Carlsberg Updates ESG Strategy With New “Brewing Tomorrow” Sustainability Programme

Carlsberg Group has unveiled an updated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programme titled “Brewing Tomorrow”, reinforcing its long-term sustainability strategy and expanding its climate and environmental commitments across the global brewing value chain.

The programme builds on the company’s existing Together Towards ZERO and Beyond (TTZAB) framework, which sets targets for carbon reduction, water stewardship, sustainable agriculture, packaging circularity, and responsible consumption. The updated strategy seeks to align the company’s operations with broader climate and sustainability goals while strengthening resilience across its supply chain.

As one of the world’s largest brewing companies, Carlsberg’s sustainability roadmap has implications not only for beverage production but also for agriculture, energy use, packaging systems, and logistics across multiple markets.

Long-Term Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions

Central to the programme is Carlsberg’s commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across its entire value chain by 2040. This target includes emissions from raw materials, brewing operations, packaging, distribution, and retail activities.

The brewer has established several intermediate milestones to guide progress:

• Zero carbon emissions at breweries by 2030.

• 30% reduction in value chain emissions by 2030, using a 2015 baseline.

• Renewable electricity sourced from new renewable assets, such as power purchase agreements (PPAs).

Operational decarbonization includes expanding renewable energy use, electrifying thermal processes where feasible, and replacing fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives such as biomass or renewable heat.

Carlsberg has already made progress toward these targets. Recent ESG updates indicate a significant reduction in emissions from production facilities, alongside increased sourcing of renewable electricity across its brewing operations.

Circular Packaging and Waste Reduction

Packaging represents another major focus of the updated ESG programme, reflecting the beverage sector’s growing attention to materials management and circular economy principles.

Carlsberg aims to ensure that by 2030 all packaging is recyclable, reusable, or renewable, while also increasing recycled content in its materials. Specific packaging targets include:

• 90% collection and recycling rate for bottles and cans.

• 50% reduction in virgin fossil-based plastics.

• 50% recycled content in bottles and cans.

The company has also been developing new packaging solutions, including improvements to PET bottle recyclability and exploring alternative materials to reduce environmental impacts.

According to recent company disclosures, around 95% of Carlsberg’s packaging is already recyclable, renewable, or reusable, indicating progress toward the 2030 circular packaging objective.

Water Stewardship and Efficiency

Water management remains a critical issue for the brewing sector due to the high water intensity of beer production and increasing water stress in several regions where breweries operate.

Under the updated ESG framework, Carlsberg has set a global water efficiency target of 2.0 hectolitres of water per hectolitre of beer (hl/hl) by 2030, with a more stringent 1.7 hl/hl target for breweries located in high water risk areas.

In addition, the company plans to replenish 100% of water consumed at breweries in water-stressed regions, working with local partners and conservation initiatives to support watershed restoration and water availability.

The brewer reports that its operations currently maintain industry-leading water efficiency levels, demonstrating incremental improvements in recent years as technologies and operational practices are refined.

Sustainable Agriculture and Supply Chain Transformation

Because beer production depends heavily on agricultural inputs such as barley and hops, the updated ESG programme also places stronger emphasis on farming practices.

Carlsberg has introduced a “Zero Farming Footprint” ambition, focusing on sustainable sourcing and regenerative agricultural practices. The company aims to scale the adoption of regenerative principles across its raw material supply chains over the coming decade.

Industry data indicates the company is already piloting regenerative agriculture projects across several European markets and gradually increasing the volume of barley sourced from farms applying such methods.

Expanding regenerative farming can help reduce emissions from fertilizers, improve soil health, and increase resilience to climate related risks in crop production.

Broader ESG Priorities

Beyond environmental targets, the “Brewing Tomorrow” programme incorporates social and governance commitments, including:

• Promoting responsible alcohol consumption.

• Improving occupational safety and reducing workplace accidents.

• Expanding diversity and gender representation in leadership roles.

• Strengthening human rights and responsible sourcing practices.

Recent ESG performance reports show continued improvements in worker safety metrics and gradual increases in the share of women in senior leadership positions across the company’s global operations.

Implications for the Beverage Industry

Carlsberg’s updated ESG strategy highlights how large beverage manufacturers are integrating climate transition planning into their core business strategy.

Decarbonizing brewing operations requires coordination across multiple sectors, including:

• renewable electricity providers.

• sustainable agriculture supply chains.

• packaging manufacturers.

• recycling infrastructure and waste management systems.

The scale of global brewing operations means that even incremental improvements in energy efficiency, packaging design, or water use can translate into significant environmental impacts.

For industry stakeholders, Carlsberg’s programme also reflects a broader shift toward science-based targets, value chain decarbonization, and circular material systems, trends that are increasingly shaping sustainability strategies across the food and beverage sector.

As regulatory expectations and consumer demand for sustainability grow, programmes such as “Brewing Tomorrow” are likely to play a key role in guiding how major beverage companies align their operations with global climate goals.

Source: sustainabilityonline.net