Tennent’s has announced it's investing £14.23million in sustainability as it boosts its contribution to the fight against climate change.
The brewer has ramped up its green plans, which include ditching single-use plastic by 2021, going carbon neutral by 2025 and using a "ground-breaking" new anaerobic digestion plant at Wellpark.
From next spring, Tennent’s larger canned product formats will use cardboard packaging as an alternative to hi-cone rings and shrink-wrap – eliminating 150 tonnes of plastic from the environment per annum.
Smaller packs will follow later in the year with a further pledge to be out of all plastic by 2025.
Wellpark is also the first to use on-site treatment of wastewater to generate bio-gas, which helps heat the brewery: Part of its plans to use renewable energy sources only by 2015.
The drinks giant are linked with the 2050 Climate Group to engage people throughout Scotland in the issue of climate change.
A not-for-profit organisation that equips young people with climate change knowledge and leadership skills, 2050 Climate Group will work with Tennent’s to run a series of workshops in pubs throughout the country.
Inviting the public to come and join ‘a pint and a plan’ sessions, the events are designed to turn talk into advocacy and action. A full programme will be released early December.
Martin Doogan, Group Engineering Manager at C&C, Tennent’s parent company said: "As Scotland’s oldest surviving business, and one of its best-loved, we take our responsibility to do the right thing very seriously.
"Sustainability is a core part of our brand and today marks a significant step-change in our plans.
"We’ve leveraged our scale and influence, our passion for innovation and our network of contacts to ensure that we act decisively against climate change, without delay.
"It’s a leap in the right direction – but we’re not complacent and we’re not finished. We will continue to seek out ways to minimise our environmental impact across our entire business, from our transport fleet, to international deliveries. Our commitment is to lasting environmental change; in our company, in our industry and beyond."
Michael Mackenzie, Trustee of the of 2050 Climate Group, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Tennent’s on our ‘A Pint and a Plan’ workshops. These are a novel way to grab people’s attention and to encourage them to take tangible action on climate change. We can’t wait to get started.”
