Agriculture
Beer is a natural product. It can not be brewed
without crops. The quality and availability of
these crops are of strategic importance to
Heineken.
Quality crops at a fair price
We brew beer with natural ingredients and use the highest
quality cereals, predominantly barley, for brewing, and hops
for flavour and bitterness. For the continuity of our business,
we need access to sufficient, high quality raw materials at an
acceptable price. Our partners, the farmers that grow the
crops and the maltsters that malt the barley, need to be sure
that we pay them a fair price and support them over the long
term. Making a commitment towards greater local sourcing
and providing agricultural training and support, empowers
local farmers economically (greater guaranteed sales and
better crop yield) and reduces both the cost and
environmental impact for Heineken.
What we said we would do and what we delivered
Translate the outcomes of the Skylark project to
specific sustainability requirements and a suitable
governance model
A new tool has been developed using the ten indicators that
were developed in the Skylark project. This tool, called the
Malting Assessment System for Sustainable Agriculture
(MASSA), is designed to follow the activities of our suppliers in
the area of sustainable agriculture. It will be used for barley,
apples and hops. In the context of our future approach to
agriculture, we will develop a governance system to enable
us to structurally analyse and improve the ecological
performance and impact of our raw materials suppliers.
Performance
