The company said the 17 per cent savings are down to its ‘Aware of Energy’ programme, which aimed to save 15 per cent energy per hectolitre (i.e. thermal energy and electricity) between 2002 and 2010.
Aware of Energy programme
The programme is aimed primarily at raising energy-awareness among employees. Heineken said action has been taken in several areas such as the roll-out of technical measures to conserve waste heat and the use of renewable energy.
Several of Heineken’s 140 breweries already meet its 2020 targets, according to the company which said it is sharing its best practices with those breweries that are not yet there.
“Ultimately, we want our operations to have the smallest possible emissions footprint. To this end, we are exploring ways to build breweries that are C02 neutral and breweries that use zero fossil fuels,” said the company.
Sustainability report
The savings were cited in the company’s new 2010 sustainability report which is based on the brewer’s integrated approach to sustainability; ‘Brewing a Better Future’, launched a year ago this month.
Heineken said it introduced the strategy to increase the scope and scale of its work on sustainability and to aid its long-term ambition to be the world’s greenest brewer.
The report summarises the company’s delivery against its public commitments, as well as overall progress on its global sustainability strategy. Detailed updates are given on the company’s 23 key goals.
Environmentally friendly fridges
Other goals include Heineken’s aim to achieve a 50 per cent reduction in carbon footprint of its installed fridge base by 2020.
The company said that wherever it is technically and legally possible, every new fridge Heineken buys will include the safe and more environmental friendly hydrocarbon refrigerant, uses LED illumination and has a thermostat with an energy management system for large fridges.
In 2010, the company said it began implementing this new approach and 80 per cent of the new fridges met at least one of the above standards.