Initiatives Geared Toward Meeting End-2012 Global Water Usage and Energy Goals; Employees Pledge to Join Global No Shave Campaign
Published 06-04-12
Submitted by AB InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev (Euronext: ABI) (NYSE: BUD) is celebrating World Environment Day (WED), an initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), across its global operations. The company’s annual WED celebration, now in its fourth year, is a key rallying point in its commitment to reduce its impact on the environment, a core pillar of its dream to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World.
WED initiatives emphasize the efficient use of resources – in particular water, which is essential to AB InBev’s high quality products and the continued, sustainable growth of its business around the world. WED also launches the company’s fourth annual WED facility competition, which encourages employees globally to submit projects that encourage sustainable operations and innovation, as well as education efforts and public-private partnerships. Continuing from last year, the judging panel that will select the competition’s global grand prize winner will include a representative from UNEP.
“Reducing our impact on the environment means never being entirely satisfied with our progress. World Environment Day helps generate great momentum for our internal efforts and our work in communities,” said Carlos Brito, CEO of AB InBev. “The activities we participate in emphasize our increasingly efficient use of resources, which is essential to the continued, sustainable growth of our business around the world.”
WED is part of AB InBev’s ongoing efforts to engage every employee in building a sustainability-focused culture. This includes the company’s standardized global brewery management system, Voyager Plant Optimization (VPO) – a centralized operating system that incentivizes continuous improvement. VPO promotes efficiency at facilities by setting uniform processes and measurable standards for operations, quality, safety and environmental sustainability.
This year AB InBev is also launching the first Global No Shave Campaign. This internally focused campaign is a light-hearted effort with a serious purpose. Close to 8,000 employees world-wide have already pledged to stop shaving to save water. The effort is aimed at increasing awareness about the importance of water conservation and natural resource protection – showing that everyone can take small steps that make a big difference.
Employees around the world are leading local initiatives to celebrate WED:
Efforts are underway to launch the “Prainha Viva” campaign to restore and re-open the Prainha Park – a 40-year-old recreational area in an area surrounding a local brewery – which has been closed to the public due to lack of maintenance. Working with NGO partners Ecomarapendi and Eccovida, activities in Rio de Janeiro include toy-making workshops that use PET bottles and school-based education initiatives on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).
In 2011, more than 60,000 employees contributed to AB InBev’s global celebration of WED, resulting in 700 facility and community environmental projects in 21 countries.
About Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with an American Depositary Receipt secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). It is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years and our portfolio of well over 200 beer brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers. We invest the majority of our brand-building resources on our Focus Brands - those with the greatest growth potential such as global brands Budweiser®, Stella Artois® and Beck’s®, alongside Leffe®, Hoegaarden®, Bud Light®, Skol®, Brahma®, Antarctica®, Quilmes®, Michelob Ultra®, Harbin®, Sedrin®, Klinskoye®, Sibirskaya Korona®, Chernigivske®, Hasseröder® and Jupiler®. In addition, the company owns a 50% equity interest in the operating subsidiary of Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer and owner of the global Corona® brand. AB InBev’s dedication to heritage and quality originates from the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium dating back to 1366 and the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery, with origins in St. Louis, USA since 1852. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, AB InBev leverages the collective strengths of its approximately 116,000 employees based in operations in 23 countries worldwide. In 2011, AB InBev realized 39.0 billion US dollar revenue. The company strives to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World. For more information, please visit: www.ab-inbev.com.
About Better World
Through our commitment to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World, Anheuser-Busch InBev is the beer industry leader in social responsibility initiatives, ranking as the No. 1 brewer in social responsibility in FORTUNE Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired” beverage companies’ list. Our Better World efforts focus on three pillars: promoting responsible drinking; protecting the environment; and giving back to the communities in which we live and work. Around the world, we develop and implement social responsibility programs and campaigns in partnership with parents, government officials, community organizations, retailers and others. From promoting responsible drinking messages on some of the world’s most watched television programming, to turning coconut husks into renewable energy to fuel our breweries, to volunteering in the community, Anheuser-Busch InBev and its employees are committed to making a difference.
For more information about Anheuser-Busch InBev and Better World, please visit: www.ab-inbev.com.
Anheuser-Busch InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with an American Depository Receipt secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). It is the leading global brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies.
Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years and our portfolio of well over 200 beer brands continues to forge strong connections with consumers. We invest the majority of our brand-building resources on our Focus Brands - those with the greatest growth potential such as global brands Budweiser®, Stella Artois® and Beck’s®, alongside Leffe®, Hoegaarden®, Bud Light®, Skol®, Brahma®, Antarctica®, Quilmes®, Michelob Ultra®, Harbin®, Sedrin®, Klinskoye®, Sibirskaya Korona®, Chernigivske®, Hasseröder® and Jupiler®. In addition, the company owns a 50 percent equity interest in the operating subsidiary of Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer and owner of the global Corona® brand. AB InBev’s dedication to heritage and quality originates from the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium dating back to 1366 and the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery, with origins in St. Louis, USA since 1852. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, AB InBev leverages the collective strengths of its approximately 116,000 employees based in 23 countries worldwide. In 2011, AB InBev realized 39.0 billion USD revenue. The company strives to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World. For more information, please visit: www.ab-inbev.com.
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