Lion New Zealand, Aotearoa’s largest alcohol beverages company, has reduced its carbon emissions by 10 per cent meeting its carbon emissions reduction commitments as part of its Toitū net carbonzero organisation certification.
Lion announced it had gone carbon zero in 2021 and is the first and only large-scale beverages company in New Zealand that is carbon zero. Steinlager has also continued to be Toitū net carbonzero certified since having first announced this in 2020.
Lion represents approximately 30 percent* of the market, and its carbon zero status covers all its New Zealand manufacturing sites including The Pride, Speight’s, Emerson’s, Panhead, Little Creatures Brewery, Wither Hill’s Vineyard and Winery, and Havana Coffee Works, its hospitality venues and offices as well.
Lion has completed its 2021 greenhouse gas emissions audit for Toitū net carbonzero certification showing a 10 per cent reduction in emissions from its baseline year of 2019 (23,675.55 tCO2e vs. 26,404.73 tCO2e).
Craig Baldie, Lion New Zealand’s Country Director said: “We are leading by example and immensely proud to be carbon zero. As part of this commitment and our Science-Based Target that is aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, we have a plan to reduce our carbon emissions year on year. To that end, we have projects underway to improve the heat efficiency and refrigeration systems within our breweries, and to improve the sustainability and associated emissions from the packaging we use.
“To compensate for the emissions we cannot yet reduce or eliminate, we invest in accredited projects that prevent or remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere. We proudly support a wind farm in India that produces energy for communities in Tamil Nadu, that would otherwise be generated by a coal-powered station. Wind power produces no carbon emissions and also avoids the local air pollutants associated with burning fossil fuels; the project has also added local jobs to the area.”
Alongside achieving Toitū net carbonzero certification as an organisation, Lion’s Steinlager product range has also continued to be Toitū net carbonzero product certified. Product certification takes into account cradle to grave life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions including those which are not produced by the manufacturer itself such as the time Steinlager spends in the consumer’s fridge.
“The carbon emissions in every step in Steinlager’s product life cycle are accounted for and offset. Starting from growing the hops and barley, to brewing the beer, to the bottles, packaging and transport, right through to when it’s consumed. Steinlager is the only beer brand in New Zealand that is carbon zero across its full life-cycle.
“We are helping consumers to make informed decisions about carbon emissions through their beverage choices,” concluded Mr Baldie.
Becky Lloyd, CEO of Toitū Envirocare, commended Lion for being accountable through Toitū Envirocare’s certifications which require rigorous commitment.
“Lion is taking their responsibility of managing, reducing, and offsetting their organisational carbon emissions year-on-year seriously and being accountable for their impact on the environment. It is important to note the difference in an organisation and product net carbonzero certification. The product certification allows Lion to take a science-based, measured approach to understanding the impact its products have throughout their lifecycle and take ownership of the impact. While the organisation certification ensures they are looking wholistically at the business. To achieve both shows a strong interest in evaluating how they operate and willingness to identify areas to decarbonise the business,” added Lloyd.
Lion’s net carbonzero certification builds on its world-class beverage production facility The Pride and is part of Lion’s broader Group sustainability strategy which targets a 55 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 from a 2019 baseline, 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and no plastic labels on products by 2030.
Lion’s Certification Summary can be viewed on Toitū’s website.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Simone Rosentreter
External Relations Manager
021 1374 137
[email protected]
Toitū Envirocare
Tobias Tripp
Communications Manager
027 225 5543
[email protected]
