REfresh Alliance: Beverage Giants Coca-Cola & Heineken Unite

Ten major global beverage companies have come together to establish the REfresh Alliance, a collaborative initiative focused on accelerating the adoption of renewable energy throughout their supply chains. This partnership includes well-known brands like Coca-Cola and Heineken, all committed to addressing the urgent need for decarbonisation in the beverage sector.

Drinks market doubles sustainability efforts

The alliance aims to streamline resources, enhance educational opportunities and reduce barriers to renewable energy, thereby creating a unified pathway toward achieving Net Zero emissions across the industry. Managed by Enel X, a leader in energy solutions, the REfresh Alliance connects participants with renewable energy providers and offers expert guidance to simplify their sustainability efforts.

Additionally, the initiative features a dedicated educational platform designed to equip industry players with the necessary skills and knowledge for implementing renewable energy solutions. By leveraging shared resources, particularly across multiple brands, the alliance can significantly lower costs and minimise energy footprints—achievements that would be challenging for individual companies to realise alone.

Through this collective effort, these beverage companies are poised to expedite renewable energy adoption across their supply chains while contributing to their shared Net Zero targets. This unprecedented collaboration signals a broader trend in the industry towards cooperative action in addressing climate challenges.

These companies are currently part of the REfresh Alliance:

• Bacardi
• Carlsberg Group
• Constellation Brands
• Diageo
• HEINEKEN
• Molson Coors Beverage Company
• Pernod Ricard
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Whyte & Mackay

Beverage companies face a significant hurdle in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions, particularly when it comes to Scope 3 emissions. These indirect emissions, which occur across the supply chain rather than from the company's direct operations, typically constitute around 90% of a beverage company's total carbon footprint. As such, addressing Scope 3 emissions is crucial for achieving Net Zero goals.

However, managing these emissions proves challenging because they often stem from the practices of suppliers and partners, areas that fall outside the direct control of beverage brands. Many suppliers struggle to adopt renewable energy solutions due to various obstacles, including:

• Limited capabilities
• Insufficient resources
• Lack of accessible information on cost-effective options

The REfresh Alliance aims to overcome these challenges by establishing an industry-wide framework. This collaborative approach seeks to dismantle barriers and equip suppliers with the necessary tools and knowledge to transition effectively to renewable energy sources. By doing so, the alliance hopes to make significant strides in reducing Scope 3 emissions and accelerating the beverage industry's progress towards sustainability.

REfresh Alliance to make a difference in the drinks market move to Net Zero

The Alliance has engaged more than 300 suppliers and has facilitated in-depth discussions to outline renewable energy options for these partners.

“We have long recognised the need for industry collaboration to deliver the most impact and to accelerate the transition across our supply chains,” said Ralf Peters, Chief Procurement Officer of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. "I know from my experience across the Coca-Cola system that supporting our supply partners is a key part of our sustainability action – and that encouraging them to transition to renewables is one of the most impactful things we can do to help decarbonise their businesses and to do the same in ours.”

“Scope 3 emissions are one of the biggest challenges that the industry faces in delivering on our Net Zero ambitions,” said Hervé Le Faou, Chief Procurement Officer of Heineken. "We must work together to identify areas of our supply chains where we can pool our resources to accelerate this transition for our suppliers.”

The REfresh Alliance is set to launch its initial operations in Europe and North America, leveraging the well-developed renewable energy infrastructures in these regions to achieve swift progress. As the initiative gains momentum, it plans to broaden its reach globally, welcoming more beverage companies and facilitating access to renewable energy resources for suppliers in emerging markets.

The alliance goes beyond merely linking brands with green energy providers. It has established a proactive educational platform that offers valuable resources, empowering companies with the necessary knowledge and skills to implement renewable energy solutions effectively. This comprehensive approach aims to accelerate the industry-wide transition to sustainable practices and support the collective journey towards net zero emissions.

“The climate crisis is the most pressing issue of our time and the transition to Net Zero is becoming increasingly important," added Jane Liang, Chief Procurement Officer of Diageo. "However, there is only so much we can do as individual businesses. The REfresh Alliance will drive collective action within the industry to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. We are calling on all companies and suppliers within the industry to join us and support the industry in its transition to Net Zero.”

By tackling the Scope 3 emissions across the industry, REfresh Alliance stands to make a measurable difference in the move toward Net Zero.

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