Royal Swinkels 'Sustainable Brewery of the Year' for third consecutive year

“Not once, not twice, but three times in a row we’ve been named the world’s most sustainable brewery. It is a fantastic recognition of the efforts of all our colleagues, with whom we’re making a difference together,” says Peer Swinkels, CEO of Royal Swinkels. “As a family business, we want to pass on a smarter, healthier, and more sustainable company to future generations. Circularity and sustainability are not just buzzwords for us, they are embedded in every decision we make. From reusing wastewater by farmers to designing breweries and malthouses that no longer need a drop of fossil fuel. That an international jury sees and appreciates this again is a wonderful confirmation of our vision and efforts in this area.”

Toward more sustainable beer
Royal Swinkels aims to operate fully net zero across its entire value chain by 2050. The company’s climate goals have been validated and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), helping to reduce CO₂ emissions step by step. The brewer and maltster continuously works to reduce its ecological footprint through circular innovations and by cutting CO₂ emissions in production processes. This year, new steps were taken, including the realization of a hot water buffer in Lieshout at Bavaria Brewery and an electric boiler at Habesha in Ethiopia.

These steps are part of Swinkels’ energy transition plan, through which the brewery and malthouse in Lieshout aims to fully switch from gas to electricity. This transition serves as a blueprint for other production sites and is a major step toward CO₂-free production for current and future generations.

Circularity as part of the transition
A key component of Royal Swinkels’ sustainability ambitions is circular entrepreneurship, which is deeply embedded in its operations. Progress in circularity is measured using the company’s own Swinkels Circularity Index (SCI), a tool that provides insight into how circular the operations are. Last year, the SCI score rose from 61% in 2023 to 64% in 2024. This continued increase reflects ongoing efforts to make business processes more sustainable - from sourcing materials like packaging and agricultural raw materials, to reducing energy and water use in production, and high-quality reuse of residual streams and materials.

A concrete example of circular water use is the Boer Bier Water project, where purified wastewater from the brewery is returned to local farmers in both Lieshout and Ethiopia. This helps maintain groundwater levels and keeps soil and groundwater healthy.

About Icons of Beer
The Icons of Beer, part of the World Beer Awards, is an annual recognition for breweries that make a significant impact on the beer industry. The jury evaluates breweries based on innovation and their commitment to sustainability.