Heineken Malaysia Berhad earned Gold in three categories, including Water Management and Efficiency, Innovative Partnership and Waste Management at the ESG Positive Impact Awards 2023.
The awards recognised the brewer’s steadfast commitment to responsible environmental practices and forming strategic partnerships in driving positive impact, in line with its Brew a Better World (BaBW) 2030 sustainability strategy and its three key pillars: Environmental Sustainability, Social Sustainability and Responsible Consumption.
Martijn van Keulen, managing director of Heineken Malaysia said, “We believe that we can only thrive if our surrounding communities and the planet thrive. To that end, we have embedded sustainability and responsibility into our business strategy, making it an important part of our business and the decisions we make, including investments and collaborations.
“We are proud to receive these recognitions, which exemplify our ongoing commitment to Brew a Better World. These achievements are a testament to the dedication of our employees and the unwavering support from our programme partners.
“As we look to the future, we strive for continuous improvement year after year, collaborating with strategic partners to reach even greater heights and realise our ambitious sustainability goals.”
Water Management and Efficiency
The company is committed to work towards healthy watersheds with a holistic water strategy that focuses on interventions within and beyond its brewery.
In terms of water efficiency, the brewer has been on the path to reduce average water usage through responsible water management including the implementation of water-efficient technologies, recycling water for general cleaning, and the installation of flow meters for water monitoring.
Before discharging its wastewater, the brewer treats 100% of the used water above the standards required by the Department of Environment in the wastewater treatment plant within the brewery.
Innovative Partnership
Renuka Indrarajah, Heineken Malaysia’s corporate affairs and legal director, said, “Our commitment to protecting water resources extends beyond our brewery’s operations, and requires collaboration from multi stakeholders. Collective effort is key in watershed protection, which is why we partnered with a local environmental NGO Global Environment Centre, local communities, and work alongside government agencies since 2007. Since then, we have channelled RM15 million to the initiative and reached over 30,000 Malaysians.”
The brewer has an ambitious target to balance 1.5 litres for every 1 litre of water used in making its products. Since 2020, it has achieved more than 200% of its water balancing target through its watershed protection efforts.
The initiative includes the rehabilitation of Sungai Way river; the construction of a clay dyke at Raja Musa Forest Reserve to promote soil water retention and prevent peatland fires; the reforestation of degraded peatland; and the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems in Klang Valley.
Waste Management
In waste management, Heineken Malaysia is committed to conserving natural resources and reducing raw material consumption through systemic waste management. In 2017, the brewer achieved zero production waste to landfill.
This was accomplished by adopting waste circularity within its operations, which involves recycling all waste into new materials and using by-products for soil improvement. The brewer employs a systematic waste management, including waste segregation, recycling at dedicated and licensed third-party facilities, and upcycling waste where feasible.
In 2023, the company recycled 100% of its production waste, generating RM2 million in revenue, which has been reinvested into environmental programs.
Additionally, the company has achieved packaging return rates of 100% for its plastic crates and kegs, and 91% for bottles from the on-trade channel in Peninsular Malaysia.
The brewer is committed to material innovation along with increasing recycling and reuse rates in collaboration with its on-trade partners using a deposit system.
