Budweiser China to accelerate sustainability efforts

Budweiser Brewing Co APAC Ltd, the largest beer company in the Asia-Pacific by sales revenue, will accelerate its sustainability efforts in China, marking substantial progress across packaging, climate, agriculture and water as part of its long-term roadmap, said a senior executive.

Budweiser China is working toward its global ambition of net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2040. Central to this vision is "Eclipse" - a strategic program aimed at mobilizing suppliers and partners to collaborate on emission reduction, said Jan Clysner, vice-president of sustainability and procurement at Budweiser APAC.

Speaking at the "2025 Budweiser China World Environment Day Event" held on Thursday at the company's Foshan brewery in Guangdong province, Clysner said the group has worked with its value chain partners for eight years on a united path to carbon reduction.

Over this period, Budweiser China has focused on four major sustainability pillars - climate action, water stewardship, circular packaging and sustainable agriculture. Collaborating closely with upstream and downstream partners has led to the green transformation of China's beer industry and contributed to China's dual-carbon goals.

The event reviewed the phased achievements in full-chain carbon reduction since Budweiser APAC set its "2025 Sustainability Goals" in 2018 and explored the opportunities, challenges, and future of sustainable development in the new era.

At the event, Budweiser China launched the "Budweiser China Decarbonization Alliance," which will collaborate with industry chain partners to accelerate progress toward the 2040 net-zero ambition, shaping a greener future with the entire value chain.

Emphasizing the importance of collective action in driving meaningful impact, Clysner said the alliance builds on Budweiser China's momentum in leading the beer industry, and beyond, toward a net-zero future to address climate change.

"Budweiser China stands out within its parent group AB InBev's global network for its water stewardship, having achieved industry-leading efficiency through the use of advanced technologies," he said.

Clysner said that packaging is another area of progress. Over 60 percent of Budweiser China's product volume in China is now packaged either in returnable containers or using materials made from recycled content.

In the area of agriculture, Budweiser China will further deepen cooperation with Jiangsu Nongken Group, a State-owned agricultural company in Jiangsu province, to grow high-yield, locally sourced barley while promoting sustainable farming practices to reduce emissions from crop production, he added.

Through its 100+ Innovation Lab program, Budweiser China will continue to offer a platform for startups to pilot and refine new green technologies. Successful examples, such as practical battery storage solutions and energy management tools, have already been applied in many of its breweries across China.