Sustainability is on the minds of most business leaders right now, but there are few industries where it’s of such importance as in brewing,  says Helen Hartley, beer and design expert and creative director at brand consultancy Elmwood.

That’s nothing new for such a well-established industry. Harvey’s Brewery, for instance, continues to use returnable bottles more than 200 years since brewing its first beer. 

And brewers, especially independent local businesses, are continuing today to do much to address sustainability in response to both environmental concerns and consumer demand. However, from start to finish, raw materials to post-sales, there are challenges to be addressed.

The circular economy

Tackling sustainability through the framework of the circular economy is a good way forward. Molson Coors, in its sustainability report, emphasises the importance of adopting this broad vision: “We believe we have an opportunity to transform the way products are made, used, and discarded… We’re applying circular economy thinking across our value chain by constantly challenging ourselves to find worth from waste.”

There are multiple examples of the brewing industry addressing every stage of the circular economy. The Brewers Association in the US recently launched initiatives to inspire craft brewers to embrace sustainable build and design, and US brewers are also finding ways to “upcycle” used grain to make breakfast cereals.

In the UK, CAMRA’s “Plastic-free July” addresses waste at the sales stage. And, then, when it comes to post-sales, brewers are looking at returnable bottles, removal of single use items, and growler refills in tap rooms. 

It’s fair to say that UK independent brewers are leading the way on sustainability, especially in terms of their efficient use of ingredients and resources. Warwickshire’s Purity Brewing is just one of a number of breweries making use of reed bed filtration to return water to the ecosystem, and is also using “self-clean” systems to reduce water waste.

Leeds-based North Brewing Co has introduced various sustainability initiatives, including a beer line chilling system by Brewfit that uses less energy and, at its new site, electricity charging points for vehicles, motion sensor controlled lighting, and water recycling.

The rationale behind North Brewing’s new chilling system sums up the all-round benefits of embracing sustainability in company values. Christian Townsley, Director at North Brewing, says: “It’ll mean our beer is kept in better condition, we’ve more versatility over how we serve our beers, specific lines can be held at different temperatures, and we’ll use less energy, which is great for the environment and our bottom line.”

North Brewing identifies export of product, due to the lack of sustainability in container transport, collecting and recycling Keykegs, and general waste, as big issues that need to be addressed, demonstrating that sustainability comes in many forms. 

Whilst we await the government’s tax plans on plastics, it is clear that the race is on to provide more sustainable solutions. New materials are coming on to the market but there is no point in moving head long into these unless we have a kerbside collection to ensure they do not go abroad to be dumped or go into landfill.

It must be part of a brewer’s DNA if it’s to become a brand truth for consumers. And, while there are several ways for a brand to tackle sustainability, all bring their own opportunities and business challenges. 

Experts welcome

One solution is to invest in expertise. At Elmwood we recently hired Ian Schofield, Iceland’s former Own Label and Packaging Manager and trained packing technologist, as a Non-Executive Director. The assumption might be that, because of his background, he’ll focus on sustainable packaging solutions.

But that’s far from the case. We believe it’s worth having an expert on board to help us to help clients address sustainability through the supply chain, right to the consumer.

Ian’s focus on understanding the connection between trends in climate change, resource scarcity, and then how this impacts consumer desire for sustainable brands and packaging could prove to be invaluable.

He will also help us move into active and intelligent packaging and new materials, evolving away from fossil fuel materials. In addition, he will advise on the latest Digital printing techniques which are now becoming commercial. 

Beyond this, collaborating and partnering with experts provides an excellent learning opportunity for people in your business, especially if you’re operating on a smaller scale. North Brewing takes a similar view. Christian Townsley feels that inhouse expertise can help to communicate sustainable values both to his own team and to consumers: “I feel very strongly about the environment.

At home, as a family, we factor in environmental impact into the majority of our consumer decisions. It’s one of our personal values, and a value I bring into the business. What I haven’t done, as of yet, is communicate particularly well with my team, or customers, which is why I’m creating a role within the business with the working title of ‘Environmental Champion’.”

He explains that this role will be filled by an existing, non-management, member of staff, handling the responsibility of assessing the firm’s environmental footprint, and identifying how this can be improved, while communicating North Brewing’s activity both internally and externally. What will this achieve? “There’s a marketing advantage to showing off our care for the earth, but also I hope it will inspire others to follow suit and make our staff feel even better about working for our company.”

Company values

This point leads us to culture and structure, and how this can impact living your values as a company. If you operate as a holistic team then it’s easier to achieve great things in terms of sustainability. That makes it worth considering issues such as ownership models.

For instance, we’ve seen the rise of brewers such as New Belgium Brewing in the US, which is 100% employee owned. It’s not for every business but where there is autonomy for people in the company then it makes it more likely that sustainability is valued, enabling you to weave it through the business.

This will also provide you with a way to connect with consumers, through the values of your team and your company being reflected in a brand truth.

You can then begin on the journey of defining or redefining your brand’s vision and values, taking a distinct point of view, creating a manifesto, assessing the iconicity of your brand and assets, and developing a portfolio strategy. This then feeds into the business plan that will activate in several channels on and offline.

When underpinned by such a thorough approach, an emphasis on sustainability will bring firm benefits, both for the environment, and to the bottom line.

As Christian Townsley puts it: “I believe the next generation of consumers are more tuned into the values of the companies they engage with than ever before. It’s my job to ensure our values are good for people and the planet, and we communicate them clearly. That will be good for business and good for the earth.“