Carlsberg has today (17 August) unveiled its new ESG strategy, Together Towards ZERO and Beyond (TTZAB). The new strategy updates existing sustainability targets around key areas including emissions, material use, water efficiency and regenerative agriculture practices.
TTZAB is headlined by a roadmap to deliver a net-zero value chain by 2040. This will see the brewer accelerate efforts to operate zero-carbon breweries and decarbonise across its packaging and farming practices. Carlsberg notes that agriculture and the processing of raw materials, as well as the production and disposal of packaging account for around two-thirds of its value chain emissions.
Under the new ESG strategy, Carlsberg will aim to deliver a 30% reduction in beer-in-hand carbon emissions and zero carbon at all breweries. This will set the company up to deliver a zero-carbon value chain by 2040.
The company will also ensure that 30% of raw materials are sourced using regenerative agricultural practices by 2030, so that, by 2040 100% of all raw materials are sourced this way.
Carlsberg will also ramp up efforts focused on the circular economy. By 2030, 100% of packaging will be recyclable, reusable or renewable and a 90% collection rate will be achieved for bottles and cans. Carlsberg will also deliver a 50% reduction in fossil-based plastics and ensure that recycled content accounts for 50% of bottles and cans.
To this end, Carlsberg recently announced plans to trial the performance of 8,000 fibre-based beer bottles, in a move that could help the company reduce carbon emissions and improve recyclability. edie spoke to Carlsberg’s group sustainability director Simon Boas Hoffmeyer about the new initiative, which you can read here.
On water, Carlsberg will replenish 100% of water consumed at breweries located in areas of high water risk by 2030.
“With our new targets we support an industry transformation towards more sustainable business practices through, for example, shifts in farming practices, sourcing procedures, and product design, as well as the scaling-up of efficient deposit return schemes,” Boas Hoffmeyer said.
“Across all our ESG focus areas, we will continue improving our performance, while increasing disclosure and transparency for all our stakeholders. We will continue to tackle these challenges through a sustained focus on partnerships with suppliers and partners.”
The new ESG strategy builds on Carlsberg’s long-standing “Together Towards Zero” strategy, which one of the first to truly embrace the need for 1.5C science-based targets and has catalysed progress towards goals to reach zero carbon emissions at breweries and a 30% reduction in beer-in-hand emissions by 2030.
The previous strategy has helped deliver strong progress towards net-zero, including a 40% reduction in carbon emissions and a 21% reduction in water use per hectolitre of beer since 2015.
The transition towards net-zero will be supported by external frameworks and initiatives. Carlsberg is signed up to RE100, the We Mean Business Coalition, the Race To Zero, the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders and the WFA’s Planet Pledge.
Source Edie
