How Sustainability Data is Helping Innovate the Brewing Industry

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; it's a critical aspect of doing business in the 21st century, and the brewing industry is no exception

As a resource intensive sector, the brewing industry has a significant environmental footprint, which includes high water usage, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. However with the increase of sustainability data, the brewing industry can now identify key areas of impact, improve efficiencies, and contribute positively to environmental goals. Let’s explore how sustainability data is revolutionising the brewing industry, making it better for businesses and the planet.

Problem-Setting

Importance of Sustainability in Brewing

As discussed at World Brewing Congress 2024, the brewing industry has a long-standing tradition of relying on natural resources, making sustainability not just an ethical responsibility but also a business imperative. Consumers today are more environmentally conscious, often choosing brands that align with their values. Since malt can make up to 20% of total GHG emissions for a brewery, this shift has put pressure on the adoption of sustainable practices to improve their environmental footprint.

With recent challenges in malt supply deficits, exacerbated by climate change and unsustainable farming practices,the need for brewers to innovate with more sustainable practices can help the industry endure in times of challenge. 

Environmental Impact of Beer Production

It’s no secret that beer production is resource-intensive and the industry is shifting to adapt. The largest contributors are the ingredients used in the brewing process and the packaging materials, both of which play equally substantial roles. Company facilities, including energy and water usage for brewing, mashing, boiling, and refrigeration, also make a notable contribution. Transporting the beer from production sites to consumers adds another layer of emissions, while the environmental impact of products during their use and disposal also plays a smaller, yet important, part. As the industry evolves, there is a growing focus on reducing these environmental impacts across all stages of the production and distribution process.

Making Sustainability Work for Your Business and the Planet

The question then arises: how can breweries make sustainability work for their business and the planet? The answer lies in relying on data to drive innovation and efficiency. With visibility into sustainability data, breweries can identify areas of waste, optimise resource use, and implement changes that reduce their environmental impact while also cutting costs. It’s a win-win situation where sustainability efforts align with business profitability.

Know Your Impact

“You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure”

The first step in making meaningful sustainability changes is understanding your current impact. While many companies are launching sustainability initiatives, the key to success lies in quantifying impact. Without precise and accurate data, it’s impossible to track progress, set realistic goals, or make informed decisions about where to invest time, resources, and where to make improvements.

The Business Advantage of Sustainability Data

Sustainability isn’t just about compliance or public relations — it's a business advantage in today’s market. Access to energy use, emissions, and more enables companies to communicate their efforts effectively to stakeholders and customers. More importantly, it enables them to benchmark their performance against industry standards and competitors. Building transparency and quantifying sustainability efforts builds brand loyalty and attracts investment from those who prioritise environmental stewardship.

Understanding Your and Your Suppliers’ Impact

Measuring your impact is valuable, but it’s also crucial to consider your suppliers’ environmental impact. Understanding your suppliers sustainability priorities helps define a pathway for improving impact across the value chain.

Share Your Progress

1. Communicating Sustainability Progress

Once you’ve started collecting and analysing sustainability data, the next step is sharing your progress. Communication is key to scaling sustainable operations and future-proofing against sustainability risks. By transparently sharing performance internally or externally, companies can demonstrate their commitment to improving environmental impact, which resonates well with eco-conscious consumers.

2. Leveraging Data for Grants and Funding

Having detailed sustainability and emissions data is also valuable when applying for grants or other forms of funding. Many funding bodies and investors are increasingly prioritising businesses that can demonstrate tangible environmental commitments. By providing clear, data-backed evidence of sustainability initiatives, the industry as a whole can access necessary resources to further their goals.

3. Bringing Customers Along

Clearly communicating your sustainability story is half the battle. Sharing your sustainability efforts helps bring customers along, inviting them to be part of the solution. When customers can easily understand a company is genuinely committed to making a positive impact, this inspires customer loyalty. 

Easy Wins

Achieving sustainability in the brewing industry doesn’t always require massive overhauls; often, there are easy wins that can make a significant difference.

1. Energy

One of the simplest ways to reduce a brewery's environmental footprint is by optimising energy use. This could involve installing energy-efficient lighting, investing in renewable energy sources, or optimising the heating and cooling processes that are essential to brewing.

2. Waste

Waste management is another area where breweries can make improvements. This might include recycling spent grains into animal feed, reusing packaging materials, or implementing a comprehensive waste reduction program across operations.

3. Measurable Targets

Setting measurable sustainability targets helps track progress and keeps the team accountable. Whether it’s reducing water usage by a certain percentage or cutting carbon emissions, having clear, achievable goals is crucial for success.

Brewery Spotlight: Gipsy Hill Brewery

Gipsy Hill Brewery is an excellent example of a company that has embraced sustainability through data-driven initiatives. They’ve implemented a comprehensive monitoring system to track energy and water use, allowing them to pinpoint inefficiencies and make targeted improvements. By setting measurable targets and regularly reporting on their progress, Gipsy Hill has not only reduced their environmental footprint but also enhanced their brand reputation among eco-conscious consumers.

You may have heard of the term ‘greenwashing’ in passing but perhaps you’ve never really considered it or questioned what it means.

By truly embedding sustainability into our brewing process, rather than simply offsetting emissions, we have created a blueprint for a sustainable beer range, but the wider food and drink industry.
Gipsy Hill co-founder & MD, Sam McMeekin

Find out more about ways in which sustainability can help innovate the brewing industry.