Heineken Vietnam recognised at Vietnam Corporate Sustainability Forum

Heineken Vietnam's vision and willingness to take initiative for sustainable development are lauded across the industry

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At the forum, as a corporate thought leader in sustainability, Heineken Vietnam shared its success story on how driving the sustainability agenda has helped its business and the community grow hand-in-hand. Key to this is creating an inclusive value chain, such as circular economy ideas, and transparency and integrity in business and sustainability reporting.

Advanced economies around the globe are moving towards circular economy principles, which focuses on minimising waste, including reusing waste materials as input in new value chains. At Heineken Vietnam, circular economy is best demonstrated via the application of biomass and biogas. Four out of six Heineken breweries in Vietnam brew with 100 per cent carbon-neutral biomass energy this year.

Thanks to biomass, Heineken Vietnam has reduced its CO₂ emissions by 50 per cent in ­2014-2016, provided a steady source of income to local rice farmers (from whom they buy the ‘waste’ rice husks), and also significantly reduced its costs while avoiding oil price volatility.

Biogas is gained by capturing gases released by wastewater treatment plants and reusing them as a fuel source. By 2019, Heineken Vietnam aims to brew 100 per cent from renewable energy at all of its breweries.

In addition, Heineken Vietnam has committed to using local suppliers whenever possible and has created around 190,000 jobs through its supply chain, by purchasing 100 per cent of its packaging materials locally, among other solutions.

Accordingly, the company contributed VND33.5 trillion ($1.47 billion) to the Vietnamese economy in 2016, equivalent to 0.75 per cent of the country’s total GDP.

Heineken is one of the few companies in Vietnam pioneering sustainability reporting using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard. The company has continuously published a GRI-accredited comprehensive annual Sustainability Report in Vietnam for three years in a row, announcing its achievements and future directions for sustainable development, as well as the key challenges it faces.

The company also ensures openness and transparency by regular dialogues with stakeholders, from the government and community to consumers and media, through information published on its website and opening its breweries to the public for free.

For its continuous sustainability efforts, Heineken Vietnam was recognised as the third Most Sustainable Company in Vietnam by VCCI’s 2016 Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI).

“Heineken has made significant and long standing contributions to the socioeconomic development of Vietnam. With its vision and commitment to sustainability and its innovative application of advanced business models and solutions, the company effectively supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Vietnam’s national sustainability agenda,” said Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“With what the company has accomplished and its solid promise to achieve, Heineken Vietnam will continue to play a progressive role in Vietnam’s long-term growth and remain a trusted companion of the country in its journey for a better and sustainable future,” he added.