Brewer recognised for efforts in Water Conservation & Waste Management

KUALA LUMPUR, 14 December 2022 –Heineken Malaysia Berhad (HEINEKEN Malaysia) was recognised at the United Nations Global Compact Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) Sustainability Performance Awards 2022, winning two awards in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Ambition Benchmarks Awards category. HEINEKEN Malaysia was awarded for:

• SDG Ambition Benchmark 2: Net-positive water impact in water-stressed basins
• SDG Ambition Benchmark 3: Zero waste to landfill and incineration

Commenting on the achievement, Roland Bala, HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Managing Director said: “It is an honour for us to be recognised by UNGCMYB. In line with our Brew A Better World sustainability strategy, we are committed to reaching net zero emissions in production by 2030 and the wider value chain by 2040. We are also committed to working with our stakeholders towards conserving healthy watersheds. We are the first company in Malaysia to have fully balanced the water used in our products since 2020 and we reached 289% of our water balancing target in 2021. We continue to make progress in improving the efficiency of our water consumption at our Sungei Way Brewery, with an aim to reach 2.6 litres of water for every litre of our product. Indeed, these are ambitious targets, nevertheless, we are committed to caring for our people and planet.”

“In terms of waste management, we have achieved Zero Waste to Landfill since 2017. We work with partners who support us recycle or upcycle 100% of all waste generated from production. In 2021, we generated a total of 23,834 tonnes of waste including paper cartons, glass culets, scrap metal, as well as organic waste such as spent grain and spent yeast. We are committed to continually improving the ways we convert waste to value and ensure none of our waste ends up in landfills,” Roland added.

HEINEKEN Malaysia’s 2030 Brew A Better World sustainability programme includes ambitious commitments across three pillars:

1. Environmental Sustainability – on the path to net zero impact
2. Social Sustainability – on the path to an inclusive, fair and equitable company and world
3. Responsible Consumption – on the path to moderation and no harmful use

Renuka Indrarajah, HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Corporate Affairs & Legal Director, said: “We are focused on creating a positive impact through our Brew A Better World sustainability commitments. Our water conservation journey started in 2007, involving communities, government agencies, and NGO partners like the Global Environment Centre (GEC), where we joined our efforts in accomplishing river rehabilitation, water conservation and alternative water systems projects. To date, we’ve channelled close to RM14 million in science-based water stewardship initiatives, and we’re committed to investing for the long-term towards healthy watersheds.”

For every 1 litre of water used in its products, HEINEKEN Malaysia targets to balance 1.5 litres. The company balances the volume of water utilised for production use through programmes in water catchments and communities beyond its walls. Through its CSR arm, SPARK Foundation, the brewer partners with external stakeholders to drive conservation initiatives in the Sungai Selangor watershed.

HEINEKEN Malaysia’s water balancing projects include:

• Continued rehabilitation and conservation of Sungai Way as a model urban river in an industrial zone, as a best practice of industry-community partnership. The company aims to maintain river water quality at Class III or better, through the construction and enhancement of wetland islands as well as pollution control at source initiatives.
• The construction of a 305-metre clay dyke at the Raja Musa Forest Reserve peat swamp to increase water storage capacity, effectively raising the water table and contributing to the long-term sustainability of Sungai Selangor watershed.
• The installation and maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems, which help mitigate water disruptions and help communities reduce reliance on treated water for non-potable usage as well as relieve pressure on our water resources. To date, there are 22 rainwater harvesting systems built for rural communities which are linked to 10 community farming projects that supplement community income and food.
• The reforestation of degraded peatland in Raja Musa Forest Reserve which reduces the risk of peat fires and increases the peatland’s water table, contributing to the health of Sungai Air Hitam within the Sungai Selangor watershed.

“Besides fully balancing water used in our products and recycling 100% of waste, we have also embarked on an ambitious plan to decarbonise our operations. This year, we took a major step towards this goal by transitioning to 100% renewable electricity through the Malaysian Renewable Energy Certificate (mREC) programme. We will continue exploring other solutions and innovations to accelerate our progress towards net zero by increasing the share of renewables in our energy mix,” Renuka added.

United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to taking action in advancing broader societal goals. UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) is the official local network of UNGC, that supports Malaysian & Bruneian companies in enabling them to contribute towards the SDGs and achieve business excellence via its 10 principles, programmes and tools while providing access to partnerships with a range of stakeholders – to share best practices and emerging solutions.

For more information on HEINEKEN Malaysia and the company’s initiatives, please visit www.heinekenmalaysia.com.