Dorothy Nakaweesi
30 June 2009
SABMiller, one of the world's leading brewers, has announced new initiatives that will see emission from beer reduce by a half, per litre produced come 2020.
The company aims to achieve this through greater energy efficiency and by utilising renewable energy sources such as brewing by-products and agricultural waste.
In a press release on the company's website dated June 26, SABMiller which is also a parent company to Uganda's Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) anticipates that this will enable it to contain absolute emissions across its 200 beer brands at their 2008 level by 2020, despite production volume growth.
Mr Graham Mackay, SABMiller Chief Executive Officer said: "Climate change is an issue of growing global concern; with likely impacts on weather patterns, water availability and crop yields our business will feel direct effects".
"Our new strategic approach to reduce fossil fuel gas emissions per unit of product will allow us to contain our emissions by 2020, despite growth in production volume. This follows our commitment last year to reduce our water consumption by 25 per cent per hectolitre of beer by 2015 - a target towards which we are already making progress," Mackay said.
Uganda's Nile Breweries Limited
The target was announced with the launch of SABMiller's Sustainable Development report for 2009, which also details some of the steps that are already being taken around the world to achieve the emission reduction goal. These include: The new target relates to the fossil fuel emissions generated from energy used within SABMiller's on-site operations. However the company is also committed to reducing carbon emissions within its value chain.
For example, SABMiller's Colombian business, Bavaria, invested $145 million (Shs304 billion) to implement 'super returnable' bottles - which have a reduced carbon impact. These are lighter, shaped to reduce wear during transportation and have a special film to protect the surface of the glass, meaning they can be used twice as often - around 40 cycles instead of 20.
In Uganda, NBL's Manager Public and Corporate affairs, Mr Onapito Ekomoloit says, they have embraced this strategy.
"At NBL we have invested millions of dollars in the process of trapping carbon dioxide produced by our plant. After trapping it, the carbon dioxide is up graded by harvesting purifying, and then use it," Mr Ekomoloit said.
He says the other measures they do is planting of trees which has been done by the sorghum growing farmers and also through the Green Town project where they provide flowers and trees to be planted in several Ugandan towns.
SABMiller will also be making results of its Sustainability Assessment Matrix (SAM) public for the first time. This is the tool used in all its businesses to measure performance and progress against its ten Sustainable Development priorities. The results will be contained in an interactive online tool on its website. Elsewhere, SABMillers' Czech business, Plzenský Prazdroj, has already reduced its carbon emissions by over 50 per cent. In addition, biogas from its waste water treatment plants is now being used as an auxiliary fuel for brewing. Reducing CO2 emissions enabled the brewery to sell surplus allowances at auction in 2006 and invest the money in further environmental projects.
SABMiller India has invested in renewable energy sources such as agricultural waste - including rice husks. In May 2007 a boiler fired by rice husks was installed as part of the expansion of the Rochees brewery in Rajasthan. This reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and also generates additional income for local farmers.
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