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AB InBev’s Better World programme
and its sustainability pillars Growing
World, Cleaner World and Healthier
World. What does this mean exactly?
H. V.
For AB InBev social responsibility
and sustainable development means
long-term development, using brewery
techniques that do not deplete natural
resources, recycling and attention for all
stakeholders who benefit from AB InBev’s
activities.
These ambitions are defined in our global
sustainability strategy ‘Growing World’ with
a focus on ‘profit, planet, people’, which we
have been working on for several decades
already.
“Any effort to reduce the energy con-
sumption of our pubmanagers and to
functionalise vacant spaces, makes our
current and future living environment
more sustainable.”
HELEEN VANHOUDT
Responsible Sustainable Development
Benelux, AB InBev
Efforts seem to concentrate on coun-
tries outside Europe. Is it because
Europe has a head start in the field of
sustainability?
H. V.
As the world’s leading brewer,
AB InBev has implemented an
international sustainable development
strategy which manifests itself into
regional and local initiatives.
As challenges in Europe often differ from
those in other parts of the world, focus is
also shifted from a few projects to local
needs. In Europe, for example, focus
is more on issues such as responsible
consumption, packaging and logistics.
There is also a strong commitment to the
environmental dimension outside Europe,
with a focus on issues such as water
consumption and assistance to farmers. In
Africa and California, for example, we pay
particular attention to the use of water
and the restoration of water catchment
areas. In Russia, we help local farmers to
cultivate high-quality barley in a profit-
making way and to map more efficiently
climate conditions by using satellite
programs.
INTERVIEW WITH HELEEN VANHOUDT,
RESPONSIBLE SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT BENELUX, AB INBEV