East African Breweries PLC has reported a significant progress in the Net-Zero journey, by emitting 55 pc less carbon in the last year.
The rollout of biomass steam plants in Uganda and Kenya has increased renewable energy use in EABL’s operations to 64.86 pc, up from 25.8 pc in 2022.
Four biomass boilers in Kisumu and Tusker Plants represent a total investment of Kshs. 4.6 billion while the biomass plant in Uganda Breweries Limited represents a total investment of Kshs. 1.6 billion.
Speaking at the launch event, Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry applauded EABL for its commitment to reducing water and energy consumption, increasing the use of renewable energy, and minimizing waste generation.
“The African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change emphasised Africa’s potential and ambition as a vital component of the global solution to climate change and reiterated Africa’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the decarbonisation of the global economy. The launch of EABL’s third sustainability report is a true testament to the company’s commitment to responsible business practices and the dedication to building a more sustainable future”, said Tuya.
“The partnership between the government and private sector, for sustainability, is a pivotal alliance that holds immense potential for driving transformative change and achieving a sustainable future. Together, we can continue to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, promote circularity and resource efficiency, and contribute to the achievement of national and global sustainability goals, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, she added.
“We recognise that we have a responsibility to manufacture our award-winning brands sustainably across our supply chain. We view this as a Grain-to-Glass Sustainability approach, which means that we think through each aspect of our production process. Irrespective of Africa’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, we believe that we have a responsibility to transition our operations to net zero”, said EABL Group Chairman, Martin Oduor-Otieno.
“One of the cornerstones of our sustainability strategy is our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. We have made significant strides in this area, implementing energy-efficient measures across all of our sites and adopting renewable energy sources, including Biomass. We have a goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and this year, we saw a substantial reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent from 2022”, said Jane Karuku, EABL Group MD and CEO.
EABL has also committed to an ambitious target to reduce their scope 3 emissions by 50 percent. To meet this commitment, they are supporting opportunities that reduce the emissions produced by the materials and services they source from their suppliers.
The company is also rethinking their way of doing business to embed a more collaborative and circular way to source materials and services across the value chain.