Brewing a Better Future programme, illustrating how strongly the business priorities and sustainability strategy are linked. The report touches on the urgent challenges currently faced by the brewing industry and for the planet and where the company will focus its sustainability efforts next, declaring new ambitions for 2015.
In consultation with key stakeholders, four key areas have been agreed on which HEINEKEN will build a deeper second phase of Brewing a Better Future. For each of these areas, ambitious targets for 2015-2020 have been set on:
- Protecting water resources
- Reducing CO2 emissions
- Sourcing sustainably
- Advocating responsible consumption
HEINEKEN’s CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer said, “We are on an exciting journey. Brewing a Better Future has united more than 85,000 employees in the quest to build a sustainable company that future generations will want to be part of. For 2015, we have once again set ambitious targets. We don’t have all the answers on how we will meet them. But HEINEKEN has a responsibility to lead on the difficult issues that we face as a business and as a member of society. This is what we will continue to do.”
Some highlights from the 2012 report include:
- Significant progress in reducing environmental impact: The company is on target to achieve the goals set for 2020 related to the water and energy efficiency of its breweries, offices and warehouses, and 93% of its new fridges are green.
- A Global Supplier Code, which includes sustainability commitments, was signed by 528 global and more than 34,000 local suppliers; thus, spreading the influence and impact of HEINEKEN’s actions and thinking.
- HEINEKEN has joined forces with other prominent international alcohol companies to back new global initiatives to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, recognising the need to help reduce misuse of alcohol products.
HEINEKEN reports is in line with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3.1 Guidelines. HEINEKEN continues to be a member of the FTSE4Good Index, a listing confirmed in March 2013 by the FTSE4Good Policy Committee.
The full sustainability report will only be available in interactive online format (at www.sustainabilityreport.heineken.com). A short printed high-level summary of the report will be available on request.
The sustainability section on the Company website, www.theHEINEKENcompany.com/sustainability, includes downloadable information about HEINEKEN’s sustainability performance and links to the 33 local market reports.
Source: HEINEKEN.
