AB InBev is very much aware of the empty beer cans that negligent consumers dump on the streets or in nature. The brewery now addresses this environmental problem on three domains.
Recently, Mooimakers – the waste control initiative by OVAM, Fost Plus and the Flemish local authorities (VVSG) – transformed Jupiler’s ongoing advertising campaigns into a call to throw empty beer cans in the dustbin. It resulted in a striking and admirable joint campaign during a few weeks in the streets of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Hasselt, Ostend and 20 other Flemish cities.
The awareness campaign was just one of the many ways in which AB InBev demonstrates its commitment to awareness-raising. The brewery is even much more committed in its fight against litter, explains Dimitri Van Loock, Jupiler’s marketing manager.
Employees collect litter
“We organize our own clean-up actions amongst colleagues and take part in organized initiatives such as Mooimakers’ and BeWapp’s annual spring cleaning. Through a co-ordinated approach, we call on our employees to roll up their sleeves and get to the streets around their homes or in their region to collect litter. Actions such as this are held annually around World Environment Day. Through internal communication we prepare our employees for that day, so we can maximize their involvement. They really listen to our internal call to participate in those actions. Cross-functional teams emerge, in which people from different departments – up to our senior management – are working together for the same goal.” “This year we counted more than 90 teams in Belgium. This clearly shows that everyone in the company wants to take his responsibility.”
Bottle openers printed from recycled plastic
In addition, AB InBev also used its innovative power in the fight against litter, as was demonstrated last summer on the international dance festival Tomorrowland in Boom. “In collaboration with The One Project we used 3D printers to recycle plastic,” says Dimitri Van Loock.
“With the collected plastic we made unique, colourful Jupiler bottle openers. These bottle openers were printed on site – live in front of the visitors – on 3D printers. As a partner of the festival we also distributed a total of 25,000 recycle kits to the festival-goers. These kits help festival-goers to gather and recycle their own waste. In total, the festival-goers gathered about 20,000 kilograms of waste plastic, metal and drink cartons. Through such projects and awareness raising AB InBev wants to actively contribute to a cleaner future for everyone.”
