2001 in Retrospect
are France and the Netherlands. Although international
speciality beers still account for only a small proportion of
Heineken's total volume, they have growth potential and
help to improve the sales mix and are being added to
the range in a growing number of markets, alongside local
speciality beers.
Research and development
Research and development, as the foundation of quality
control and the source of innovation, have strategic
importance for Heineken. Some R&D work is performed
locally, but is coordinated from the Netherlands. Research
projects in 2001 focused primarily on raw materials,
production efficiency, quality control and packaging
development.
The production efficiency improvement programme,
based on research carried out centrally in 2000, has
already helped the breweries to achieve significant pro
ductivity gains. The improvement in productivity comp
ared with 2000 averaged 12% overall, and even in Western
Europe, where productivity is already relatively high, an
improvement of over 9% was recorded. These gains were
achieved mainly by concentrating production at fewer
plants and reducing staffing levels through more efficient
manpower planning and organic growth in output.
The laboratory-scale brewery and malt-house, which
are used in the development of brewing and malting
processes and play a key role in our ongoing research into
improving the quality of both raw materials and end-prod
ucts, were replaced in 2001. Heineken also uses the experi
mental results to develop improved strains of barley, in
cooperation with malt suppliers and barley growers.
A start was made in 2001 on the introduction of a new
system of sensor-based quality control in our breweries,
which will enable us to reduce still further the chance of
variances from the desired quality.
A special test facility entered service in 2001 which is
being used in the development of new packaging concepts
to rigorously investigate the effects of new materials on
product quality.
Heineken's research and development effort has also
resulted in advances in sustainable membrane filtration
technology. This new technology offers greatly reduced
environmental impact compared with the beer filtration
method currently in use, which employs non-recyclable
kieselguhr. Sustainable membrane filtration technology is
now ready for use in the brewery.
Environment, health and safety
Many more initiatives relating to water-saving, which is a
key element in Heineken's environmental policy, were
launched in 2001. A central health and safety policy was
formulated to assist in defining and applying standards
and procedures at all sites.
Now that all the operating companies in which Heineken
holds a majority interest are using the same reporting sys
tem, we are able for the first time to publish a global envi
ronmental report for 2001 (our previous environmental
reports covered only the European breweries). The 2001
report, which will be published in the second half of 2002,
will also deal with the activities and achievements of our
European breweries in the area of health and safety.
Environment
As well as being beer's principal constituent, water plays
an important part in many stages of the production
process. Heineken's water-saving policy has now been
introduced in all operating companies in which we have a
majority interest. Significant savings were again achieved
by many of Heineken's breweries, malt-houses and soft-
drink plants, mainly through encouraging responsible
water use, training, advanced metering technology and
selective recycling. An average water saving of around 6%
was achieved. Other projects were undertaken in 2001 to
save electrical and thermal energy and reduce emissions,
the results of which will be published in our environmental,
health and safety report.
A start was made on installing waste-water treatment
plants at all our breweries in Africa. The treatment plants,
which operate on the anaerobic principle, are energy-
efficient, space-efficient and generate little waste. A train
ing module was developed for Africa and the Caribbean
region on ways of reducing waste-water production.
Health and safety
Heineken complies with local statutory requirements and
rules in the field of health and safety. Where these do not
exist or are deficient, Heineken sees it as its responsibility
to develop and apply its own standards on behalf of
employees and other interested parties, including
consumers, suppliers and people living close to our brew
eries. A central policy was drawn up in 2001 for the
formulation and application of central and local standards
and procedures. Information and awareness are essential
to prevent employees being exposed to unsafe and
HEINEKEN N.V. ANNUAL REPORT 2001
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