Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is the world’s largest brewer by volume, operating across more than 50 countries with revenues of approximately $59 billion and a portfolio of over 500 beer and beverage brands including Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois, Beck’s, Leffe, and Hoegaarden. Its sustainability framework is structured around five 2025 Goals covering smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging, climate action, and smart drinking. The company published its combined 2024 Annual Report and Sustainability Statements in February 2025, following a full year in which several of its 2025 milestones were either surpassed or completed ahead of deadline.
AB InBev announced its ambition to achieve net zero across the full value chain by 2040 in December 2021, making it one of the first 100 companies globally to have a climate action goal validated by the Science Based Targets initiative at a 1.5-degree pathway. The 2025 Sustainability Goals, launched in 2018, represent the first structured framework for measuring progress toward that ambition. By end of 2024, the company confirmed it had contracted the equivalent of 100% of global purchased electricity from renewable sources, reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42% vs the 2017 baseline, achieved 100% skilled, connected, and financially empowered direct farmers, and reached an 81.2% operational renewable electricity share.
The 2024 results confirm that AB InBev is one of the strongest operational decarbonisers in the global brewing sector on a per-unit basis and has the most structured open innovation model in the industry through the 100+ Accelerator. Three 2025 targets remain at risk of missing the 100% completion threshold: renewable electricity operational coverage, circular packaging, and water stewardship site completion. The post-2025 goal framework and an absolute Scope 3 reduction trajectory remain unconfirmed, which represents the most significant forward-looking disclosure gap.
Key Highlights
- Absolute GHG emissions across Scopes 1 and 2 reduced by 42% vs 2017 baseline, surpassing the 35% target ahead of schedule
- GHG emissions intensity across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 reduced by 29.5% per hectolitre of production vs 2017 baseline, surpassing the 25% intensity target
- Contracted 100% of global purchased electricity volume from renewable sources in 2024; 81.2% operational
- Total GHG 2024: approximately 25.3 billion kg CO2e (Scope 1: 2.49 billion kg; Scope 2: 0.76 billion kg; Scope 3: 20.37 billion kg)
- 100% of direct farmers met the skilled, connected, and financially empowered criteria, completing the Smart Agriculture 2025 Goal
- Water use efficiency ratio: 2.47 hl per hl in 2024, a 20% improvement vs the 2017 baseline
- 89% of sites in scope for the 2025 Water Stewardship Goal seeing measurable improvement in watershed health
- 89.8% of products in packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content in 2024 vs 77.5% in 2023
- 99% of packaging recyclable by design; average 98% recycling rate across breweries globally
- 36 net zero lighthouse projects implemented globally by end of 2023, with further expansion in 2024
- 54% of products are lower alcohol (4.5% ABV or below); 28 no-alcohol beer brands across portfolio
- One of the world’s largest no-alcohol beer producers, holding approximately 20% global market share in the no-alcohol beer category
- Over $1 billion invested in responsible drinking programmes globally since 2016
- 100+ Accelerator: 70-plus companies accelerated in 20-plus countries; over $300 million raised by participating startups
- Five net zero brewery operations underway in Europe; Magor and Samlesbury (UK) targeting net zero operations by 2026
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions per hectolitre of production: 4.48 kg CO2e per hl in the first nine months of 2024, an improvement of 46% vs the 2017 baseline
Source
https://www.ab-inbev.com/news-media/news-stories/ab-in-bev-2024-annual-report
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://www.climateaction.org/news/ab-inbev-aim-to-reach-net-zero-by-2040-across-value-chain
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
Sustainability Strategy and Goals
AB InBev’s sustainability strategy is organised around its 2025 Sustainability Goals, established in 2018 across five pillars: smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular packaging, climate action, and smart drinking. The framework aligns with the UN SDGs and is backed by an SBTi-validated near-term target consistent with a 1.5-degree pathway and the 2040 net zero ambition. The 100+ Accelerator, launched alongside the goals, functions as the company’s open innovation arm, identifying and scaling startups that deliver solutions across all five sustainability pillars.
The strategy treats agriculture and water as structurally integrated with climate, given that agricultural supply chains account for the largest share of Scope 3 emissions and water is both a core ingredient in brewing and a shared community resource in all operating regions. Post-2025, the company has signalled transition to a new goal framework aligned with the 2040 net zero pathway, though specific successor targets covering the 2026 to 2030 period had not been published at the time of the 2024 Annual Report.
Net Zero and Carbon Emissions
AB InBev targets net zero across the full value chain by 2040, validated by SBTi in alignment with the 1.5-degree pathway. Two interim 2025 targets were set: a 35% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions vs 2017, and a 25% GHG intensity reduction across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 per hectolitre of production vs 2017. Both were surpassed ahead of the 2025 deadline.
- Scope 1 and 2 absolute reduction: 42% vs 2017 in FY2024; 44% confirmed by end of 2023, showing acceleration then slight recalibration due to operational scope changes
- GHG intensity (Scopes 1, 2, and 3): 29.5% reduction per hectolitre vs 2017, surpassing the 25% target
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions per hectolitre of production: 4.48 kg CO2e per hl in 9M 2024, a 46% improvement vs the 2017 baseline
- Total GHG 2024: approximately 25.3 billion kg CO2e (Scope 1: 2.49B, Scope 2: 0.76B, Scope 3: 20.37B)
- Renewable electricity: contracted 100% of global purchased electricity from renewable sources in 2024; 81.2% operational
- Carbon neutral breweries: Wuhan (China) and Ponta Grossa (Brazil); first carbon neutral malthouse in Brazil
- European net zero brewery roadmap: Magor and Samlesbury (UK) targeting net zero operations by 2026; Leuven, Jupille (Belgium) and Bremen (Germany) by 2028; combined reduction of approximately 110,740 tonnes CO2 per year
- 36 net zero lighthouse projects implemented globally through 2023; further expansion in 2024
- Good Operating Practices (GOPs) applied to malthouses and milling processes, generating an estimated additional 150,000 tonnes CO2e reduction in own operations
- Green hydrogen station installed at Magor, UK, as a proof-of-concept for low-carbon logistics
Water Stewardship
AB InBev’s 2025 Water Stewardship Goal commits to measurable improvement in water availability and quality for 100% of communities in high water-stress areas where the company operates. The programme operates at watershed level, engaging local communities, governments, NGOs, and stakeholders beyond the brewery perimeter. The company’s water footprinting methodology was pioneered in partnership with WWF since 2009, originally via SABMiller, and now underpins site-level risk assessment across the entire AB InBev global brewery network.
- Water use efficiency ratio: 2.47 hl per hl in 2024, a 20% improvement vs the 2017 baseline
- 89% of sites in scope for the 2025 Water Stewardship Goal seeing measurable improvement in watershed health in 2024, up from 56% in 2023
- 17.9% total water efficiency improvement across all operations since 2017
- WWF Phase 3 partnership (2022 to 2025) active across five African watershed landscapes: South Africa (Cape Town and Outeniqua), Uganda (River Rwizi), Mozambique (Incomati and Umbeluzi basins), Zambia (lower Kafue sub-basin), and Tanzania (Dar es Salaam watershed)
- South Africa: removal of invasive trees from over 1,600 hectares; water yield improvement benefiting over 10 billion litres for local farmers and communities
- Uganda: 18.3 hectares of River Rwizi under active restoration; 1,076 households undertaking land management improvements; 9 rainwater harvesting systems installed for 95 households
- Mozambique: 1,017 hectares of the Umbeluzi River basin under restoration; benefits to downstream communities and Nampula brewery water security
Smart Agriculture
AB InBev’s Smart Agriculture programme covers over 20,000 farmers across 13 countries producing six priority crops: barley, hops, rice, maize, sorghum, and cassava. The farmer empowerment model operates on three criteria: skilled (access to crop varieties, training, and agronomist support), connected (technology tools and market linkages), and financially empowered (access to appropriate financial instruments and insurance).
- 100% of direct farmers met all three criteria in 2024, completing the Smart Agriculture 2025 Goal one year ahead of the deadline
- Progress trajectory: 95% skilled, 92% connected, and 86% financially empowered in 2023, accelerating to 100% across all three criteria in 2024
- SmartBarley digital platform: satellite-linked and field-data-driven crop analytics supporting approximately 4,000 farmers in India
- Agricultural decarbonisation pilots underway to integrate farm-level regenerative practices into Scope 3 reduction, forming the foundation of the post-2025 agricultural goal framework
- Six priority crops selected on the basis of supply chain volume, water use intensity, and carbon reduction potential for the overall Scope 3 trajectory
Deforestation and Biodiversity
AB InBev’s approach to deforestation is embedded in its water stewardship and smart agriculture programmes rather than as a standalone commitment. Nature-based solutions including reforestation, invasive species removal, and wetland restoration are deployed across watershed partnership sites in Africa as a dual-purpose intervention addressing both water security and biodiversity.
- Nature-based solutions active in five African countries: South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania, covering watershed restoration, native vegetation recovery, and community land management
- Invasive alien plant removal in South Africa’s Outeniqua Mountains reduced the projected 45% run-off reduction forecast without intervention, protecting water supply for Cape Town and the hops farming catchment
- 100+ Accelerator has supported startups focused on biodiversity-positive agricultural inputs and sustainable land use in brewing supply chains
- Regenerative agriculture pilots across the direct farmer network are being designed to incorporate soil carbon sequestration and biodiversity metrics as part of the post-2025 goal structure
Packaging and Circular Economy
AB InBev’s 2025 Circular Packaging Goal commits to 100% of products in packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content. By end of 2024, 89.8% of products had met this criterion, up from 77.5% in 2023, leaving a 10.2-percentage-point gap with the 2025 deadline. The company operates one of the world’s largest returnable glass bottle systems, with returnable formats historically generating 8 times fewer carbon emissions than one-way glass bottles.
- 89.8% of products in returnable or majority recycled content packaging in 2024 vs 77.5% in 2023
- 99% of packaging recyclable by design; average 98% recycling rate across breweries globally
- Recycled content in primary packaging: 59.1% in cans, 42.3% in glass, 22.8% in PET
- 146,000 metric tonnes of packaging material removed globally since 2012, exceeding the 100,000-tonne reduction target
- STRAW_LIFE EU project active: targets packaging circularity transformation in European markets through improved collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure
- 100+ Accelerator circular economy cohort focused on new packaging systems, glass collection and recycling, and circular supply chain infrastructure
- Over 1,000 tonnes of glass waste collected through startup partnerships as part of the closed-loop packaging programme
Human Rights and Responsible Sourcing
AB InBev’s Human Rights framework is governed by its Global Human Rights Policy aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the UN Global Compact, and the Women’s Empowerment Principles. A cross-functional Human Rights Steering Committee provides strategic direction, and Compliance Committees in each operating zone are chaired by Zone Presidents.
- Policies in place covering anti-harassment, anti-discrimination, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, and whistleblower protection
- Board-level Audit Committee provides oversight of human rights compliance and risk management
- Signatory to the UN Global Compact and Women’s Empowerment Principles
- Board gender compliance maintained since April 2019 with three women serving as board directors
- Global Parental Policy and Domestic Violence Leave Policy in place as part of the social safety framework
- Supplier code of conduct embedded in procurement; human rights due diligence requirements extend through the direct supplier base
Nutrition and Health
AB InBev holds approximately 20% global market share in the no-alcohol beer category and has invested over $1 billion in Smart Drinking programmes since 2016. The Smart Drinking programme is the company’s most developed social sustainability pillar, with evidence-based impact across road safety, responsible beverage service training, screening and brief intervention, and social norms marketing campaigns.
- 54% of all AB InBev products are lower alcohol (4.5% ABV or below), the majority of which are beer
- 28 no-alcohol beer brands across the portfolio; approximately 20% global no-alcohol beer market share
- Over $1 billion invested in responsible drinking programmes globally since 2016
- $900 million invested in social norms marketing campaigns promoting moderation since 2016
- 140 million people reached with smart drinking messages in 2023
- 12% decrease in self-reported binge-drinking episodes in participating markets as of 2023
- Corona Cero launched in India in February 2026, targeting the fast-growing non-alcohol segment which grew approximately 25% in the market last year
- Health-First Brew Lab R&D hub launched in 2024 for low-calorie and functional beer development
Community and Social Impact
AB InBev’s community investment is delivered through the Smart Drinking programme, the 100+ Accelerator’s inclusive growth pillar, and the WWF water partnership work across five African watershed landscapes. The company partners with UNITAR on road safety, female entrepreneurship support, and responsible water use in local communities.
- UNITAR partnership renewed in 2022 and expanded to include female entrepreneur support programmes and responsible drinking advocacy
- Uganda River Rwizi: 1,076 households supported with land management livelihoods; 9 rainwater systems installed for 95 households
- Mozambique Umbeluzi basin: 1,017 hectares under active restoration, benefiting downstream farming communities and urban water users
- 100+ Accelerator inclusive growth pillar supports startups delivering agricultural traceability, insurance, and financial access for smallholder farmers
- South Africa: over 10 billion litres of water benefit delivered to farming and local communities through invasive species removal
Governance and Transparency
AB InBev received CDP Leadership Level recognition for corporate transparency and performance on climate change. The company reports against the GHG Protocol, SBTi methodology, and UN SDG disclosure standards, with sustainability data published as Sustainability Statements embedded within the combined Annual Report.
- Audit Committee provides board-level oversight of sustainability, human rights compliance, and ESG risk management
- ESG performance linked to executive compensation and incentive structures for Zone Presidents
- SBTi-validated targets cover Scope 1 and 2 absolute reduction, value chain intensity reduction, and the 2040 net zero ambition
- Sustainability Statements published annually within the combined financial and ESG Annual Report; no standalone ESG report is published, limiting data appendix depth relative to peers
Technology and Innovation
AB InBev’s 100+ Accelerator is the most institutionally structured open innovation programme in the global brewing sector. Launched in 2018 as a multi-corporate venture with The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive, and Unilever as co-funders, it operates across four cohorts and combines corporate sustainability problem statements with startup-led solutions.
- Green hydrogen logistics: first green hydrogen station installed at Magor, UK, as a proof-of-concept for low-carbon distribution and depot operations
- Carbon neutral brewery model: Wuhan (China) and Ponta Grossa (Brazil) certified carbon neutral; first carbon neutral malthouse in Brazil
- Solar thermal systems installed at breweries via 100+ Accelerator startup partnership, providing low-carbon thermal energy for brewing processes traditionally powered by fossil fuel boilers
- EV battery repurposing for energy storage: recycled electric vehicle batteries deployed to store renewable electricity at brewing facilities, addressing on-site solar and wind energy intermittency
- SmartBarley digital platform: satellite-linked crop analytics supporting approximately 4,000 farmers in India with agronomist guidance and productivity data
- STRAW_LIFE EU project: circular packaging infrastructure transformation targeting European collection, sorting, and recycling improvement
- Grain upcycling: spent brewing grain diverted to produce nutritious ingredients, reducing both food waste and upstream agricultural emission intensity
- Green cleaning solutions: water and energy-efficient protocols developed via 100+ Accelerator and rolled out globally across brewery operations, contributing to the 17.9% water efficiency improvement
- Glass collection programme: over 1,000 tonnes of glass waste collected through startup partnerships as part of the closed-loop packaging programme
Global Partnerships and Advocacy
AB InBev’s partnership model spans four institutions: WWF (water stewardship), UNITAR (community safety, female entrepreneurship, and responsible drinking), SBTi (climate target validation), and the 100+ Accelerator consortium of corporate co-investors.
- 100+ Accelerator consortium: co-funded by The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive, and Unilever; 100+ Europe Labs added in partnership with Siemens, Bain and Company, Colruyt Group, and Ball Corporation
- WWF partnership active since 2009 (originally with SABMiller); Phase 3 (2022 to 2025) covering five African watershed landscapes in South Africa, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania
- UNITAR partnership covers road safety, female entrepreneurship, sustainable water use, and responsible consumption advocacy
- International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) member; active in Decide to Ride and global anti-drunk driving coalitions
- SBTi membership: one of the first 100 companies globally to have a 1.5-degree pathway climate goal validated
Source
https://www.ab-inbev.com/climate
https://www.ab-inbev.com/agriculture
https://www.ab-inbev.com/circular-packaging
https://www.ab-inbev.com/water
https://www.ab-inbev.com/smart-drinking
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://www.scribd.com/document/918542270/AB-InBev-2024-Annual-Report-FINAL-Interactive
https://www.scribd.com/document/779941793/wwfabinbev-water-partnership-report-2024-lkitv3
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/new-ambition-to-achieve-net-zero-by-2040/
https://www.climateaction.org/news/ab-inbev-aim-to-reach-net-zero-by-2040-across-value-chain
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Human%20Rigths%20Pillars_June%202022.pdf
https://www.archyde.com/ab-inbevs-1-b-smart-drinking-initiative-shows-decade-long-progress-toward-global-health-innovation-and-sustainability
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/ab-inbev-opens-applications-for-100-accelerator-incubator-program-and-announces-new-european-partners
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Net%20Zero%20Executive%20Summary_FINAL%2012pm.pdf
https://www.ab-inbev.com/news-media/news-stories/more-ways-to-celebrate-ab-in-bev-championing-no-alcohol-beer-and-moderation-during-paris-olympics
https://bwretailworld.com/food-beverage/ab-inbev-india-strengthens-non-alcohol-portfolio-with-corona-cero
Progress vs. Target Tracker
Source
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241030139581/en/AB-InBev-Reports-Third-Quarter-2024-Results
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://www.ab-inbev.com/circular-packaging
https://www.ibr-ire.be/docs/default-source/bas-documents/reports/2024/ab-inbev_eng.pdf
Key Sustainability Innovations and Technologies
AB InBev’s sustainability technology portfolio is the most institutionally structured in the global brewing sector, anchored by the 100+ Accelerator and complemented by direct manufacturing innovation at lighthouse sites. The programme operates as a corporate venture model, combining AB InBev’s sustainability problem statements with startup solutions, and has generated long-term supply chain contracts for more than half of companies in its first two cohorts.
- 100+ Accelerator programme: launched 2018 with The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive, and Unilever as co-funders; four cohorts completed across 20-plus countries; 70-plus companies accelerated; over $300 million raised by participating startups; 100+ Europe Labs added in partnership with Siemens, Bain and Company, Colruyt Group, and Ball Corporation
- Green hydrogen logistics: first green hydrogen station installed at Magor, UK; proof-of-concept for decarbonising last-mile and depot distribution across the European brewery network
- Carbon neutral brewery model: Wuhan (China) and Ponta Grossa (Brazil) certified carbon neutral through a combination of renewable energy, on-site generation, and verified offsets; first carbon neutral malthouse in Brazil completed in the same programme
- European net zero brewery roadmap: Magor and Samlesbury (UK) targeting net zero operations by 2026; Leuven and Jupille (Belgium) and Bremen (Germany) by 2028; combined annual CO2 reduction of approximately 110,740 tonnes, equivalent to emissions of approximately 35,000 cars
- Good Operating Practices (GOPs): structured energy efficiency protocols applied across malthouses and milling processes, generating an estimated additional 150,000 tonnes CO2e reduction in own operations
- Solar thermal systems at breweries: installed via 100+ Accelerator startup partnership; provides low-carbon thermal energy for brewing processes traditionally reliant on fossil fuel boilers
- EV battery repurposing for energy storage: recycled electric vehicle batteries deployed to store renewable electricity at brewing facilities, addressing intermittency in on-site solar and wind generation
- SmartBarley digital platform: satellite-linked and field-data-driven crop analytics supporting approximately 4,000 farmers in India; combines agronomist guidance with digital productivity and sustainability monitoring tools
- STRAW_LIFE EU project: targets circular packaging transformation in European markets through improved collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure; directly supports progress toward the 100% returnable or recycled-content packaging target
- Water footprinting methodology (WWF partnership): pioneered with WWF since 2009 via SABMiller; standard methodology now used for site-level water risk assessment, watershed health measurement, and the company’s water stewardship goal verification across all AB InBev markets
- Grain upcycling programme: spent brewing grain diverted to produce nutritious food ingredients; reduces both post-production food waste and upstream agricultural emission intensity per unit of beer produced
- Green cleaning solutions: water and energy-efficient cleaning and disinfection protocols developed via 100+ Accelerator partnerships and rolled out globally, directly contributing to the 17.9% water use efficiency improvement since 2017
- Glass collection infrastructure: over 1,000 tonnes of glass waste collected through startup partnerships as part of the closed-loop packaging programme supporting the circular packaging goal
Source
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/ab-inbev-opens-applications-for-100-accelerator-incubator-program-and-announces-new-european-partners
https://fundsforcompanies.fundsforngos.org/awards-and-prizes/100-accelerators-circular-economy-apply-now/
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/new-ambition-to-achieve-net-zero-by-2040/
https://ab-inbev.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LIFE-STRAW_Layman-Report-March-2024.pdf
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Net%20Zero%20Executive%20Summary_FINAL%2012pm.pdf
https://www.ab-inbev.com/agriculture
https://www.scribd.com/document/779941793/wwfabinbev-water-partnership-report-2024-lkitv3
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241030139581/en/AB-InBev-Reports-Third-Quarter-2024-Results
Measurable Impacts
AB InBev’s 2024 sustainability disclosures provide multi-year data against the 2017 baseline used for all SBTi-aligned targets. The most significant improvements are in operational decarbonisation and agricultural programme delivery, where multiple 2025 milestones have been exceeded ahead of schedule. Three targets, renewable electricity operational coverage, water stewardship site completion, and circular packaging, remain below 100% with the 2025 deadline approaching.
- Scope 1 and 2 absolute: 42% reduction in FY2024 vs 2017; 44% confirmed at end of 2023
- GHG intensity (Scopes 1, 2, and 3): 29.5% reduction per hectolitre vs 2017, surpassing the 25% target
- Scope 1 and 2 per hectolitre: 4.48 kg CO2e per hl in 9M 2024, a 46% intensity improvement vs 2017
- Total GHG 2024: approximately 25.3 billion kg CO2e (Scope 1: 2.49B; Scope 2: 0.76B; Scope 3: 20.37B)
- Renewable electricity: contracted 100%; 81.2% operational in 2024
- Water efficiency: 2.47 hl per hl in 2024, 20% improvement vs 2017
- Total water efficiency improvement across operations: 17.9% since 2017
- Water stewardship: 89% of in-scope sites seeing measurable watershed improvement in 2024, up from 56% in 2023
- Smart Agriculture: 100% of direct farmers skilled, connected, and financially empowered in 2024
- Circular packaging: 89.8% of products in returnable or majority recycled content packaging in 2024 vs 77.5% in 2023
- Packaging recyclable by design: 99%; average brewery recycling rate: 98%
- Packaging material removed: 146,000 metric tonnes since 2012, exceeding the 100,000-tonne target
- Smart drinking: over $1 billion invested since 2016; 140 million people reached with messaging in 2023
- No-alcohol portfolio: 28 brands; approximately 20% global no-alcohol beer market share; 54% of products at 4.5% ABV or below
- 100+ Accelerator: 70-plus companies in 20-plus countries; over $300 million raised by startups
Source
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://www.ibr-ire.be/docs/default-source/bas-documents/reports/2024/ab-inbev_eng.pdf
https://www.scribd.com/document/918542270/AB-InBev-2024-Annual-Report-FINAL-Interactive
https://www.archyde.com/ab-inbevs-1-b-smart-drinking-initiative-shows-decade-long-progress-toward-global-health-innovation-and-sustainability
https://www.scribd.com/document/468167252/Doc3-docx
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
Renewable electricity operational coverage at 81.2% is the most quantifiable near-term risk to 2025 goal completion. The gap between 100% contracted and 81.2% operational reflects the lag between Power Purchase Agreement signing and actual grid delivery, which depends on renewable energy project completion timelines in individual markets that are outside AB InBev’s direct control. Closing the remaining 18.8-percentage-point operational gap by end of 2025 will require on-time delivery of contracted capacity across multiple markets simultaneously.
Circular packaging at 89.8% leaves a 10.2-percentage-point gap against the 100% target. The outstanding gap is concentrated in packaging formats that use non-majority recycled content and are not in returnable systems, primarily in markets where collection and sorting infrastructure is absent or fragmented. Water stewardship goal completion at 89% of in-scope sites also shows a final-mile challenge: the remaining 11% represent the most complex hydrological and socioeconomic watershed contexts across the five African landscape partnerships.
Scope 3 absolute emissions of 20.37 billion kg CO2e are the defining challenge for the 2040 net zero commitment. The 29.5% intensity reduction per hectolitre is the primary published metric, but intensity-based progress does not guarantee absolute reduction if volume grows. AB InBev has not published a confirmed absolute Scope 3 baseline trajectory to 2040, making independent verification of the net zero pathway difficult. The absence of a standalone ESG report with full data appendices also limits comparability with HEINEKEN and Carlsberg, both of which publish dedicated ESG disclosures.
- Renewable electricity operational: 81.2% vs 100% target by 2025
- Circular packaging: 89.8% vs 100% target by 2025
- Water stewardship: 89% of in-scope sites vs 100% target by 2025
- Scope 3 absolute reduction: not confirmed; total remains at 20.37 billion kg CO2e without published absolute trajectory to 2040
- Post-2025 goal framework: successor targets for 2026 to 2030 not published in the 2024 Annual Report, creating a disclosure gap
- No standalone ESG report: sustainability data embedded in the Annual Report rather than a dedicated document, limiting data appendix depth and peer comparability
- Scope 3 FLAG agricultural emissions: no separate FLAG disclosure published, making it impossible to independently verify the agricultural component of the 2040 net zero pathway
- Absolute Scope 3 baseline: no multi-year absolute Scope 3 reduction series published against the 2017 baseline, unlike HEINEKEN which publishes both intensity and absolute data
Source
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://www.scribd.com/document/918542270/AB-InBev-2024-Annual-Report-FINAL-Interactive
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://tracenable.com/company/anheuser-busch-inbev/climate-targets
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Net%20Zero%20Executive%20Summary_FINAL%2012pm.pdf
Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
AB InBev’s 2040 net zero commitment is the organising ambition for all post-2025 sustainability planning. The company has indicated it will develop successor targets aligned with the 2040 pathway, likely covering Scope 3 absolute reductions, regenerative agriculture at scale, expanded circular economy infrastructure, and an expanded LONO portfolio.
The European net zero brewery roadmap provides the clearest forward-looking milestone structure: Magor and Samlesbury (UK) to reach net zero operations by 2026 and Leuven, Jupille, and Bremen to follow by 2028, delivering a combined 110,740 tonnes of annual CO2 reduction. The WWF Phase 3 water partnership (2022 to 2025) is designed to consolidate watershed restoration outcomes in five African countries and establish a replicable model for other regions and industries.
- 100% operational renewable electricity to be achieved by end of 2025 through delivery of contracted PPAs and on-site generation projects currently in the pipeline
- 100% products in returnable or majority recycled content packaging by end of 2025 requires closing the 10.2-percentage-point gap through market-level infrastructure acceleration
- Post-2025 goal framework publication expected to align with the SBTi updated corporate net zero standard and cover the 2026 to 2030 interim period
- Regenerative agriculture pilots to scale across the direct farmer network post-2025, addressing Scope 3 agricultural FLAG emissions as part of the 2040 net zero pathway
- LONO portfolio expansion planned across all major markets; Corona Cero rollout into India in 2026 is an early indicator of market-by-market expansion pace
- Water stewardship partnerships in Africa entering a potential Phase 4 after 2025, extending landscape restoration to additional regions and market contexts
- 100+ Accelerator is expected to launch new cohorts post-2025 focused on circular economy scale-up and agricultural decarbonisation innovations
Source
https://www.ab-inbev.com/climate
https://www.ab-inbev.com/circular-packaging
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/new-ambition-to-achieve-net-zero-by-2040/
https://www.scribd.com/document/779941793/wwfabinbev-water-partnership-report-2024-lkitv3
https://www.archyde.com/ab-inbevs-1-b-smart-drinking-initiative-shows-decade-long-progress-toward-global-health-innovation-and-sustainability
https://bwretailworld.com/food-beverage/ab-inbev-india-strengthens-non-alcohol-portfolio-with-corona-cero
Comparisons to Industry Competitors
AB InBev, HEINEKEN, and Carlsberg all target net zero by 2040 and hold SBTi-validated commitments. Key differences lie in baseline year choice, absolute vs intensity-based measurement, renewable electricity operational pace, packaging circularity depth, and innovation programme maturity.
Carlsberg leads all three on operational renewable electricity at 90%, versus AB InBev’s 81.2% and HEINEKEN’s 84%. AB InBev’s absolute Scope 1 and 2 reduction of 42% vs a 2017 baseline is the highest of the three in percentage terms, though the longer baseline period of seven years compared to HEINEKEN’s two years makes direct pace comparison misleading. AB InBev’s total carbon footprint of 25.3 billion kg CO2e is substantially larger than HEINEKEN’s 15.9 million tonnes, reflecting both scale difference and greater Scope 3 agricultural exposure. The 100+ Accelerator remains AB InBev’s most distinctive structural differentiator in the sector, with no direct equivalent in programme scale, external capital raised, or corporate co-investment structure at either HEINEKEN or Carlsberg.
Source
https://www.coolset.com/ranking-the-beers-esg
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://esgnews.com/heineken-reaches-84-renewable-electricity-in-2024-cuts-scope-1-2-emissions-by-34/
https://esgnews.com/carlsberg-raises-climate-ambition-with-updated-brewing-tomorrow-esg-programme/
https://www.carlsberggroup.com/newsroom/carlsberg-group-delivers-significant-esg-progress-in-2025/
https://carboncredits.com/carlsberg-beer-net-zero-emissions-2040/
What to Watch: 12 to 18 Month Indicators
Three signals will define whether AB InBev’s sustainability standing strengthens or weakens between mid-2026 and end-2027.
First, 2025 Goal completion and post-2025 target publication. The 2025 Annual Report, due in early 2026, will formally assess all five goals against their 100% completion thresholds. Three goals have already been achieved or surpassed: Smart Agriculture (100%), the Scope 1 and 2 absolute reduction (42% vs 35% target), and the GHG intensity target (29.5% vs 25% target). The three remaining goals at risk are renewable electricity operational coverage (81.2% vs 100%), circular packaging (89.8% vs 100%), and water stewardship (89% of sites vs 100%). How the company frames partial completion of these three, and whether it simultaneously publishes a credible post-2025 goal framework for 2026 to 2030 with specific targets, will be the single most important governance signal of the reporting year. A company that closes four out of five 2025 goals without publishing successor commitments faces a credibility gap in its 2040 net zero narrative.
Second, Scope 3 absolute reduction disclosure. The 2040 net zero commitment requires absolute Scope 3 reduction, but the primary published metric has been intensity-based at 29.5% per hectolitre. The 20.37 billion kg CO2e Scope 3 figure needs a multi-year absolute trajectory against the 2017 baseline to independently assess whether the 2040 target is achievable at current volume growth rates. Watch for the 2025 and 2026 Annual Reports to confirm whether absolute Scope 3 baseline and trajectory data is disclosed, and whether it is consistent with a credible 1.5-degree-aligned 2040 pathway.
Third, 100+ Accelerator impact evidence at scale. The programme has accelerated 70-plus startups and raised $300 million in external capital, but the sustainability impact of individual solutions deployed across AB InBev’s global brewery network has not been separately quantified in the Annual Report. In the 12 to 18 month window, watch for evidence that specific 100+ Accelerator innovations, particularly in circular packaging infrastructure, water efficiency, and renewable thermal energy, have been adopted at more than five sites with measurable outcome data. Without that evidence, the Accelerator’s contribution to the five 2025 Goals and the 2040 net zero pathway remains difficult to independently verify.
Source
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://www.scribd.com/document/918542270/AB-InBev-2024-Annual-Report-FINAL-Interactive
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Net%20Zero%20Executive%20Summary_FINAL%2012pm.pdf
AB InBev has delivered genuine, measurable progress on the targets it controls most directly: Scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions down 42% vs 2017, GHG intensity across all scopes down 29.5% per hectolitre, 100% of direct farmers skilled, connected, and financially empowered, water efficiency improved 20% vs 2017, and 146,000 tonnes of packaging material removed since 2012 against a 100,000-tonne target. These are multi-year compound results that reflect consistent operational execution, not one-year improvements. The $1 billion-plus Smart Drinking investment and approximately 20% global no-alcohol market share position AB InBev ahead of any peer in the sector on responsible consumption infrastructure.
The unresolved challenges are structural rather than operational. Scope 3 absolute emissions at 20.37 billion kg CO2e have no published absolute reduction trajectory to 2040. Intensity-based progress, while meaningful, does not confirm net zero compatibility without volume growth factored in. The absence of a post-2025 goal framework in the 2024 Annual Report means that the period from 2026 to 2030 currently has no formal accountability structure between the expiring 2025 Goals and the 2040 ambition. That is a six-year accountability gap in a decade that the SBTi identifies as the most critical for locking in emissions trajectories.
Three strategic takeaways for practitioners benchmarking or replicating this approach:
- The 100+ Accelerator model is the most replicable structural innovation in corporate sustainability programme design. Combining corporate problem statements with startup capital allocation, co-investor cost-sharing, and long-term supply chain contracts as the commercial incentive for startups creates a flywheel that procurement-only or internal R&D models cannot replicate at the same pace or breadth. Practitioners looking to scale innovation should examine the co-corporate model rather than building single-company accelerators.
- Intensity-based GHG metrics are necessary but not sufficient for net zero credibility. AB InBev’s 29.5% intensity reduction per hectolitre is an impressive operational achievement. It is also the metric most exposed to volume-growth dilution. Practitioners and ESG analysts benchmarking corporate net zero commitments should require absolute Scope 3 trajectories alongside intensity data before treating any value chain claim as aligned with a 1.5-degree pathway.
- Goal framework continuity is a governance discipline. The gap between the expiry of the 2025 Goals and the 2040 ambition, with no confirmed 2026 to 2030 successor framework, is a disclosure risk that will attract increasing scrutiny under CSRD-aligned standards and investor stewardship expectations. Companies that allow accountability gaps between goal cycles signal that the sustainability programme is organised around marketing cycles rather than science-based transition planning.
Source
https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/14280953/ab-inbev-reports-full-year-and-fourth-quarter-2024-results
https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/Net%20Zero%20Executive%20Summary_FINAL%2012pm.pdf
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/ab-inbev
https://ab-inbev.eu/news/ab-inbev-opens-applications-for-100-accelerator-incubator-program-and-announces-new-european-partners
https://www.scribd.com/document/918542270/AB-InBev-2024-Annual-Report-FINAL-Interactive
