Collaboration in Action: BIER’s May Meeting Advancing Environmental Sustainability in the Beverage Sector

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) is a technical collaboration among leading global beverage companies to advance environmental sustainability within the industry. BIER focuses on sharing best practices, developing tools and metrics, and collectively addressing key environmental challenges such as water stewardship, climate change, and supply chain sustainability.

BIER members met in person at Pernod Ricard’s headquarters this May to network, discuss, and develop solutions to advance the sector's environmental sustainability. These face-to-face interactions accelerate progress and foster deeper collaboration among the members. A few highlights included:

1. TNFD (Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures): This initiative focuses on assessing and disclosing risks and opportunities related to biodiversity and nature. BIER has collaborated with TNFD to develop guidance and metrics for applying the TNFD approach to the beverage sector in advance of its planned release for public consultation in June 2024.
2. CSRD (Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure): Implementing CSRD is a significant challenge for all businesses, and BIER continued its 2^nd year of collaboration to foster understanding and implementation of CSRD within the beverage sector.
3. FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture) Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi): A majority of BIER members have already committed to or set emissions reduction targets through the SBTi. FLAG establishes additional requirements for land-based emissions from supply chain agricultural emissions. BIER members shared their experiences setting FLAG targets, and the latest implementation developments.
4. Sustainability Roadmap Challenges: Every roadmap faces hurdles. BIER members explored the financial, technical and organizational challenges and opportunities to deliver robust sustainability performance.
5. Watershed Collaboration: Building upon the success of Charco Bendito, BIER members are exploring new watershed collaboration opportunities. Initial efforts from BIER’s latest collaboration which is focused on India, were discussed and shaped by participation by representatives from WaterAid.

BIER plays a crucial role in advancing environmental sustainability within the beverage sector through various means. An outcome of BIER’s member meetings results in sharing best practices and developing industry-specific tools, guidelines, and metrics to help beverage companies measure and manage their environmental impacts.

In 2024, BIER released the 2023 Water, Energy, and Emissions Efficiency Benchmarking Study. This study was BIER’s 12th global benchmarking study – a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis of water, energy, and emissions efficiency in the beverage industry.

Also recently released was The True Cost of Water 3.0. The True Cost of Water Toolkit 3.0 includes all the costs associated with the use of water, including purchasing water, energy to heat, cool, and transport water, chemicals and other materials used to treat water and discharge costs.

Through its work streams, thoughtful discussions, and engaging collaboration, BIER continues to build upon its 18-year commitment of driving sector actions and alignment, and corporate leadership on business-relevant environmental dimensions related to water, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), climate change and adaptation, circularity and recycling. Our collaborative approach helps unite and drive continuous improvement and innovation in environmental sustainability across the beverage sector, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and responsible industry.