Demonstrating clear corporate leadership during Climate Week NYC 2017, RE100 member Carlsberg Group has highlighted the importance of working in partnership with others to lower emissions and address climate change.
In an interview for Climate TV, recorded prior to the Opening Ceremony, Flemming Besenbacher, Chair of Board, Carlsberg Group, said, “Partnership is very, very important for us… we can learn from other industries; we would like to collaborate with others.”
“I’d say that actively engaging with other companies, also university partners, and learning from each other, is very, very important for Carlsberg, and we’ve been doing that for many years.”
"It's important to have partnerships between business and consumers", says @Besenbacher2012 Chairman of @CarlsbergGroup at #CWNYC > #RE100 pic.twitter.com/ndrgXoVQhN
— The Climate Group (@ClimateGroup) September 21, 2017
“I see more and more young people stepping up and saying they want to change things,” Besenbacher said later in a panel discussion with Siemens, the International Copper Association, PepsiCo and Walmart – another RE100 member. “We want to engage consumers, that’s why we’ve established a zero- carbon bar.”
The Group’s new pop-up bar in Copenhagen, is designed to be climate-friendly and CO2-neutral.
“We’re extremely proud of this installation… it’s a good way for us to interact with consumers and talk to them about important issues like climate change, and how we – as consumers and producers – can play an important role,” said Anders Bering, Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Carlsberg Group.
.@CarlsbergGroup has developed the - probably! - most climate-friendly bar in the world #TowardsZERO #CWNYC #RE100 pic.twitter.com/NEOmfkvOLo
— The Climate Group (@ClimateGroup) September 21, 2017
Corporate leadership
Carlsberg has set itself a target to become fully CO2 neutral in all its breweries by 2030, and to help deliver on this, recently joined RE100 with a commitment to sourcing 100% renewable power for its global operations.
“It’s in Carlsberg’s purpose to brew for a better today and tomorrow, and you could say it’s in our DNA to push the boundaries,” Bering said.
Also highlighting the central role of business at the Opening Ceremony of Climate Week NYC were Stephen Badger, Chairman of the Board, Mars, Inc. and Kathleen McLaughlin, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Walmart, who gave examples of the actions their companies were taking in their value chains to engage suppliers and customers on climate change.
Just last week, Mars announced a pledge to invest US$1 billion to slash greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain by 67% by 2050.
Business case
At the Opening Ceremony, Anne Finucane, Vice Chair, Bank of America – which joined RE100 at Climate Week NYC last year – underlined the business case for big banks to transition to 100% renewable electricity. “We’re all making money at it,” she said, “you will see greater investment in renewables because we see business there.”
Eight new companies joined RE100 for Climate Week NYC 2017, taking the total number of members to 110. Together, the companies are creating demand for over 150 TWh of renewable electricity – more than enough to power New York State.
For more information on Carlsberg Group's approach and achievements so far, read our recent interview with Sustainability Director Simon Boas Hoffmeyer.