BrewDog to upcycle and trade used cans for company equity

Craft beer firm BrewDog has unveiled a new sustainability action plan that will allow consumers to trade in beer cans for upcycling and recycling in exchange for an equity stake in the company.


BrewDog to upcycle and trade used cans for company equity

Any waste beer produced that fails to meet the company’s quality standards will be distilled and turned into Vodka

The ‘BrewDog Tomorrow‘ plan focuses on resource efficiency as the way for the brewer to manage its environmental impact and ensure “we have a planet to make beer for in the future”.

It features a “cans for equity” initiative that offers anyone who trades in 50 empty beer cans the chance to become a BrewDog Equity Punk and therefore own an unspecified percentage of the business.

BrewDog has pledged to upcycle old cans from any brand in order to refill them with the company’s craft beer and give the material a second life. BrewDog notes that while aluminium is 100% recyclable, more than 45 billion cans ended up in landfill in the US alone in 2018.

As well as upcycling old cans, any waste beer produced that fails to meet the company’s quality standards will be distilled and turned into Vodka.

Additionally, a BrewDog Tomorrow Fund will invest £1m annually to support research initiatives that will help the brewing sector improve its impact on the environment and society.

BrewDog’s co-founder James Watt said: “BrewDog may have grown up a bit, but our underdog spirit is as alive as ever. We want to make sure that we’re working to inspire a new kind of business, with sustainability at its core.

“Real change takes time. But just because change doesn’t happen overnight, doesn’t mean it can’t – if not now when? BrewDog Tomorrow is our commitment to continuously raising the bar and setting a new standard for beer and business.”

Brewed responsibly

In 2017, launched a new protest beer against President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement and the lack of focus and political leadership on climate change, with all sale proceeds of the product donated to the climate-awareness charity 10:10.

BrewDog’s Make Earth Great Again beer was produced in response to the US’ withdrawal decision from the Paris Agreement on climate change, with each aspect of the product serving as an acknowledgement to the impacts on climate change.

The company is one of many brewers forging new types of leadership around sustainability and climate change. Yorkshire-based brewer Toast Ale’s rebrand was in response to rapidly growing public awareness around climate change, the firm’s sustainability director has revealed. On a larger scope, Carlsberg is on course to reduce the emissions at all its breweries to zero by 2030.

Heineken-owned cider brand Old Mout unveiled a new partnership with WWF, aimed at uniting young consumers in a drive to protect natural habitats and save endangered species from extinction.

The partnership will see Old Mout air its first-ever TV advert, which features a kiwi bird on a mission to protect other animals’ habitats across the globe, including WWF’s icon, the giant panda. It will also host habitat-related communications campaigns at its “Kiwi Camp” areas at the Isle of Wight and Boardmasters music festivals.

Matt Mace

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