Activities in 2007
During the year, we initiated an indicative study to determine our carbon footprint (the total amount of greenhouse gasses (expressed in CO2 equivalents) emitted over a product’s entire life cycle). This is the beginning of a complex process in which we need to consider the emissions created through a significant number of variables such as growing and harvesting, brewing, transport of raw and packaging materials; distribution of finished product; distances travelled and cost of dispense at point of purchase or consumption. More information about the carbon footprint project can be found elsewhere in this report.
The installation of an energy efficient brewhouse (wort stripper) in Mons(France) has reduced thermal energy requirements significantly. The sites in St. Petersburg (Russia) and Aba (Nigeria) renovated the heat generation plants that helped improve their efficiency. Our production sites in Lezajsk (Poland), El Obour (Egypt) and Sterlitamak (Russia) saved energy through active monitoring and specific reduction programmes.
The constant focus on actions to save energy in Sterlitamak (Russia) and the technical improvement of the cooling plant in St. Petersburg (Russia) have contributed to a greater efficiency of our electricity consumption. In Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), reductions in electricity consumption were also achieved with the help of energy-saving programmes focused specifically on plant and equipment that consumes significant amounts of electricity.
In the summer of 2007, we piloted a workshop session focused on energy at our Group head-office in Amsterdam. The purpose of the session was to spark discussion on energy and climate change. Information was provided on the activities that Heineken currently undertakes in relation to energy. Employees were given the opportunity to bring ideas forward on how to reduce energy consumption outside the brewing, production and packaging aspects of our business. The initiative generated some useful ideas and the intention is to roll out similar workshops throughout the business to both raise awareness and support direct action.