anheuser-busch inbev

Fortune Staff

The 25th Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies list suggests that tech giants’ peers respect them as much as ever.

World's Most Admired Companies

Aggregate sales hit $37.8 trillion last year—an increase of 19%, the highest annual growth rate in the list’s history.

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Over 2 billion people live in countries where fresh water is scarce. Brewing giant AB InBev, which uses over 42 billion gallons of water each year, is deploying leading-edge conservation tactics in the communities where it operates. The company has developed a seven-step watershed management process for its breweries to implement, and it’s collaborating on water protection projects in 17 countries.

Anheuser-Busch InBev | 2022 Change the World

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Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev | 2022 Change the World | Fortune

Ezgi Barcenas, Global Head of Sustainability, Anheuser-Busch InBev
Rebecca Dunphey, President, Personal Care, Kimberly-Clark North America
Alyssa Raine, Group Vice President, Customer Marketing Platforms, Walgreens

Moderator: Maria Aspan, Senior Writer, FORTUNE

MPW Next Gen 2020: Retail and Supply Chain in a Pandemic

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While the pandemic has uncovered vulnerabilities in the supply chain, it has also highlighted some strengths. How can retail, manufacturing, and the food industry forge ahead and build on previous innovation?

[ MUSIC ] Brito you have set some impressive environmental goals for the company by the year 2025. All Budweiser beers you sell will use recycled packaging and all the electricity will come from renewable sources like wind power and solar energy. Why did you decide to do this, why is this so important? Sustainability is really our business, it's not like it's part of our business it is our business. Think about it, beer is all about water and farming products, right, so if I'm in a community where water is not available or farming is not doing well I have no way to produce beer. I brew locally, I hire my colleagues locally and I sell back to that community. We need water, we need farming, we understand we have responsibility with our packaging, close to half of our beer is sold on returnable packaging but not everything so there's work to be done And energy in terms of climate change And you're getting this message across about your interest in protecting the environment in the visual way. You're putting a symbol on every Budweiser can of beer Yes That is using 100 % Purchased [ INAUDIBLE ] Renewable energy That's really interesting. What has been the reaction that you've gotten, whether it's from customers, investors? People are very puzzled by the idea. And also very grateful that they can buy a beer, and feel good that they are doing it with a beer that's being brewed. With 100 % renewable pushes electricity, You're talking to your suppliers, you're talking to other companies. You're trying to encourage them to use the same emblem on their products. I know it's early stages but are getting any support Those for sure. I mean, certainly using the same signage, but it's more than that. For example, water Most of the water involved in beer production is not really being consumed within the four walls of our breweries. It's being consumed in the agriculture side of our business by the farmers. So I need to get the farmers involved in that objective of ours, of saving water be more rational in water usage. Because most of the water in our business, if you look at our supply chain is being consumed by the farmers, not in the breweries. What have these environmental achievements that you've made for a being in that meant for your company's reputation, public image, maybe even with job seekers. Maybe people now want to come and work for you. People look at companies. They look not only at what you offer in terms of products and services, but what's behind those products and services. What are the values, what you believe in, what you're trying to push in terms of things that are solutions for the community at large. And this helps your reputation, but it has to be something that's legit, has to be something that's sustainable. That will be there 10 years from now, 20 years from now. And that's why when people look at our sustainability objectives, and they're able to connect our business, NGOs and governments, they say, okay, they're going to be doing that forever, because for them being efficient on water usage. Makes business sense as well as a community source. As you know corporate social responsibility has. I was somewhat of a buzzword for marketing purposes for many years but now many CEOs like you are taking this much more seriously. Say this is my everyday responsibility. What changed? I think first for us. Has been the realization that sustainability is our business because again, without water, there's no beer. If we as a beer company had an objective of saving or protecting endangered species, people look at us and say no, but wait a minute, what's the connection to the business? I mean, that's a noble thing to do. But when you talk about water For me packaging and energy in my supply chain, people say no, no, that's their business. So it makes sense for them. For many companies they have now made it their purpose, to do good things to solve world problems as part of their business strategy. What changed in the thinking. Five years ago, ten years ago. Yeah. 20 years ago. Good point. Nobody would be talking about this. Now everybody's talking about it. Why does this matter so much and what changed? I think as people have more information as maybe there are more people in the world and as people see that climate change can cause migration. So much Issues and misery. People are saying, hey, if everybody does a little bit including companies, this can maybe have an effect. What has been the conversation that you've picked up on here at the fortune CEO initiative conference about this issue of social responsibility and Why businesses need to step up more? Is there anything you've heard that resonates with you? When you hear other companies talk about what they're doing, there is always an opportunity for you to engage with them. So I think it's very valuable because at the end again, there's no plan B. So, the water you use the same word I use. So if we do stuff together. We might have more of a chance. [ BLANK_AUDIO ]

Why the King of Beers Is Going Green

Energy

Anheuser-Busch Inbev is brewing its Budweiser beers with wind power and solar energy.

Anheuser-Busch InBev

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