BrewDog makes sustainability its business

Scottish brewery BrewDog has shared its vision for a bold approach to doing business which incorporates sustainability as an essential component. 

Established in 2007, the independent brewing company has garnered a reputation for its intrepid and modern approach to doing business (such as ‘pawternity leave’ for staff who are new dog owners), as well as multiple awards for its range of creatively produced beers. 

Dubbed ‘BrewDog Tomorrow’, the company’s six-point plan is a distillation of popular eco-friendly measures as well as several characteristically unique proposals: 

1. CANS FOR EQUITY​ – The brewery will invite anyone to trade in 50 empty beer cans to become a BrewDog Equity Punk, turning waste into equity.

2. INDIE TRASH CANS​ – While aluminium is 100% recyclable, in 2018 over 45 billion cans ended up in landfill in the US alone. BrewDog is pledging an upcycling revolution; old cans from any brand will be refilled with craft beer and given a new lease of life.

3. ONCE BEER VODKA​ – Imperfect beer makes great vodka. Instead of wasting beer that misses their industry-leading quality standards, BrewDog will distil it and turn it into Vodka to reduce wastage.

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4. DIY DOG​ – The best transport miles are measured in footsteps. BrewDog is set to unveil a revolution in responsible brewing at home, encouraging everyone to “brew their own goddamn beer” with DIY Dog brew kits.

5. BREWDOG FREEHOUSE​ – When BrewDog first revealed the recipes to every single one of its beers back in 2016, it marked a sea-change in how companies view their intellectual property. This spirit is set to continue, with all of the company’s beer knowledge made available and open-sourced.

6. TOMORROW FUND​ –The BrewDog Tomorrow Fund will invest an additional £1 million a year to support research and initiatives that help the brewing industry to have a positive impact on the world as well as charitable initiatives chosen by their crewmembers and shareholders.

In addition, the company will be overhauling the brand’s design to coincide with the new chapter in its history.

Commenting on the upcoming changes, James Watt, Co-Founder, believes that BrewDog is demonstrating an industry-leading attitude. “We’ve made it here by shaking up brewing and crafting a community-owned business that is 100% powered by people. This marks a new dawn,” he said.

“We want to make sure that we’re working to inspire a new kind of business, with sustainability at its core. Real change takes time. BrewDog Tomorrow is our commitment to continuously raising the bar and setting a new standard for beer and business.”