Committing to using renewable energies and reducing waste in order to become more environmentally sustainable is becoming more and more popular amongst businesses, arguably largely pushed by a demand by consumers and climate change concerns.
Most recently, it is the Japenses brewing and spirits giant – Asahi – which has joined other brewers, Lion and Carlton United, it a promise to fuel its local operations with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025.
Asahi, which manufacturers beer brands such as Asahi, Peroni, Mountain Goat, Cricketer’s Arms, Estrella and Grolsch – confirmed its new clean energy goal a day after Kirin-owned Lion made a similar pledge for Australia and New Zealand.
Carlton United Breweries – itself the target of a takeover bid from Asahi – had already announced plans to rely on wind and solar energy to power its operations and, like its major Australian competitor Lion, aims to go carbon neutral in 2020.
Asahi Beverages chairman Peter Margin said as well as using green electricity in Australia and NZ by 2025, the company hoped to go carbon neutral globally by 2050.
“Moving towards 100 per cent renewable energy is the right thing for us as a major manufacturer,” Mr Margin wrote to AAP on Friday.
“We have been working on a plan to do this as part of our overall sustainability agenda. It’s a step further in the right direction towards achieving zero carbon emissions.”
In 2016, Asahi had 14.9 per cent of Australia’s ready-to-drink mixed spirit production market share and 12.8 per cent of the spirit market share, including brands such as Nikka Whisky and Woodstock Bourbon.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific championed the decision of both Lion and Asahi to use renewables to power their local operations.
“With all major beer manufacturers in Australia have committed to 100 per cent renewable energy, Australians can know that this summer, their eskies are full of beer that will soon be brewed by the sun,” Greenpeace Australia Pacific senior campaigner Lindsay Souter.
More than 210 companies globally have made 100 per cent environmentally friendly commitments, with household names in Australia including Mars, IKEA, Google, L’Oreal and the big four banks all committing to power their operation completely with renewable electricity.
