Our current safety, health and environment policy dates back to 2002. It makes safety and environmental management obligatory for all production units, regardless if it concerns a brewery, soft drink plant or malting. Core to the management system is continuous improvement. Through systematic monitoring of relevant performance, operating companies must detect, plan and execute improvements.
Energy
1.1 Climate strategy
Our climate strategy focuses on achieving two main objectives: reducing carbon dioxide emissions and reducing the use and emission of ozone-depleting substances.
CO2 emission reduction
The carbon dioxide emissions are mainly direct emissions from heat generation on our production sites. Also the indirect emissions from the purchase of electricity or heat from external sources play an important role. We are committed to reduce fuel and electricity consumption through our Aware of Energy Program and, consequently to reduce our CO2 emissions. The program is supported by our Energy Policy :
Breweries use refrigerants for the cooling of the beer and for the liquefaction of carbon dioxide that is used during the process. The emissions due to refrigerant losses from our installations, expressed in kg carbon dioxide equivalents, only have a minor effect (1.8 per cent).
Ozone-layer depleting substances
Emissions of ozone-depleting substances to air due to losses from our cooling installations increased slightly from 12.7 tonnes in 2004 to 13.0 tonnes in 2006, corresponding with 1,050 kg R11 equivalents in 2004 and 925 kg R11 equivalents in 2006. The higher losses are among others the result of the bursting of a condenser tube in Kaduna, Nigeria, and the poor condition of the refrigeration plant in Lubumbashi, DR Congo. The lower quantity of R11 equivalents is the result of switching to more environmentally friendly substances.
1.2 Water strategy
Water is an important raw material for our business and used as a utility for cleaning, cooling and heating. Our strategy aims primarily at reducing usage of utility water by carrying out cleaning processes more efficiently and improving heat exchange processes. Our strategy is supported by our water policy :
Water Policy
The breweries which are not compliant with the water limit of 7 hectolitre per hectolitre beer, see Heineken Sustainability Report 2006.
Well water is the primary water source for 41 per cent of our production units, with 51 per cent of the units using water coming from public utilities.
For waste water treatment and effluent discharge (nitrogen), see Eco Care Indicator.
1.3 Co-products and waste
Our strategy regarding waste is to maximise the recycling of our residual materials. Residual materials consist of co-products, waste packaging materials and other industrial waste. In 2004 and in 2006 we recycled 95 per cent (excluding waste water treatment sludge and hazardous waste).
The environmental performance indicator is expressed as the amount of non-recycled industrial waste per hectolitre. This decreased from 1.08 kg per hectolitre in 2005 to 1.01 kg per hectolitre in 2006. The comparison with 2004 is not useful, as this figure is less reliable. The target for 2006 of 1.06 kg per hectoliter was met. The small decrease can, amongst other things, be attributed to the increased recycling of waste and co-products, for example in Ama, Nigeria, Novosibirsk, Russia, and Lezajsk, Poland.
1.4 Eco Care Indicator
In 2005 we introduced the Eco Care Indicator which aggregates about 30 environmental parameters using weighting factors. The results of the Eco Care Indicator are used for internal benchmarking, demonstrating the relative score of our production units on environmental sustainability and showing how their performance can be improved.
Environmental parameters in the Eco Care Indicator are:
- the number of hectolitres under ISO 14000 has decreased from 57 per cent in 2004 to 55 per cent in 2006, as a result of acquisitions;
- emission of acidifying gases:
- NOx reduced from 3,140 tonnes 2004 to 1,770 tonnes in 2006 (more accurate reporting of emissions from electricity generation and internal transport. Also a too high figure was reported by one of the sites in 2004);
- SOx increased from 2,490 tonnes in 2004 to 3,220 tonnes in 2006 (acquisitions and increased production volume);
- ammonia losses increased slightly from 105 tonnes in 2004 to 107 tonnes in 2006 (leakages from installations);
- 24 per cent of our breweries and soft-drink plants discharged untreated waste water in 2004 (25 plants) and in 2006 (30 plants);
- the effluent load discharged to surface water:
- organic load increased from 127 ktonnes COD in 2004 to 140 ktonnes COD in 2006;
- total nitrogen increased 627 tonnes in 2004 to 973 tonnes in 2006;
- total phosphorous increased from 305 tonnes in 2004 to 684 tonnes in 2006.
- in 2006 the waste water treatment plants of Panama City was commissioned;
- in 2006 85 per cent of the brewer’s spent grains was recycled and 64 per cent of the surplus yeast;
- The non-recycled hazardous waste quantity slightly increased from 610 tonnes in 2004 to 780 tonnes in 2006;
- 81 sites (64 per cent) were PCB-free in 2006.
The graph below shows the average Eco Care Indicator scores for the Heineken Group in 2005 and 2006.
2.1 Safety management
On a corporate level safety management is covered by our safety, health & environment policy. Next to this our production units may have a local safety & health policy. In 2006 this is applicable for 72 per cent of our production units.
In the local policies we strive to cover as much as possible the key principles and objectives as laid down by the International Labour Organisation. The majority of the local policies include one or more of these key issues.
50 per cent of our production units has a safety management system in place, being (OHSAS) 18001 or similar. Important elements of a safety management system are the presence of a safety & health committee, and the execution of workplace risk assessments and safety inspections. 66 per cent of our production units has a safety & health committee in place, including workers representatives.
Work place risks assessments are carried out in 48 per cent of our production units in case of modifications or extensions. In the risk assessments special attention is paid to asbestos containing materials, legionella and radio active sources. 38 per cent of our production units carry out workplace safety inspections incidentally, and 55 per cent structurally.
In practice we notice that a lot of accidents involve contractor personnel. 77 per cent of our production units has set site regulations regarding safety and health for contractor personnel. In 34 per cent of the units sanctions are applied in case of non-compliances. In 77 per cent of the units also information is provided to visitors. In 31 percent of the units the visitors receive a copy of the safety instructions.
In our previous Sustainability Report we have reported about the accuracy and effectiveness of our accident reporting systems. Almost all production units (99 per cent) have a procedure for the reporting of accidents. In addition 77 per cent has a procedure for the reporting of incidents, and 38 per cent also reports near misses. 86 per cent of the units performs analysis of accidents. We encourage our production units to analyse incidents and near misses as well: 54 per cent already analyses incidents, and 24 per cent also near misses, individually or by trend.
In terms of registration systems, responsibilities, notification times and the preparation of statistics, there have been no major changes compared with the information provided in our previous report.
2.2 Safety performance
Most accidents occur the bottling hall, about 57 per cent and this will be a focus area to improve our safety performance.
| 
