
Celebrating 15 Years of BIER
Founded in 2006, the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) drives sector actions and alignment, stakeholder engagement and advocacy, and corporate leadership on business-relevant environmental dimensions including water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), climate change and adaptation, circularity and recycling, and sustainable and regenerative agriculture. For the past 15 years, BIER has been the model of industry collaboration and has continuously advanced the development of sustainable solutions through beverage industry-specific data collection, methodologies, standard-setting, best practice sharing, and thought leadership.

The Bi-Annual Benchmarking Report
With participation from over 1,900 facilities across six continents representing 17 participating companies, this is the most comprehensive quantitative benchmark study of water and energy use and efficiency in the beverage industry.
Research on the Carbon Footprint of Beverages
Individual Research Reports on the Carbon Footprint of Beer, Bottled Water, Carbonated Soft Drinks, Wine, and Spirits. See our publications for more information.
True Cost of Water Toolkit
The True Cost of Water Toolkit is a pre-designed spreadsheet that can help you quantify the costs associated with your business’ water systems.
Future Scenarios Toolkit
The Future Scenarios Toolkit will introduce the leadership at your organization to The Future of Sustainability in the Beverage Industry in 2025.
Beverage Industry Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sector Guidance
The GHG Emissions Sector Guidance aims to enhance and support the estimation, tracking and reporting of GHG emissions within the beverage industry.
Facility Decarbonization & Context-based Decision Guide for Water
In 2020 BIER published two new work products: The Facility Decarbonization Playbook, which is relevant to any sector as we all must collectively accelerate our efforts to decarbonize, and the Context-based Decision Guide for Water Reuse and Recycling, which is intended to accelerate internal conversations and decisions at the regional and facility level with regards to investments in advancing water stewardship.
Water Circularity Metrics Tool
Developed in collaboration with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the Water Circularity Metrics Tool is a scenario-based tool providing a practical methodology for businesses to adopt a common metric for water circularity at a facility and enterprise level. The step-by-step process supports more informed decisions to evaluating a specific facility’s water needs, water source options, and determining post-use and discharge options allowing for a transition from linear to more circular and less demanding on the local watershed.
The Future of BIER
2021 marks the year in which BIER is now led by two inaugural co-chairs: Leticia Acosta and Paul Bowen. Leticia Acosta is a newer BIER member; whereas Paul Bowen is a founding member of BIER and recently retired from The Coca-Cola Company. Both share their knowledge, experiences, and visions for the year ahead in the Member Spotlight: Leticia Acosta and Paul Bowen.
A deeper insight into BIER’s 2021 work plans and its first of its kind watershed collaboration, Charco Bendito, is available in our recently recorded webinar
A Model of Industry Collaboration: An Inside Look at the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER).
As 2021 continues to unfold, the following are our current focus areas.
Water Context & Circularity: Promoting the sustainable use and protection of water is a business imperative that BIER is founded on and its members work collectively towards continued leadership. The following are current focus areas:
- Updated BIER Water Stewardship Framework Definition
- Wastewater Recycling and Circularity
Carbon & Climate: As climate change awareness and concern continue to increase throughout the world, beverage companies are proactively driving strategies to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their enterprises and monitor changing physical and transitional conditions. The following are current focus areas:
- Updated BIER GHG Sector Guide
- Sustainable Coolers of the Future
- Decarbonization Playbook for Small/Medium Suppliers
Stakeholder Engagement & Communications: Being corporate leaders within environmental sustainability requires that beverage companies look beyond their own operations and engage with a wide range of stakeholders. Active stakeholder engagement and sharing work products have been and will always remain a mainstay of BIER activity. The following are current focus areas:
- BIER Benchmarking Study
- Mission-Focused Communications and Stakeholder Engagement