Lesson 2 - Environmental Sustainability
In this lesson we will discuss key ways to understand and improve the sustainability of brewery operations. This will include understanding the global context for sustainability, the key environmental sustainability impacts of producing beer and opportunities for improving the sustainability of beer and brewing operations.
Summary
As a review of what we have learnt it is useful to summarise some of the key principals we can adopt to minimise our impact on the environment, use precious natural resources responsibly, and work in increasingly sustainable ways. The below are sometimes referred to as the key sustainability guiding principles.
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Comply with all relevant national and local legislation and regulations.
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Develop and maintain policies, procedures and management systems that guide and support continuous improvement on environmental sustainability above and beyond legislative requirements.
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Encourage a culture of awareness and engagement on environmental sustainability amongst brewery employees through management commitment, communications, training and other initiatives.
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Regularly assess the environmental context the brewery is operating in, taking in risk and opportunities and the impacts of the brewery processes and products.
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Set long-term goals and short-term targets for the continual improvement of environmental performance.
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Optimise the use of all resources while ensuring that wastes are designed out, recovered, reused or recycled.
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Work with suppliers and other partners in the supply chain to maintain high environmental standards and find solutions to sustainability challenges.