America’s largest brewing company, Anheuser-Busch, launched its US 2025 Sustainability Goals this week, recommitting to its goal of purchasing 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025 and committing itself to the sustainability goals launched in March by its parent company, AB InBev.
In late March, AB InBev — the largest beer company in the world in 2017 — launched its own 2025 Sustainability Goals, intended to focus the company’s efforts on four key areas:
- Smart Agriculture: 100% of our direct farmers will be skilled, connected and financially empowered.
- Water Stewardship: 100% of our communities in high-stress areas will have measurably improved water availability and quality.
- Circular Packaging: 100% of our products will be in packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content.
- Climate Action:
- 100% of our purchased electricity will be from renewable sources; and a
- 25% reduction in CO2 emissions across our value chain (science-based).
“Our Dream is to bring people together for a better world, which is why we are committed to supporting a healthy environment and strong communities,” said Carlos Brito, Chief Executive Officer of AB InBev.
“Climate change is the most pressing issue confronting our planet and could impact the natural resources we rely on to brew our high-quality beers. More than ever, we see an opportunity to use sustainability as a catalyst for innovation. Our 2025 Sustainability Goals and 100+ Accelerator will complement each other, providing solutions for environmental and social challenges so we can build a company to last for the next 100+ years,” Brito added, referring to their newly-announced Accelerator which they boast will “enlist scientists, technologists, and budding entrepreneurs around the world to help build and scale solutions.”
Unsurprisingly, therefore, the company’s American subsidiary, Anheuser-Busch, similarly committed to working across a similar four key areas:
- Renewable Electricity and Carbon Reduction: 100% of purchased electricity will come from renewable sources; and CO2 emissions across the value chain will be reduced by 25%
- Water Stewardship: 100% of facilities will be engaged in water efficiency efforts; and 100% of communities in high-stress areas will have measurably improved water availability and quality
- Smart Agriculture: 100% of direct farmers will be highly skilled, connected and financially empowered
- Circular Packaging: 100% of packaging will be made from majority recycled content or will be returnable
“We take great pride in our sustainability efforts and our long history of striving to be good stewards of the environment. Now, we are challenging ourselves to do more,” said Michel Doukeris, CEO of Anheuser-Busch. “Our company has been around for 165 years, and these goals will ensure that we continue to make meaningful contributions toward building strong communities and a healthy environment for the next 165 years.”
And both AB InBev and Anheuser-Busch can both boast impressive efforts to support a more environmentally friendly corporate policy and beer. Anheuser-Busch’s 12 major breweries all boast a 99.8% recycling rate, and over the past decade, all the company’s major breweries have reduced water usage by 46% — resulting in saving the equivalent of 73 billion 12oz servings of beer.
In March of 2017, AB InBev announced a commitment to transition to purchasing 100% renewable electricity for its operations by 2025, seeking to become the world’s largest corporate direct purchaser of renewable electricity in the consumer goods sector. More specifically, AB InBev will aim to purchase 75% to 85% of its electricity needs through renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and deliver the remaining 15% to 25% via onsite solar generation. Later that year, Anheuser-Busch signed a PPA to secure 152.5 megawatts (MW) worth of wind energy produced at the 298 MW Thunder Ranch in Oklahoma, ensuring that 20 billion 12oz servings of beer each year will be made with renewable energy.
This led to the January announcement from AB InBev that all Budweiser beers that were brewed entirely with renewable electricity would start carrying a 100% Renewable Electricity label.
As part of Anheuser-Busch’s 2025 Sustainability Goals announcement this week, the company also officially launched the 100% Renewable Electricity label, which will start appearing starting on Earth Day, on the 22nd of April.
“This is a team effort — together with our wholesalers, suppliers, retailers, NGOs and government partners and more than 18,000 colleagues across the country — we’re committed to driving change, not just within our facilities, but in the broader communities where we live, work and play,” added Ingrid De Ryck, VP Procurement and Sustainability, Anheuser-Busch. “We firmly believe that investing in a more sustainable future not only brings us closer to realizing our dream of a better world, it moves our business forward.”
