SOURCING SUSTAINABLY

Heineken works closely with its suppliers, locally and around the world to ensure it is acting responsibly and sustainably. “To brew our beer, we use malted barley and hops, which we import from Africa. We have a number of programmes there where we work with local farmers to ensure that we create some sustainable income in their local communities. We also help them plant the right crops, which we then buy and make malted barley,” tells Mathers.

Besides raw ingredients, Heineken also puts emphasis on its packaging materials i.e. cans, bottles, labels, etc. In addition to continually looking for the best source for these materials, the company works closely with the manufacturer, to optimise the sustainability of their processes. “For example, our bottles are made in Johor. We work very closely with the supplier to try and optimise the amount of glass used to make a bottle,” Mathers explains.

In 2016, 85% of its suppliers have signed the Heineken Supplier Code and Heineken Malaysia’s Supplementary Code. “Sourcing sustainably has an impact on the environment but we also try to ensure that we have good partnership with our suppliers. Importantly, we expect our suppliers to operate at the same way we do, with integrity and have good business conduct as well as respect for human rights and environmental sustainability,” Mathers declares.

For more information on Heineken’s green practices, visit its official website.