32. Chapter 2: The brewer (continued)
Sustainability measures affecting soil fertility, soil
loss and nutrients have produced a real reduction
in the amounts of nitrogen and phosphate used
at a number of farms. The frequent use of green
manure crops and the working in of straw made
it possible for the soil structure improvement to
become visible. In the field of crop protection, the
measures included a different choice of agents,
a reduction of doses and the use of air-supported
spraying systems. These actions, in combination
with a more extensive cropping plan, could have an
impact on local bird populations, with the skylark,
meadow pipit and yellow wagtail being spotted in
larger quantities on the farms in the future. In
2005, nearly 80 per cent of the intended action
points on crop protection were realised.
For Heineken, the project 'Skylark, sustainability
understood' is a learning process on the way to
sustainable barley farming. The nomination of
the project for the 2005 Dutch CSR award (given
in acknowledgement of socially responsible
entrepreneurship) by the Ministry of Agriculture,
Nature and Food Quality shows that the initiative
is widely appreciated.
Meanwhile, a start has been made in scaling up the
project. As part of a further Fleineken initiative,
customers, those processing products from
participating farms and the growers, have started
a joint venture called 'Friends in Rotation'. The word
rotation refers to the crop rotation taking place from
year to year on the same plot of land. Discussion
with our main suppliers about how to cover a larger
proportion of raw materials is now underway.
Cooling agents
One of our environmental policies relates to cooling
agents. In our breweries, we need cooling during
the fermentation and lagering process. The cooling
agent we use is predominantly ammonia (R717).
Cooling agents are also used in point-of-sale
cooling-equipment such as refrigerators. We are
currently looking at alternative cooling agents for
refrigerators that are both ozone-friendly as well
as greenhouse-friendly. In 2006, we will finalise a
policy and implementation plan that will cover the
introduction of environmental-friendly cooling
agents in refrigerators.
Supply chain responsibility
In our Sustainability Report 2002-2003 and in
the Update 2004 we explained that we were
investigating how Fleineken can best deal with
supply chain responsibility. With the adoption of
the Heineken Supplier Code at the end of 2005,
this process has been finalised. Supply chain
responsibility is a priority issue for many of our
stakeholders and, in line with our Business
Principles and recent actions, is also high on
our own agenda.
Total Productive Management
Productivity
cost leadership
Customer
satisfaction
Organisation people Social
development responsibility
Heineken N.V. - 2004/2005 Sustainability Report