Member Spotlights

BIER Member Spotlight: Mitsunori Odagiri

BIER — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Name: Mitsunori Odagiri | Sustainability Senior Manager

Connect with Mitsunori Odagiri on LinkedIn

Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting the individual leaders within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations. Learn how these practitioners and their companies are addressing pressing challenges around water, energy, agriculture, climate change, and what inspires each of them to advance environmental sustainability in the beverage sector and collectively, overall.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined Asahi Group Holdings as a Sustainability Senior Manager in 2022. Since then, with a focus on environmental topics, my work has been around the development of group sustainability strategies and roadmaps as well as the monitoring of progress in close collaboration with regional headquarters, Asahi Global Procurement teams, and other relevant functions.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

In the early stages, our focus was on establishing governance, setting baselines, and aligning with global frameworks. Over time, our approach has matured to embed sustainability into our core business strategy, supply chain, and innovation agenda.

For 2025, our priorities are centered on thought leadership and strategic refinement.

We are updating and sharpening our sustainability roadmaps across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and recycled PET. This includes aligning with the latest science-based targets and ensuring our plans are both ambitious and actionable.

This evolution reflects our belief that sustainability is not a side initiative: it’s a driver of innovation, risk management, and long-term growth.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

The in-person BIER meetings, which I’ve had the privilege of attending twice, are especially invaluable. They bring together some of the most forward-thinking sustainability professionals in the beverage industry, creating a space for open, candid dialogue and deep collaboration. These sessions go beyond information exchange; they foster a shared commitment to raising the bar across the sector.

Through BIER, we gain access to harmonized methodologies, emerging best practices, and peer insights that directly inform how we shape and evolve our own strategy. The ability to benchmark, challenge assumptions, and co-develop solutions with global peers helps ensure that our roadmap is not only ambitious but also grounded in practical, scalable action.

In short, BIER strengthens our ability to lead with clarity, collaborate with purpose, and continuously refine our approach to sustainability in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

One of the most significant and proud accomplishments of Asahi Group Holdings in recent sustainability efforts is the official approval of our Net Zero targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in June 2024.

This achievement makes us the first company in Japan to receive SBTi approval for both short-term and long-term targets, including FLAG. Our targets are aligned with the 1.5°C pathway of the Paris Agreement, and include:

A 70% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 (vs. 2019),
A 30% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030,
And full Net Zero across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 2040.

What makes our targets especially meaningful is not just the ambition, but the rigor and transparency behind them. The validation process involved detailed emissions calculations, cross-functional collaboration, and alignment with global standards. It also reflects our commitment to translating complex climate science into actionable, measurable goals that can be understood and embraced across our global operations.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

Sustainability often lives in the realm of technical jargon, fragmented metrics, and long-term projections. If I could have a superpower, it would be the ability to bridge that gap and turn lifecycle assessments, carbon accounting, TCFD, TNFD, or biodiversity risks into stories that spark understanding and action. Whether I am speaking to a factory manager in Japan, a finance lead in Europe, or a community partner in Oceania, with the superpower, I would tailor the message to what matters most to them, without losing the integrity of the data.

This power would not only accelerate alignment across functions and regions but also empower more people to become champions of sustainability in their own context. Because when people truly understand the “why” and “how,” they’re far more likely to act – and that’s how transformation scales.

BIER Member Spotlight: Mary Beth Cote-Jenssen

BIER — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Name: Mary Beth Cote-Jenssen | Environmental Sustainability Senior Manager

Company: PepsiCo , Inc.

Connect with Mary Beth on LinkedIn

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined PepsiCo in 2022 and work within our Global Sustainability Office, specifically focused on water stewardship. My role includes leading our watershed health initiatives, those tied to our supply chain supporting our Restore and Protect targets, and those tied to operations, including replenishment efforts and our Alliance for Water Stewardship goal. I also lead our water risk assessment process, which evaluates both our company-owned manufacturing facilities and those of our franchise bottlers.

It’s a unique and rewarding role, especially because it allows me to drive impact at both the facility and watershed levels, and contribute to programs that have the potential to strengthen ecosystems, communities, and agricultural resilience worldwide.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

PepsiCo has been engaged in sustainability efforts for many years. Our first water stewardship goals were set in 2006, and in 2008, we became a signatory to the CEO Water Mandate. Since then, our program has grown in both ambition and scope, evolving in response to our progress and experience. Today, we follow an impact-driven strategy called PepsiCo Positive, which includes goals for 2025 and 2030.

One goal I’m especially excited to work on is spreading the adoption of regenerative agriculture, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres of land supporting key crops and ingredients by 2030. I support this through watershed health initiatives in water-stressed basins worldwide. Specifically, this year, I aim to expand one project, launch two new projects, and lay the groundwork for a total of 10 projects globally. This watershed health program aims to have a portfolio of initiatives carefully selected to deliver meaningful, scalable, and lasting watershed-level impact.

This geographic focus is intentional: we want to prioritize depth of impact. Each project will be designed to scale to watershed-level, driving holistic impact, addressing not only water stress and quality challenges but also improving biodiversity, strengthening climate resilience, and fostering socioeconomic improvements.

What excites me most is the opportunity to design each project with this holistic aim to start with water and then consider how to positively impact biodiversity, climate resilience, and community well-being. This is not just about metrics, it’s about creating deeply rooted change that can be felt at the local level and sustained over time.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

It starts with BIER’s convening ability. I’ve already had the opportunity to discuss our watershed health program with other members and explore partnership opportunities, including scaling an existing initiative in India. BIER’s ability to bring people together is instrumental in making this happen.

Beyond this program, having a pre-competitive forum to discuss project objectives and challenges with peers, people who share a similar drive for impact, is invaluable. Tackling systemic challenges requires open dialogue and collaboration. BIER creates the space for this kind of collaboration and helps facilitate tangible, impactful outcomes.

Being able to have those honest conversations with peers who share both the urgency and vision for impact helps break down barriers to action. BIER doesn’t just convene, it can be a catalyst for trust, shared learning, and momentum.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

I would highlight the Charco Bendito initiative in Mexico as a best practice. It’s a great example of how BIER leverages its convening power to facilitate collective action among peers and competitors alike.

The project identified geographic alignment as a common barrier to collaboration and then aligned on a project scope that delivers multiple quantifiable benefits. That alignment, first geographically and then in scope, is often the hurdle that prevents collaboration. But, through BIER, we were able to overcome that. For me, it represents what’s possible when industry competitors come together because of a shared ambition to create positive action in the places where we operate.

One of PepsiCo’s franchise bottlers is supporting this initiative. The ability to identify shared challenges and facilitate alignment toward a collective initiative demonstrates BIER’s unique value in creating scalable sustainability solutions.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

I’m incredibly proud of our watershed health program, especially our first initiative, which was launched in India. It’s a unique and innovative approach to project implementation focused on agricultural landscapes, working with non-PepsiCo growers – something new for us. It required internal education and a shift in perspective, recognizing that even when we’re doing all we can within our own supply chain, the broader watershed still presents an opportunity to engage in collaborative action. This was a step into the unknown, and it was grounded in trust and innovation.

With our implementing partner, we created a circular water model that captures, treats, and reuses water within the village, aiming for water security at the community level. We also engaged local farmers to improve irrigation efficiency and introduce new practices. These changes resulted in 80 million liters of water recharged and increased income for those farmers. What made this even more meaningful was that adoption didn’t stop there.

These farms also served as demonstration farms, showcasing the new practices for others to learn from. One of the most exciting outcomes is how this project has inspired independent adoption of these practices beyond our initial scope. Notably, farmers are taking ownership of these practices because they’ve seen them work on these demonstration farms. That kind of peer-to-peer learning is incredibly powerful; it creates agency. It’s an example of ripple-effect impact, driving holistic change in watershed health, agricultural livelihoods, and community resilience.

Additionally, we’ve successfully leveraged local financing, including government and community support. In year two, we’re expanding the project to include agricultural enterprise creation, such as nurseries and vermicomposting. This helps the benefits of this program continue to ripple through families and communities, creating more opportunities alongside environmental resilience. This initiative has not only been a learning opportunity but a true source of pride.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

My superpower would be the ability not only to see the future, but to show others the future. I would use it to galvanize engagement, shorten timelines to collective action, and scale initiatives more effectively.

It would provide clarity on which solutions and activities deliver the most impact at the landscape level, and where globally those efforts should be prioritized. This would help determine scale, location, and timing, ensuring maximum impact.

Ultimately, this power would bring stakeholders together with clarity and confidence that their efforts are driving change, up front, rather than waiting years to see results. That kind of clarity, the ability to know your actions are truly making a difference, is what every sustainability practitioner hopes for.

BIER Member Spotlight: Morgane Yverginaux

BIER — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Name: Morgane Yvergniaux | Climate and Nature

Company: Pernod Ricard

Connect with Morgane on LinkedIn

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined Pernod Ricard five years ago to take on a newly created role as Head of Sustainable Terroir. At this point, Pernod Ricard was relatively early in identifying regenerative agriculture as the future for our business and a crucial step in ensuring our supply chain is resilient and secured for generations to come. I was brought in to lead the development and implementation of this strategy, which we call Nurturing Terroir – also one of the four key pillars of Pernod Ricard’s global sustainability roadmap, ‘Good Times from a Good Place’. My work focused on securing the sustainability of our sourcing by addressing the origins and agricultural practices behind our key ingredients. This included developing strategies to mitigate and adapt to external pressures, such as climate change, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and community well-being, across our supply chain. Over the course of four years, I helped define the vision, structure, and tools necessary to embed sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices throughout our global affiliate network.

As our pilot programs and team expanded, I stepped into a newly created role to establish and now lead a larger team of experts on Climate & Nature, which unites our work across three key pillars: Terroir, Climate, and Nature. The Terroir team continues to support our affiliates, suppliers, and farmers in advancing sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Our Climate team manages our Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment and climate adaptation strategy. Most recently, we launched a dedicated Nature team, which is advancing our work on biodiversity, water stewardship, and pollution mitigation. This includes a scientific partnership with the French National Natural History Museum to develop robust methodologies for measuring biodiversity outcomes.

In this role, I focus on managing risks while ensuring our actions generate measurable, positive environmental impacts, fully aligned with our 2030 targets to have all affiliates engaged in biodiversity initiatives and 100% of key raw materials sustainably sourced.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

Pernod Ricard’s current sustainability strategy, Good Times from a Good Place, was launched in 2019 and marked a significant turning point in how the company approached environmental and social responsibility. Structured around four strategic pillars: Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting, the first phase of the strategy (2019–2024) focused on building a strong foundation. This included setting a clear vision, developing robust methodologies, establishing metrics, and aligning efforts across affiliates and with external stakeholders and peers.

That foundational work has enabled us to develop a coherent, science-based framework and enhance our internal capacity, particularly in areas such as climate and nature. We’ve completed in-depth climate scenario analyses to identify key business vulnerabilities and emissions drivers. We also piloted a high-level assessment using the Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN) framework, mapping areas where our operations and supply chains put pressure on ecosystems, and where we are most exposed to water stress, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss.

Now, as we move toward 2025, we’ve reached a critical inflection point: the second chapter of our strategy. While continuing to manage risk remains essential, our focus is shifting toward delivering value creation through precision and impact. Rather than expecting all affiliates and distilleries to address every issue uniformly, we tailor interventions based on a granular understanding of local vulnerabilities and pressures, which we call “hotspots”. These include both direct operations (e.g., distilleries) and upstream activities such as agricultural sourcing and packaging.

Our top priorities for 2025 center on:

Focusing action where it matters most – concentrating on operations and sourcing regions that face the most significant environmental pressures or hold the greatest opportunity for positive impact.
Building holistic transition plans – integrating climate, biodiversity, water, pollution, and community resilience into a single strategy per hotspot, rather than treating these topics in isolation.
Enhancing local collaboration – engaging with local stakeholders, including authorities, NGOs, and even actors outside our supply chain, to co-develop solutions tailored to each landscape’s unique socio-ecological context.
Tailoring expectations – customizing targets and approaches for each affiliate, supplier, or site based on local realities rather than applying one-size-fits-all directives. For example, we no longer ask all suppliers to deliver uniform GHG reductions, but instead define locally relevant Scope 3 pathways.

This approach reinforces the essence of our Nurturing Terroir philosophy: viewing each landscape not just as a raw material source, but as a living mosaic of environmental, economic, and social interdependencies. As we refine our sustainability roadmap in the lead-up to 2025 and beyond, we are increasingly focused on building long-term resilience by addressing local risks and by generating shared value in the ecosystems where we operate.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

As we enter a pivotal phase of our sustainability strategy, the relevance of BIER’s collaborative model is more important than ever.

One of the greatest strengths of BIER is the ability to learn from peers across the beverage industry. During the last in-person meeting hosted by Pernod Ricard, I had the opportunity to connect with fellow members and gain insight into a wide range of approaches, challenges, and levels of maturity across key sustainability topics. Some discussions introduced entirely new dimensions to my thinking, and that kind of peer-to-peer exchange is truly invaluable, particularly as we deepen our focus on climate, nature, and tailored local interventions in 2025.

In addition to peer learning, BIER provides a trusted space for collective intelligence on emerging and complex issues, such as evolving carbon markets, deforestation regulations, and interpreting frameworks like the GHG Protocol. While we have strong internal expertise and public affairs capacity at Pernod Ricard, BIER complements that by offering a collaborative forum where we can explore nuanced questions, validate concerns, and, when appropriate, coalesce around shared positions. This strengthens our ability to navigate uncertainty and advocate effectively.

Ultimately, what makes BIER uniquely valuable is that it reinforces the notion that we’re not alone in tackling these systemic challenges. Being part of a network that fosters open dialogue, shared learning, and collective influence will be instrumental as we move forward with our 2025 priorities, particularly in scaling nature-based solutions, building resilient supply chains, and translating ambition into local, context-specific action.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

One of the most valuable takeaways from working with BIER and its members has been the ability to benchmark approaches and methodologies, particularly in emerging or complex areas such as emissions accounting, water stewardship, and nature-based metrics.

Benchmarking has been especially helpful in validating our direction and refining our technical approaches. Beyond benchmarking, one practical, on-the-ground example is our innovative, one-of-a-kind, collaborative water replenishment project in Mexico, Charco Bendito. While this initiative sits slightly outside formal BIER programming, it exemplifies the kind of shared value and peer collaboration that BIER fosters. The project not only contributes to critical water restoration in a high-risk watershed but also reinforces our shared responsibility as industry leaders to go beyond compliance and deliver tangible, place-based outcomes.

In both cases, benchmarking and collective action, the value lies in not having to navigate these challenges in isolation. Whether it’s testing methodologies, interpreting evolving standards, or advancing nature-based solutions, the ability to compare, validate, and collaborate with peers helps us move faster and more confidently. That sense of not being alone in the work, and being able to shape shared solutions is exactly why BIER remains a uniquely valuable forum for us.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

One of the accomplishments I’m most proud of, both personally and professionally, is the internal trust we’ve built at Pernod Ricard to shape a shared, integrated vision for climate and nature. Over the past five years, we’ve moved beyond fragmented efforts to establish a unified strategic foundation rooted in resilience, not just decarbonization. While carbon remains a key component, our ambition goes deeper: building long-term resilience across ecosystems, communities, and supply chains.

This evolution has necessitated a redefinition of what resilience means within our context. That clarity was crucial in developing the second chapter of our sustainability strategy and informing our broader positioning for upcoming regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). From governance and metrics to internal alignment, the work we’ve done in this space has laid the groundwork for meaningful, localized action.

I’m also proud of the organizational commitment behind this transformation. Even amid global volatility, our leadership has reaffirmed sustainability as a long-term business priority. That continued endorsement, from strategy to delivery, is a powerful signal, not just to our team but across the organization.

While much of the past five years has been focused on vision, strategy, and system-building, developing methodologies, metrics, and tools, we’re now entering a new phase: implementation and impact. Having the support and structure in place to deliver our ambitions is what makes this moment so significant. It’s not just about what we’ve envisioned, but what we’re now empowered to execute.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

If I could have one superpower, it would be the ability to ignite a global shift in consciousness, one where consumers, communities, and companies alike deeply understand their power and responsibility to drive sustainability and collaborate to achieve a united impact.

At Pernod Ricard, our iconic brands create moments of conviviality, bringing people together in meaningful ways. I would love to see those same consumers become ambassadors of sustainability, choosing brands not just for taste or heritage, but for the values they represent.

This kind of collective awareness would radically accelerate progress. It would shift sustainability from a corporate initiative to a shared societal movement, where every actor plays a role, from producers to policymakers to the people enjoying a drink with friends.

While it’s not a traditional superpower, the desire to awaken that kind of collective responsibility and agency is powerful in itself. Because when expectations rise and accountability is shared, we move from compliance to transformation. That’s where real, lasting change begins.

BIER Publications referenced in this interview:
2023 Water and Energy Use Benchmarking Study

BIER Member Spotlight: Lauren Eisenmenger

BIER — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Name: Lauren Eisenmenger | Director, Environmental Sustainability and Regulatory Compliance

Company: Suntory Global Spirits

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined Suntory Global Spirits in July 2021 and currently serve as the Director of Environmental Sustainability and Regulatory Compliance. My primary focus is on Scope 3 emissions and developing strategies to reduce them in alignment with our 2030 targets and beyond. This involves close collaboration with internal technical experts in packaging, agriculture and logistics, as well as a strong partnership with our sourcing team, given that approximately 80% of our emissions stem from supplier activity. A significant part of my role is working to engage our supply chain and encourage interventions that support emissions reductions aligned with our climate goals.

On the regulatory side, I focus on packaging regulations across North America, tracking developments in extended producer responsibility (EPR), deposit return systems, and minimum recycled content mandates. I analyze how emerging legislation may impact our business, calculate cost implications, and help shape our company’s policy positions to support fair and effective legislation.

In this evolving policy landscape, collaboration is essential. We rely on our industry associations, including the American Glass Packaging Institute and Ameripen, to keep us informed.

Finally, I also support our internal digital tools, including the recent launch of our environmental data management system. I work to ensure data collection is streamlined and effective, minimizing the effort required from teams while maximizing accuracy.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

Suntory Global Spirits has been on a sustainability journey for many years, but a significant turning point came in 2021 with the appointment of our Chief Sustainability Officer, Kim Marotta, and the formal launch of our Proof Positive sustainability strategy. This milestone began a more integrated and ambitious approach, backed by subject matter experts across key environmental and social impact areas—including climate, water, packaging and agriculture.

Proof Positive is built around three interconnected pillars:

Nature Positive – focusing on minimizing our environmental impact across water, climate, forest, field and packaging;
Community Positive – emphasizing inclusive growth and community engagement;
Consumer Positive – promoting well-being, informed choices and reducing alcohol-related harm.

Since then, we’ve made significant progress, including hitting our 2030 water usage rate target ahead of schedule. This early success has allowed us to re-evaluate and raise our ambition in water stewardship. In parallel, we’ve strengthened our sustainability governance by expanding our reporting capabilities in response to emerging regulatory frameworks such as CSRD and California’s climate disclosure requirements. As a privately held company, this is a relatively new but necessary shift, and we’re building the expertise to meet these expectations without losing focus on the work itself.

We’ve also integrated sustainability into enterprise risk management, something we’re especially proud of. Our dedicated ERM lead, embedded within the sustainability team, ensures insights from our climate scenario analysis directly inform company-wide risk assessments and investment decisions.

Looking ahead to 2025, our priorities include:

Finalizing and publishing our Climate Transition Plan by 2026, including a roadmap to net zero across Scopes 1, 2 and 3;
Continuing work on Scope 3 emissions, including the launch of a glass recovery project in Kentucky to improve recycling infrastructure and support circularity;
Advancing a five-year regenerative agriculture project in the U.S. corn supply shed in collaboration with several BIER members;
Scaling our new Supplier Maturity Mountain engagement program to help drive measurable improvements across our supply chain;
Deepening internal alignment and capability-building to ensure resilience in the face of acute and chronic climate risks, such as extreme weather events.

The momentum we’ve built is both broad and deep, spanning infrastructure, innovation and collaboration. We are proud to be part of a global beverage industry that is aligning around shared sustainability goals, and we’re committed to contributing actively through our partnerships, technical work and long-term investment in scalable solutions.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

Being a member of BIER has been instrumental in helping us advance our sustainability priorities at Suntory Global Spirits. The collaborative environment BIER fosters, through both structured and informal exchanges, has provided us with tangible insights, trusted relationships and practical tools that directly support our work.

One of the most valuable recent experiences has been BIER’s member-only ad hoc session on climate transition planning. The timing aligned perfectly with the kickoff of our climate transition plan, and hearing from members who have already published theirs, along with a contributor to the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) framework, was incredibly informative. The session allowed us to ask in-depth questions, understand the rationale behind various approaches, and identify peers we can continue to engage with as we shape our roadmap to net zero by 2050.

The value of peer exchange extends beyond planning. As we ramp up work in areas like Scope 3 emissions, glass recycling infrastructure and regenerative agriculture, BIER’s network helps facilitate collaboration that amplifies impact. For example, we’re exploring partnerships with other beverage companies and distributors to collectively invest in glass recovery programs, initiatives that would be difficult to scale alone. We’re also one of several BIER members participating in a new five-year regenerative agriculture program aimed at improving outcomes in the U.S. corn supply shed.

Equally important is BIER’s role in knowledge sharing around emerging reporting frameworks. With the increasing complexity of regulations like CSRD and California’s climate disclosure rules, we’ve benefited from hearing how other members are preparing their reporting strategies, prioritizing material topics and aligning with new expectations. This level of transparency and best-practice exchange has been especially helpful for our internal reporting and sustainability teams.

Overall, the ability to connect with others facing similar challenges, openly and candidly, makes BIER unique. It’s a space where practical conversations happen and we learn together. That shared vision and willingness to support one another is what makes the work not only more effective but also more meaningful.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

One of the most valuable practical solutions we’ve gained through BIER is the opportunity to align on methodologies, particularly around how data is calculated and reported across the beverage sector. A great example is the guidance BIER has developed around reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our team at Suntory Global Spirits references BIER’s GHG Emissions Sector Guidance as part of our annual reporting, and we call it out explicitly in our methodology. The consistency and credibility this provides are incredibly important, especially in a landscape where stakeholders are increasingly scrutinizing disclosures.

Beyond GHGs, we see significant value in the potential to standardize other areas, such as recycled content calculation for glass packaging. As more companies disclose recycled content percentages, we’ve recognized the need for a shared approach. For example, should internal scrap from suppliers be included or excluded? If we’re all calculating it differently, then even well-intentioned transparency can create an uneven playing field. BIER is uniquely positioned to facilitate those technical discussions, evaluate the options, and, when feasible, help the group align on a sector-wide standard.

That level of methodological alignment is critical. It not only strengthens the integrity of the data we publish, but it ensures we’re not unintentionally penalizing ourselves for taking a more rigorous approach. It also fosters trust, both across peers and with external stakeholders, when we can say, “This is the standard we all follow.”

More broadly, the structure of BIER’s pitch sessions and ad hoc working groups has created an effective channel for raising these types of technical challenges. It’s been refreshing to engage with peers who are equally committed and technically grounded, and to explore ideas that can elevate consistency across the industry collectively.

For us, that’s the kind of practical, high-impact support that makes BIER stand out, not just as a forum for collaboration, but as a driver of alignment and shared progress across the beverage sector.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

I’d like to first give well-deserved credit to our site teams and my colleague Matthew Blanford for achieving our 2030 water usage rate reduction goal ahead of schedule, a major milestone for Suntory Global Spirits. The accomplishment I’m most proud of personally is the launch of our Supplier Sustainability Maturity Mountain program in 2024.

This initiative was designed to deepen engagement with the suppliers who represent the majority of our Scope 3 emissions. It focuses on high-impact categories and strategic suppliers with long-term relevance to our business. Rather than taking a check-the-box approach, the program encourages suppliers to set science-aligned targets, develop abatement plans and cascade those expectations down their value chains. It’s about aligning our supply partners with the same ambition and accountability we hold ourselves to.

What makes this program especially powerful is how it has sparked a more strategic, collaborative relationship between our sourcing and sustainability teams and with our suppliers themselves. We’ve established a structured maturity model, assigning each supplier a level and score based on their sustainability performance. Sourcing teams now have clear KPIs to help suppliers advance up the “mountain,” and we provide tailored resources and training to support those efforts.

We’re also meeting suppliers where they are. For partners in strategic regions who lack internal capacity or experience, we’ve set aside funds to provide direct consultant support. This helps them build foundational knowledge, like understanding Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and equips them to begin reporting and managing their climate impact more effectively.

Perhaps the most rewarding outcome has been the transformation in how these conversations unfold. We’re now engaging directly with suppliers’ sustainability leads, not just their commercial teams. The dialogue has become richer, more technical and more innovative, resulting in mutual learning and shared progress. We’ve seen sustainability professionals on the supplier side proactively sharing ideas, exploring joint projects and truly partnering with us in ways that simply didn’t happen before this program launched.

Ultimately, our goal is simple: support every supplier in moving up the maturity mountain, regardless of where they start. It’s a long-term investment in shared success and one that reflects our broader philosophy of collaborative impact. Sustainability, at its best, is not just about meeting targets. It’s about helping others rise with you.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

If I had one superpower to accelerate sustainability progress, it would be the ability to remove every barrier that limits collaboration, whether legal, structural, or competitive, and replace it with an incentive framework that rewards working together. Imagine a world where companies could seamlessly partner across sectors, openly share data, co-invest in projects and amplify impact, without worrying about NDAs, competitive sensitivities, or restrictive procurement processes. That’s the superpower I’d choose.

While competition can motivate innovation, sustainability is one space where progress shouldn’t be siloed or used as a differentiator. Some of the most pressing challenges, like scaling glass recycling or accelerating regenerative agriculture, simply can’t be solved by one company alone. We need shared solutions, shared responsibility and shared success. If frameworks like SBTi or regulatory standards could actually incentivize collaborative emissions reductions, maybe those reductions count even more, which would shift the dynamic dramatically.

At Suntory Global Spirits, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful collaboration can be. It’s at the core of many of our efforts, from supplier engagement to joint value chain initiatives. And through BIER, we’re able to connect with peers who share that vision, where the collective mission matters more than the scoreboard.

That’s why I appreciate BIER so much. It’s a space where that spirit of openness already exists, where people come together not just to problem-solve, but to energize one another. Even in a complex and often uncertain landscape, being part of a community like BIER reminds us of what’s possible when we lead with purpose and generosity.

So, yes, if I could wave a magic wand, I’d eliminate the red tape, dissolve the fear of competitive exposure and elevate collaboration as the true measure of progress. And maybe unlimited funding would be a close second. But it’s that human connection, driven by trust, purpose and shared action, that I believe would change everything.

BIER Publications referenced in this interview:
2024 GHG Emissions Sector Guidance, Version 4.3

BIER Member Spotlight: Jade Mahuzier

BIER — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Name: Jade Mahuzier | Global Category Manager & Sustainability Manager for Commercial Equipment

Company: Heineken

Connect with Jade on LinkedIn

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I’m the Global Category Manager for Commercial Equipment and the Sustainability Manager for Commercial Equipment at Heineken. I’ve been with the company for three years, and before that, I worked at Danone and other similar companies.

In my current role, I wear two hats, procurement and sustainability, which is something I truly enjoy, I have the unique opportunity to integrate both perspectives. This means I can strategically balance cost considerations with the environmental sustainability ambitions in our “Brew a Better World” strategy.

One of the key challenges in my role is that more energy-efficient fridges can come at a higher cost. As a buyer, this means that it is less about short-term negotiation and more about building partnerships rooted in shared goals. This often means working together on longer-term agreements, aligning on innovation priorities, or exploring alternative deal structures.

Ultimately, it’s about playing with different parameters with Heineken’s Net Zero roadmap while minimizing budget impact. This requires balancing two key levers: long-term supplier relationships and financial optimization.

What are your specific priorities for 2025?

One concrete example in my area of responsibility is our supplier engagement and procurement strategy for commercial equipment. We have had a well-established protocol in place for several years, which has proven to be effective. This protocol is used for our suppliers to continuously improve the energy efficiency of the fridges they provide us.

For 2025, we have stayed on course with this roadmap, requiring suppliers to meet increasingly stringent energy efficiency standards. This means pushing for fridges with a progressively lower Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) while maintaining strong partnerships with suppliers.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

I really appreciate this question because it made me reflect on Heineken’s role within the industry and how we position ourselves in relation to BIER.

One thing I often hear from our suppliers is that Heineken is willing to experiment and push boundaries. They tell us, “Heineken is really daring to try new things.” I genuinely believe that we are committed to taking action, making decisions, and implementing programs that drive real change. Whether every decision is perfect or not, we move forward, take risks, and act.

At the same time, I recognize that we cannot transform the industry alone. This is where organizations like BIER play a critical role. There’s a saying I really like: “Alone, you go faster; together, you go further.“ I believe Heineken excels in being daring to lead, but for true systemic change, we need collaboration and shared knowledge.

BIER provides an essential platform for collective action, where we can share experiences and stay aware of what others in the industry are doing. This isn’t just about individual ambition; it’s about leveraging a network to drive long-term impact together. By working collectively, we can align on best practices, develop common projects, and ensure that sustainability progress extends beyond just one company.

For me, the key to success in 2025 isn’t just Heineken daring to act; it’s daring to act while also engaging, collaborating, and learning from others. That’s where BIER’s role becomes invaluable.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

One of the most valuable practical solutions I’ve gained from working with BIER is the power of collaboration. This connects closely to my previous point about the importance of working together to drive real industry-wide change.

I’m part of a workstream on energy efficiency initiatives, collaborating with a respected colleague from Carlsberg Group. Normally, you might think, “Wait, Carlsberg? A direct competitor?” But in this setting, it’s actually a great experience. Together, we worked on selecting the companies that participated in the 2025 Cool Challenge, an initiative focused on advancing refrigeration efficiency. Now in its second year, the Cool Challenge is part of the Coolition, a BIER-led initiative to reduce the environmental impact of commercial refrigeration equipment in the beverage industry. The Coolition brings together BIER members, refrigeration equipment manufacturers, and component suppliers to drive meaningful, sector-wide progress. It has been incredibly insightful to contribute to this collaboration.

What makes this experience so valuable is that it creates a trusted space for open discussions. In this forum, we can exchange non-confidential insights, challenge each other’s perspectives, and share knowledge in a way that benefits everyone. It’s a reminder that, despite being competitors, we are ultimately facing the same challenges and striving for the same goals.

This process has reinforced an important truth: We cannot move forward alone. Heineken, Carlsberg, and other industry players are all in the same boat when it comes to environmental sustainability, and progress in areas like energy efficiency depends on collective action. Yes, there are boundaries, we must always comply with competition law rules but at the core, this collaboration is built on good intentions and a shared vision to drive meaningful change with the resources we have.

At the end of the day, BIER is about connection, and that same spirit applies to sustainability. Working with BIER and its members has shown me that when we come together, we can accelerate progress in ways we simply couldn’t achieve alone.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

When I think about a recent sustainability accomplishment that makes me proud, I realize it’s not always about flashy projects—it’s about real, measurable progress. It might sound like just numbers, but achieving a 34% reduction in our Scope 1 & 2 emissions compared to our 2022 baseline is a huge achievement!

These figures represent years of effort, dedication, and countless hours of brainstorming, strategizing, and collaborating across markets. It’s easy to see numbers and not fully grasp the work behind them, but I see my colleagues and myself really putting their hearts in. Whether it’s convincing operating companies, learning from local markets, or overcoming complex challenges, there’s a massive collective effort behind these improvements.

While sustainability metrics might not always feel exciting to read, they tell the story of real impact, and that’s something worth celebrating.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

I really like this question because it’s refreshing, it makes you think differently. It’s also a tough one because, of course, I’d love to have many superpowers. But if I had to choose just one, the first thing that comes to mind is the power to scale up great sustainability innovations instantly.

This ties closely to initiatives like the Cool Challenge, where we see some truly brilliant ideas—innovations that make me think, Wow, that’s so smart! How did no one think of this before? We have incredible minds developing solutions, and we have large companies like Heineken that can offer visibility and support. But the biggest challenge isn’t having great ideas—it’s scaling them.

Scaling takes time. It can take years to bring an innovation from concept to full implementation.

That’s why my ideal superpower would be the ability to immediately scale a great idea without all the roadblocks. Imagine if an entrepreneur or a startup came up with a breakthrough solution, and instead of years of testing, negotiating, and adapting, it could just be instantly deployed at scale. It would radically accelerate the impact of sustainability innovations, allowing us to move from concept to action in a fraction of the time.

Maybe this perspective comes from my procurement and supply chain background, where I see firsthand how difficult it is to bring great ideas to life at scale. But I truly believe that if we could overcome this challenge, we could drive sustainability forward in ways we can’t even imagine today.

BIER Member Spotlight: David Grant

BIER — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

David Grant, Senior Director: Global Climate & Water Solutions at PepsiCo

Connect with David on LinkedIn

Welcome to the BIER Member Spotlight series, highlighting the individual leaders driving sustainability and innovation within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations.

As BIER enters its 19th year, the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable continues to build on nearly two decades of industry collaboration and impact. In 2025, we are proud to be led by Chair Nicolas Clerget and Co-Chair David Grant, whose leadership will guide BIER’s collective efforts in advancing environmental stewardship across the beverage sector.

Join us for this insightful interview, where David, BIER’s 2025 Co-Chair, shares his experience, perspectives, and vision for the year ahead.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined PepsiCo in 2020 as Global Water Stewardship Director, overseeing the company’s water strategy—including internal water use efficiency, replenishment, Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification, and water risk assessments. In December 2023, my role evolved, and I now lead the Climate & Water Solutions Team. We focus on identifying and scaling innovative technologies to reduce the cost of climate tactics and advance PepsiCo’s sustainability strategy. On the water side, our work now centers on watershed health—supporting both operations and agriculture.

What inspired you to take on the role of BIER Chair and Co-Chair? What aspects of the role do you find most compelling?

I’ve long believed in the power of the collective—and in not reinventing the wheel. BIER exemplifies both: it brings together the beverage industry’s collective expertise to create shared value. Having engaged with BIER over the years, I’m motivated to contribute however I can to accelerate sustainable progress across the industry. It’s a privilege to be part of a group that drives impact through collaboration and shared learning.

Reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead to 2025, what BIER initiatives stand out as most impactful or inspiring?

We’re operating in a time of unprecedented urgency. With the planet’s condition worsening and the window for action narrowing, BIER must remain agile and focused—keeping pace with developments in science, regulation, and technology. I believe our current priorities reflect this urgency well, and I continue to be inspired by the commitment and expertise of our members.

One area I find especially compelling is nature and biodiversity. Like climate, it’s broad and deeply interconnected with other sustainability areas, yet highly nuanced at the local level. I’m excited to see how this workstream evolves, especially as it integrates both internal and external expertise.

As BIER enters its 19th year, what personal quality do you bring to your leadership that will help advance its impact?

With more than 20 years in the food and beverage industry, I’ve learned that sustainability is not linear—it’s interconnected. I bring a holistic mindset to this role, helping to identify where BIER’s various workstreams can align and support one another. That integrated perspective will help us prioritize effectively while staying adaptable as new challenges and opportunities arise.

If you had one superpower to radically accelerate sustainable practices, what would it be?

I’m going to cheat and choose two:

The Power of Collective Clarity – a form of telepathy that brings common sense and shared purpose to decision-making. It would unite individuals, companies, and governments around a clear path forward—one rooted in strategic, collaborative action.

The Ability to Break Through Complexity – a kind of super-intelligence that simplifies the intricate systems we work within. It would help surface practical solutions and enable us to scale them faster.

BIER Member Spotlight: Hannah Hunt

BIER — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Name: Hannah Hunt | Carbon Policy Lead

Company: HEINEKEN

Connect with Hannah on LinkedIn

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I’ve been with HEINEKEN for almost three years, working as part of the Global Corporate Affairs Sustainability team. My role involves both internal policy development and external advocacy, primarily focused on our carbon agenda. However, my work also extends into broader aspects of our climate and nature strategy under HEINEKEN’s ‘Brew a Better World‘ initiative.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

HEINEKEN’s sustainability agenda has been evolving for over a decade, long before I joined. In 2021, we launched the latest iteration of our strategy, Brew a Better World. This is when we first announced our ambition to reach net zero carbon across our value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 2040. Since then, I’ve seen real progress in both the sophistication of our approach and the scale of our efforts.

One of the biggest shifts has been the expansion of internal expertise. We’ve significantly increased the number of people dedicated to sustainability—now more than 50 at our head office alone—while also upskilling teams across functions like legal, supply chain, procurement, and finance. This integration has been critical in embedding Brew a Better World into daily business operations.

Our roadmap focuses on emissions reductions, systematically reducing emissions across our sites while strengthening our reporting and disclosures. It often feels like we’re building the machine as we operate it, but seeing our progress in the first half of this decade has been rewarding. With our goal to reach net zero in Scope 1 and 2 by 2030, scaling these efforts is more important than ever.

Looking ahead to 2025, it’s about sharpening our focus. Environmental sustainability today requires a more holistic approach, addressing not just carbon but also water, biodiversity, land management, and circularity. For example, we recently set circularity targets to increase the reusability and recycled content of our packaging, directly linking back to emissions reductions. Water is another major focus, given its central role in making beer.

On a personal level, 2025 is an exciting year for my work. While our primary focus remains emissions reductions, we’re also laying the groundwork for high-quality carbon removals. Following Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) guidelines, once we reach a 90% reduction in emissions, we’ll address the remaining 10% through removals. We’re being deliberate in our approach; we want to ensure the credibility of projects by aligning with improved industry standards like the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the incoming EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework.

Our first steps are exploring nature-based solutions for carbon removals on our own lands and through our long-standing water balancing projects, which could provide further opportunities for reforestation and afforestation.

Ultimately, 2025 is about scaling what works, ensuring integrity in our ambitions, and continuing to embed Brew a Better World into how HEINEKEN operates.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

I’m really looking forward to deepening my engagement with BIER this year. While HEINEKEN has been involved for some time, I personally plan to step in more actively in 2025, and I see real value in the collaboration it fosters.

One key example is our collective work on land management and zero deforestation policies. Many BIER member companies are navigating similar challenges, particularly around the interpretation and implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Having a dedicated workstream within BIER allows us to align on a shared understanding of the regulation, helping us approach it consistently across the industry. It also provides a unified platform to seek clarity where needed.

It’s one of the things I appreciate most about BIER – the knowledge-sharing that happens when we come together. There’s something incredibly practical about being able to bring a common issue to the table, in a formal and transparent way. One company may be able to say, “We actually just mapped that out – we can share what we learned with the group.” Those real-world insights, from people facing the same operational challenges, are hugely beneficial.

Ultimately, being part of BIER helps accelerate solutions by leveraging collective expertise, creating opportunities for direct, practical knowledge exchange.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

Up until recently, my involvement with BIER had been more of a light touch, but over the past six months, I’ve had the chance to observe and learn from the collaboration happening within the group—particularly in the water workstreams. For example, it’s been fascinating to see BIER members come together to address shared challenges in overlapping watersheds.

BIER is designed for knowledge-sharing and tackling technical topics, but what stands out to me is seeing that collaboration translates into real, on-the-ground impact. When multiple companies operating in the same watershed work collectively, it goes beyond just exchanging best practices—it drives meaningful action.

This kind of localized approach is very much part of HEINEKEN’s identity. For example, any carbon removals investments we make in the future must have a clear connection to our local communities. Compared to other industries I’ve worked with, I’ve noticed that this isn’t just a HEINEKEN principle, but something deeply embedded across many BIER members as well. There’s a shared understanding that sustainability efforts should be rooted in the communities where we operate, which makes the collaboration within BIER even more valuable.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

While I’m proud of all our 2024 annual results, one initiative from the past year that stands out to me is the launch of REfresh Alliance. This was a major cross-company, cross-industry idea—HEINEKEN, along with Coca-Cola and Diageo, came together as founding members to create a platform aiming to help our common suppliers transition to renewable electricity.

What makes the REfresh Alliance unique is that it will go beyond just education. Many of us have made strong progress in sourcing renewable electricity within our own operations, but we recognized that our suppliers—many of those in shared markets—needed additional support. REfresh provides not only education on renewable electricity but also hands-on guidance in navigating the complexities of contract negotiations and commercial agreements. That extra step is a real value-add and a key differentiator.

Because of its commercial nature, REfresh sits outside of BIER, but BIER has still played an invaluable role in helping us recruit additional members. What started with three founding companies has now grown to nine participants across the beer, soft drinks, water, and spirits industries.

It is a huge team effort—our procurement team played the central role, my focus was on setting the governance and framework to ensure smooth and legally compliant collaboration. Now that REfresh has launched and recruitment has been successful, the real work begins: execution. I’m excited to see the impact it can have as we move forward.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

If I could have one superpower to accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, it would be the ability to instantly speak and understand any language—both literally and figuratively.

So much of the work we do in sustainability isn’t just about technical solutions; it’s about bridging communication gaps. Many challenges arise not because of disagreement but because of differences in background, perspective, or language. Whether it’s aligning with teams across regions, ensuring supply chain partners fully understand our requirements, or translating environmental sustainability goals into something meaningful for sales teams, so much time is spent just trying to get on the same page.

This superpower wouldn’t just mean speaking every spoken language—it would also mean fluently adapting my communication to any audience, whether it’s a procurement expert, a supply chain manager, or a finance team. Being able to instantly frame sustainability in a way that resonates with whoever I’m talking to, and for them to do the same, would be a game changer. Sustainability at its core is about storytelling and finding common ground. If we could eliminate those friction points, remove cultural or technical misunderstandings, and create instant clarity, we could move so much faster toward our goals.

And beyond just me having this ability, imagine if everyone working on sustainability could do the same. That would truly accelerate progress in a way no policy or technology alone ever could.

BIER Member Spotlight: Nicolas Clerget

BIER — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Nicolas Clerget, Global Director Net Zero Carbon Strategy at Heineken

Connect with Nicolas on LinkedIn

Welcome to the BIER Member Spotlight series, highlighting the individual leaders driving sustainability and innovation within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations.

Join us for this insightful interview, where Nicolas, BIER’s 2025 Chair, shares his experience, perspectives, and vision for the year ahead.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

I joined HEINEKEN in 2018 to build and lead a talent procurement team focused on sourcing renewable energy. Our small but skilled team quickly secured strategic renewable energy contracts across multiple global regions. In 2020, I transitioned to the Global Sustainability team to develop HEINEKEN’s climate strategy. Since then, my role has expanded to designing our net-zero roadmap, securing science-based targets, collaborating with supply chain and procurement to scale implementation, securing funding, and show progress through external reporting.

What inspired you to take on the role of BIER Chair and Co-Chair? What aspects of the role do you find most compelling?

My first BIER meeting, four years ago, left a lasting impression. I was struck by the genuine collaboration—industry peers openly sharing best practices to elevate our collective impact. That spirit of knowledge exchange is rare and incredibly powerful.

As Chair, I’m committed to offering strategic direction and helping BIER stay focused on issues that accelerate environmental transformation across the beverage industry. I’m particularly excited about the upcoming BIER European Summit, which HEINEKEN will host at our Sevilla site. The agenda will include core themes like climate and water while also expanding into emerging areas such as biodiversity.

Reflecting on 2024 and looking ahead to 2025, what BIER initiatives stand out as most impactful or inspiring?

In 2024, BIER underwent a strategic realignment to ensure its mission remained relevant in an increasingly complex landscape. As industry challenges and disclosure demands grow, the value of a platform like BIER—in facilitating knowledge-sharing and saving time—is more important than ever.

While BIER doesn’t directly implement projects, it excels at launching industry-serving platforms. Two recent examples include:

The Coolition, which brings together fridge suppliers and beverage companies to advance low-carbon, circular refrigeration.
REfresh Alliance is a platform endorsed by BIER to support suppliers in sourcing renewable energy.

Both were developed in response to clear industry needs and have already begun delivering meaningful results.

As BIER enters its 19th year, what personal quality do you bring to your leadership that will help advance its impact?

I bring passion, deep sustainability expertise, and a pragmatic, common-sense mindset. I’m committed to making this year count—and to preparing David to step into the Chair role in 2026, ensuring a seamless leadership transition.

If you had one superpower to radically accelerate sustainable practices, what would it be?

The biggest challenge is helping stakeholders make informed decisions quickly, across a wide array of complex topics. If I could choose a superpower, it would be instant knowledge transfer—to help others absorb critical information in real time. Imagine a smart beer that delivers all the insight you need in one sip—cheers to that!

BIER Member Spotlight: Ana Fernanda Romero

BIER — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:00:00 GMT

Name: Ana Fernanda Romero | Water Stewardship and Collective Action Senior Manager

Company: DIAGEO

Connect with Ana on LinkedIn

Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting BIER projects. As part of our Member and Stakeholder spotlight series featuring the individual leaders within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations, our project spotlight series highlights BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations involved in the innovative Charco Bendito project.

Learn how these practitioners and their companies have collaborated to develop and implement this innovative, first-of-its-kind, basin-level watershed initiative addressing three main goals: water accessibility, quality, and availability. Gain insights into key learnings and what inspires each of them to advance environmental sustainability in the beverage sector and collectively, overall.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, how long you have worked with your company and your role/ involvement with the Charco Bendito project.

Two years ago, I was lucky to join the Corporate Relations team in DIAGEO Mexico as Government Relations Senior Manager, leading the Preserve Water for Life program in our communities. My responsibility is to ensure that our Tequila operations replenish more water than we use, invest in access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in communities near our site, and engage in collective action to contribute to a net positive water impact.

With great enthusiasm, a year ago, I took over DIAGEO’s representation for the Charco Bendito watershed project. Since then, I have been active in this unique collective action to ensure we expand our reach and impact within the Lerma-Santiago-Pacifico basin.

What were the initial drivers or incentives that committed you to the Charco Bendito project?

Water is a precious and shared resource that is facing increasing pressure. At DIAGEO we are committed to water stewardship. Our Spirit of Progress: Society 2030, a key part of our ESG agenda recognizes that collective actions like Charco Bendito will support building water resilience in a water stress basin in Lerma-Santiago-Pacifico, where our tequila operations are based.

How has the company’s involvement in Charco Bendito evolved over the course of the project, and what do you hope can be achieved in the future?

DIAGEO joined Charco Bendito in 2021 and has been highly active ever since. Together with our peers, we have participated in internal committees and engaged our Don Julio collaborators in this initiative, fostering strong collaboration and shared commitment.

In 2023, a fire unfortunately impacted Charco Bendito, requiring urgent action to restore the area. DIAGEO rose to the reforestation challenge, mobilizing 130 collaborators who, in just five days, planted over 12,000 plants across 24 hectares of the 40 hectares damaged.

This year, with the support of 165 collaborators, we planted an additional 13,000+ plants, contributing to 65% of Charco Bendito’s reforestation efforts for the year.

To date, we have supported the recovery of 50.4 hectares out of the 300 hectares the project aims to restore—an area equivalent to 76.4 football fields.

How has your participation in the Charco Bendito project aligned with your company’s sustainability and ESG goals and commitments?

Charco Bendito aligns closely with the multiple dimensions of our ESG Spirit of Progress: Society 2030 agenda. Our strategy focuses on water stewardship best practices across three key areas: water accessibility, availability, and quality. This includes efforts in replenishment, water access, and collective action.

To date, the project has successfully reforested 155 hectares, contributing to aquifer recharge, providing water access to over a thousand people, and collaborating with eight companies to drive environmental restoration. This initiative is a perfect fit with our ESG plan, embodying our commitment to sustainability and collective impact.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working on the Charco Bendito project and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

Definitely, Charco Bendito is a testament to how collaboration among diverse stakeholders can drive the success of an initiative.

What important takeaway or key learning will you take from your involvement with this project and apply to other projects?

Charco Bendito has a key element that has made this project successful, and that is that our local implementation partner, Red Bioterra, has a very close relationship with the community of San Lucas Evangelitas. They have embraced this project as their own. Red Bioterrra has successfully built a relationship based on trust and confidence. Without the community and common land owner’s involvement we wouldn’t be able to make an intervention.

In your opinion, what are the key elements that make this project so successful, and how would you use those elements in application to other similar projects?

A key element of this project is its multi-stakeholder approach, united by a common purpose: to join forces in mitigating the impacts of climate change. It reflects a shared understanding that we can achieve far more together than we ever could alone.

Charco Bendito, also known as “Blessed Puddle,” was a dream turned into a multi-industry and multi-year first-of-its-kind watershed collaboration. In keeping with the spirit of this project, if you had an eco-superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale best practices learned from this project, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

Over the past two years, we’ve faced a severe dry season, which has hindered tree growth and limited water infiltration. Without a doubt, if I could have any superpower, it would be to MAKE IT RAIN!

BIER Member Spotlight: Justin Merrell

BIER — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Name: Justin Merrell | Group Sustainability Director

Company: LION

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn

Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting the individual leaders within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations. Learn how these practitioners and their companies are addressing pressing challenges around water, energy, agriculture, and climate change, and what inspires each of them to advance environmental sustainability in the beverage sector and collectively, overall.

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities and how long you have worked with your company.

My current role is Group Sustainability Director for LION. LION operates primarily in Australia, but we are also the largest brewer in New Zealand. In addition, we have a significant craft beer presence in the United States, including New Belgium Brewery and Bell’s Brewery. Our US craft beer network spans four operational sites: Bell’s Brewery in Michigan; New Belgium’s breweries in Fort Collins, Colorado; Asheville, North Carolina; and our newest site in Daleville, Virginia. Beyond brewing, we also operate wineries on the west coast and New Zealand.

I’ve been with LION for around six and a half years. I initially joined as Environment Director, and after three years, I transitioned into the Sustainability Director role. My responsibilities now focus on leading LION’s overall sustainability strategy, which we divide into three pillars—Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)—to maintain clarity and focus. My role is to set the strategy across these pillars and ensure its successful implementation.

Before joining LION, I worked across a range of carbon intensive industries, including aviation, chemicals, steel, and aluminum. This diverse background has been invaluable in bringing a fresh perspective to challenges such as decarbonization, water stewardship, and advancing the circular economy within the brewing industry.

I’m a chemical engineer by background, and the first half of my career was centered on engineering and management roles. My first dedicated sustainability role was at Qantas, where I worked for six years before joining LION.

How has the company’s sustainability program evolved over the years, and what are your specific priorities for 2025?

When I first joined, our sustainability strategy was organized into distinct areas of focus. On the environmental side, it centered around four key pillars: carbon, water, packaging (within the broader circular economy), and environmental risk management. Socially, our priorities included responsible consumption—our most material issue as an alcohol producer—along with community investment and reconciliation work with Australia’s First Nations people. We’ve also focused on broader human rights initiatives, which naturally tie into responsible sourcing. Governance underpins all of this, with a growing emphasis on climate reporting, risk management, and policy development, particularly as new disclosure requirements emerge globally.

Most recently, we’ve made significant progress. For example, on carbon, we have science-based targets cascaded from our parent company, Kirin, in Japan. In Australia, we’ve already exceeded our 2030 Scope 1 and 2 targets, achieving a 70% reduction against our 2019 baseline. This success is largely due to investments in renewable electricity, including agreements to supply 100% renewable power to our Australian operations. In New Zealand, we have a credible pathway to meet our 2030 target of a 55% reduction, but the U.S. presents more challenges. Access to renewable energy agreements there is more complex, so identifying opportunities to secure wind and solar power for our U.S. breweries will be a major focus over the next few years.

On water stewardship, we’re on track to achieve a 2.4L/L water efficiency target at our large breweries in water-stressed regions—Brisbane, Sydney, and Launceston—by next year. This has been enabled by the installation of a new reverse osmosis water recycling plant at Tooheys in Sydney that matches our water recycling operations at XXXX Brewery in Brisbane.

For packaging, we’re making strong progress in increasing recycled content. On average, our packaging contained over 70% recycled material last year. Some of our glass bottles have exceeded 80% recycled content, and aluminum cans exceed 50%. Working closely with our suppliers, we’re continuing to reduce demand for virgin materials and the carbon intensity of packaging. For instance, using recycled glass reduces energy consumption in glass furnaces, especially when combined with innovations like oxygen injection and cullet pre-heating, which has the potential halve furnace energy use.

Looking ahead to 2025, we’re shifting focus from discrete efforts on carbon, water, and circular economy to integrated projects that deliver impact across multiple pillars simultaneously. To truly accelerate progress, we need to move beyond individual efforts and start collaborating more deeply across the value chain.

Our suppliers make up roughly 80% of a beer’s carbon footprint, so working collectively with them is essential. A great example is the Australian Climate Leaders Coalition’s Scope 3 Roadmap project, where we brought key players together—packaging suppliers, maltsters, logistics providers, and customers. Instead of relying on generic database figures, we gathered real carbon emissions data directly from our partners. It wasn’t easy—there is a natural reluctance to share sensitive data—but we addressed concerns by aggregating where needed and building trust.

With accurate data, we could have meaningful discussions about emissions reductions—whether that’s increasing recycled content in packaging, using electric trucks, or working with farmers on regenerative agriculture. This project demonstrated the power of collaboration and the need to take the blinkers off. Too often, companies pursue the same targets independently, missing opportunities to work together.

In 2025, we’ll focus on fostering more of these “pre-competitive” collaborations, where competitors and partners align on shared challenges. There’s precedent for this—like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil—where companies worked together to address deforestation. We’re out of time, and we can’t afford to tackle these issues alone. Guardrails are needed to ensure compliance with competition laws, but these non-competitive conversations are critical to accelerating change.

A great example of this approach is the work we’re exploring to support the resilience of the Great Barrier Reef. Projects like this demonstrate how we can simultaneously address nature conservation and sustainability challenges across the value chain.

Ultimately, I find this deeply exciting. There’s so much potential when we work together. The limits of going it alone are now clear, but when we take collective action, we can make a much bigger impact on the climate, circularity, and beyond.

How do you feel being a BIER member will help you successfully address the key areas you are addressing in 2025?

Initially, the appeal of BIER membership was the benchmarking data. With such a wide, truly global membership base, accessing that data was invaluable. My first interaction with BIER was centered around using this benchmarking information to understand where we stood. As you can tell, we’ve been working to build strong sustainability leadership credentials—both as a company and as part of Kirin, which aims to be a global sustainability leader.

A critical first step in demonstrating leadership is understanding how your current performance compares to peers. Benchmarking allows us to identify opportunities to strengthen our leadership position—or, as I like to say, to role model that leadership. It provides a blueprint for other brewers to follow, whether that’s in decarbonization, water stewardship, or building an effective circular economy. For us, the benchmarking data was key to understanding where we were positioned and identifying the steps needed to genuinely achieve and articulate sustainability leadership.

Another significant benefit I’ve seen—particularly through our work with New Belgium—is the emission factor development for Scope 3 models. When we acquired New Belgium in 2019, I requested a copy of their Scope 3 model and quickly noticed many references to BIER’s emission factors. That was a lightbulb moment. It reinforced the critical role that an industry group like BIER plays in developing standardized factors to ensure a common basis for comparison across performance metrics.

For me, those two elements—benchmarking data and the development of standardized emission factors—are the standout highlights of BIER membership.

Name one of the practical solutions or best practices you learned in working with BIER and its members and why it was important to you and/ or your company.

I would bring it back to the Scope 3 model and the use of standardized emission factors. While some factors may have been a bit dated, their real value came from providing an agreed-upon benchmark that the industry could use for consistent comparison.

Through our work with the Climate Leaders Coalition in Australia, we quickly realized there are countless ways to measure Scope 3 emissions—each with its advantages and flaws. But what’s most important is deciding on one methodology and moving forward. Otherwise, you end up stuck, endlessly debating the “best” approach. In that project, we recognized that while the chosen methodology wasn’t perfect, it was “good enough” to establish a baseline number and then shift focus to the real task: reducing that number.

A phrase we often use is “progress over perfection.” It’s about ensuring we don’t get bogged down in details or competing interests. There are so many ways to calculate Scope 3 emissions, and while accuracy matters, the ultimate goal isn’t the number itself—it’s what you do with it.

This is where industry groups like BIER play such a critical role. They have the opportunity to set standards and communicate a clear message—that perfection isn’t the goal, progress is. Even if the emission factors aren’t flawless, using consistent data across the industry creates a common basis for comparison and allows us to focus on what truly matters: meaningful action.

This is especially relevant now with the rise of new climate disclosures. They’re alive in California, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand—all key markets for us. These disclosures are a positive step forward, offering investors and regulators the apples-to-apples comparisons they’ve been asking for. But we mustn’t lose sight of the bigger picture: reporting is only the starting point. Looking in the mirror is important, but once you see the reality, the question becomes—how do you act on it?

Another key point is ensuring carbon emissions data isn’t reduced to a transaction. When handled purely as a compliance exercise—just numbers, decimals, and boxes to tick—it risks losing its transformative potential. Accurate data should be the beginning of a conversation, not the end. And this is where sustainability leaders have a role to play: keeping the conversation alive and ensuring the data drives meaningful change along the value chain.

That’s the paradigm shift businesses need. Sustainability reporting is increasingly driven by finance and accounting teams—as it is in Australia, where the disclosures come from the Accounting Standards Board. On one hand, it’s a win to have finance professionals “inside the tent.” But on the other, we need to help them see sustainability as more than a transaction or compliance exercise. It’s about collaboration and action.

Take flint glass as an example. Clear glass emissions can be reduced significantly by increasing recycled content, but adding more recycled material can make the glass appear slightly cloudy. If the industry collectively agreed to prioritize emissions reductions and accept a more relaxed color specification, we could unlock immediate carbon savings. But this doesn’t work if one company—maybe driven by marketing concerns—pushes back. It’s a perfect example of why industry alignment is so critical.

In the end, we need to act faster, and the only way to do that is through collaboration. Whether it’s decarbonizing processes, agreeing on shared standards, or working across the value chain, progress happens when we shift from compliance-driven transactions to impactful, solutions-driven conversations.

Share a recent accomplishment of your company’s sustainability initiatives/achievements you are most proud of and why.

We’ve built up a strong “menu” of sustainability achievements, which I’m particularly proud of. For instance, there’s the XXXX Tropical Lager, a terrific collaboration with a key customer that also has a strong focus on nature impact, in what happens to be a natural wonder of the world – The Great Barrier Reef. Another recent highlight is the reverse osmosis plant we commissioned this year at Tooheys, which will bring us to near-world-class water efficiency.

We also achieved carbon-neutral organization status, which is important to highlight. While we do use carbon offsets, we don’t rely on them as an excuse to slow down our decarbonization efforts. The 70% carbon reduction we’ve achieved in Australia demonstrates that commitment—offsets are just one lever we use, not the only one. That’s a good example of how offsets can be used correctly, avoiding the polarizing debates that sometimes surround them.

Another significant accomplishment is our 100% renewable electricity sourcing across operations in Australia and New Zealand. In New South Wales, we extended the impact of our renewable electricity agreement by signing up over 230 pubs and clubs to the same deal. This was possible because of our scale: while these smaller venues didn’t have the energy load or demand to justify such an agreement on their own, LION’s cornerstone load created the foundation needed to make it work.

This is what we call an industry-aggregated power purchase agreement, and it’s a win-win. It allowed those pubs and clubs to access renewable electricity through a long-term, 10-year agreement—something quite unusual when most businesses are used to re-evaluating electricity contracts annually. Admittedly, the primary driver for the pubs and clubs was financial rather than environmental, but we were happy to enable a solution that delivered both outcomes.

The modeling we put together showed clear long-term financial benefits, and so while the environmental impact wasn’t the main motivator, it’s something we take pride in quietly achieving. I think there’s a broader takeaway here for sustainability leaders: we often need to improve on the storytelling component of our work.

Many of us come from science or engineering backgrounds—strong with the numbers and focused on building authentic, measurable progress. But we need to get better at sharing these stories in ways that resonate with customers and consumers. Products with legitimate sustainability credentials deserve to stand out, and telling those stories effectively can help drive even greater impact.

If you had one superpower that could be used to radically accelerate and scale sustainable best practices, which one would it be, and how would you use it?

I lingered on this question for a while, but it ties back to what I’ve mentioned before. I think I would wish for a superpower of communication. The ability to clearly and effectively share a message with the world about the impact we’ve had on the planet over the past 300 years. I’d want to tell that story truthfully, authentically, and in a way that motivates action.

There’s so much misinformation and disinformation out there today, particularly amplified by social media and its tribalism, which is all too familiar. This makes it difficult to reach any rational agreement on what we’ve done, what we’re facing, and how we’re going to fix it. My superpower would be to cut through all that noise—to deliver a source of truth that inspires people to act – because the stakes are high. We’re losing opportunities as species disappear and pollution continues to escalate.

If you think about the Anthropocene—this new geological era that humans have essentially created—it’s staggering. Imagine a geologist 10,000 years from now examining evidence of our time: plastic pollution in the Arctic, radiation in the South Pacific from nuclear testing, or forever chemicals like PFAS in lakes and waterways. These alien compounds—products of human ingenuity—are now everywhere.

For 4 billion years, Earth was run by nature. That’s no longer the case. Humans run the planet now, and our impact is undeniable. Technology, while incredible, has accelerated us too quickly down the wrong path.

But here’s the thing: we already have the technology to solve climate change. We have the scientific understanding to address these challenges and quantify the risks. Yet, when I hear about core samples revealing microplastics in lakes or polar bears ingesting synthetic materials, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed.

That’s why, if I could, I’d use my super communication power to make the truth impossible to ignore. To inspire a collective realization of what we’ve done—and what we still have the chance to save.

BIER Publications referenced in this interview:
2023 Water and Energy Use Benchmarking Study