East African Breweries Limited (EABL) reported a 55 per cent reduction in carbon emissions in its manufacturing operations in the last one year.

The milestone was bolstered by its rollout of biomass steam plants in Kenya and Uganda which drove up its renewable energy use to 64.86 per cent from 25.8 per cent in 2022.

EABL says it pumped Sh4.6 billion into four biomass boilers in Kisumu and Tusker plants and another investment of Sh1.6 billion in the biomass plant in Uganda Breweries Limited.

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry CS Soipan Tuya lauded EABL for its pledge to increasing the use of renewable energy in its operations and reducing waste generation.

“The launch of EABL’s third sustainability report is a true testament to the company’s commitment to responsible business practices and the dedication to building a more sustainable future,” said Tuya.

She added, “Together, we can continue to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, promote circularity and resource efficiency, and contribute to the achievement of national and global sustainability goals, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

EABL Group Chairman Martin Oduor-Otieno underscored the Kenya brewer’s commitment to manufacturing its world-renowned alcoholic brands sustainably across its supply chain.

“Irrespective of Africa’s minimal contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, we believe that we have a responsibility to transition our operations to net zero,” Otieno stated.

On her part, EABL Group MD and CEO Jane Karuku noted that the company had made significant improvements in adopting renewable energy across all its sites in the region.

“We have a goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and this year, we saw a substantial reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent from 2022,” intimated Karuku.

EABL further pledged to cut scope 3 emissions produced by materials and services it sources from suppliers by 50 per cent and reconsidering its business strategy across its value chain.