We are working to understand the impacts of our business on climate change and how we can make a difference in this area. With the Carbon Neutral Company, we conducted a study that measured the carbon footprint of our business – from the moment our beers leave the brewery gates, to when they appear for purchase in the UK. This also includes the carbon impacts of our offices in the UK, our business travel and our commutes into work.  The study found that in the calendar year 2007, the green-house gas emissions produced from our operations were equivalent to 6,366 tonnes of CO².

Working in partnership with our outsourced logistics operators we have now mapped our entire supply chain and broken down each leg of the journey of each beer brand by carbon impacts. Armed with this knowledge we are now finalising a plan to improve our carbon efficiencies and reduce our projected emissions by 16% over the next five years. By building this impact into our decision making we believe we are positively changing the way we do business to the benefit of the environment.

Our parent company, SABMiller, also recently announced a target to reduce carbon emissions by 50%, per litre of beer produced, by 2020. The target has been set against a 2008 baseline of 137g per litre.

Our sister company in the Czech Republic, Plzenský Prazdroj, from where we source the Pilsner Urquell beer brand, has already reduced its carbon emissions by over 50%. In addition, biogas from its waste water treatment plants is now being used as an auxiliary fuel for brewing. You can read more about the SABMiller commitment to reduce its carbon emissions from beer production by 2020, as well as case studies from across the world, by clicking here or following the links on the left.