Carlsberg A/S : Sinebrychoff now a carbon neutral brewery – and world’s first carbon neutral Coca-Cola producer

The oldest brewery in the Nordic countries and the oldest foodstuff company in Finland has produced its beverages with 100 % renewable energy since the beginning of 2021. Now even the remaining emissions* have been compensated, which makes brewing and soft drink production completely carbon neutral - first among the large breweries in Finland. Sinebrychoff also became world's first carbon neutral manufacturer of Coca-Cola.

The use of 100 % renewable energy was enabled when Sinebrychoff's energy partner Keravan Energia abandoned peat in its energy production, and according to Sinebrychoff's contract, no other fossil fuels are used for the production of beverages. Sinebrychoff has used green electricity since 2015. A significant factor in reducing the brewery's energy use has been heat recovery, which has been in use already for five years.

'We are committed to fight climate change and to Science Based Targets in order to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees. One of the most important targets in the shared sustainability programme of Carlsberg Group and Sinebrychoff, Together Towards Zero, has been the zero emissions of breweries by 2030. At Sinebrychoff, we are now reaching that target nine years ahead of time,' says Marja-Liisa Weckström, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director at Sinebrychoff.

Some greenhouse emissions, such as small leakages in the brewery's cooling equipment and the non-carbon emissions from burning woodchips, remained to be compensated, and they have now been compensated with South Pole, a leading supplier of climate solutions and developer of emission compensation initiatives. This is in line with the net-zero criteria draft by the Science Based Targets initiative, SBTi, from January 2021 because only the few residual emissions (less than 10% at Sinebrychoff) are neutralized and the vast majority (over 90% at Sinebrychoff) are abated**. This development has been done over the past 10 years in the company.

The annual volume of Sinebrychoff's beverages (such as Karhu, KOFF, KOFF Long Drink, Crowmoor, Somersby, Battery Energy Drink, Coca-Cola soft drinks and waters) is ca 300 million litres, and no fossil fuels are used in the production, only woodchip from certified, responsibly managed forests (PEFC, FSC).

'Reducing the climate effect of Sinebrychoff's production plant and the production of The Coca-Cola Company's beverages to zero level is an excellent achievement also on an international scale. Several of our Coca-Cola manufacturing partners in Western Europe are aiming at reaching carbon neutrality by 2023. Becoming carbon neutral already now shows how committed Sinebrychoff is to operate responsibly. Reducing climate effect is a complex challenge, and reaching these targets requires determination to change operating methods as well as investments', says Théa Natri, Manager of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Finland.

'Beer is an ecological foodstuff, and it is truly great to be able to brew our beers and our other beverages in a carbon neutral way - as the first big brewery in Finland. At the same time, we became the world's first carbon neutral bottler of Coca-Cola. We have achieved significant savings especially through increased heat recovery with heat pumps. Last year we recovered 9 500 MWh of heat, which corresponds to the annual heating needs of 550 private houses and covers 26 % of our plant's heating needs. We are now increasing heat recovery from wastewater. The work is not complete yet - there's more to do', explains Heikki Vuokko, Head Brewmaster responsible for beverage production.

* Scope 1 and 2 in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
** Net-Zero Criteria draft for public consultation by the Science Based Targets initiative.

Contact Please address enquiries to:

Contact

Press phone Tel [phone]

Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Sinebrychoff

Marja-Liisa Weckström Tel [phone] Email [e-mail]