Sustainability is at the heart of Damm’s strategy
Various initiatives launched by the company are aimed at reducing its environmental footprint
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Damm reaffirms its commitment to reducing its consumption of natural resources, to using renewable energy and to fostering the reuse and recycling of products in order to minimise the company’s environmental footprint.
Caring for the environment has been part of Damm's DNA since it was founded. The Energy Optimisation Department has launched an ambitious plan to cut down annual CO2 emissions in its production and packing plants, reducing the company’s carbon footprint by more than 2,600 tonnes per year - equivalent to planting more than 1,000 Aleppo pine trees every year.
As a sign of the company's firm commitment to sustainability, during the 2018 financial year Damm invested 4 million euros in developing new actions aimed at improving the environment. The organisation is currently immersed in the implementation of new initiatives which include investigating new sustainable packaging systems, calculating each product’s water footprint, renewing the commercial vehicle fleet and installing more solar panels at production facilities.
Damm also continues to advance towards a circular economy model, promoting the reuse of by-products. 99% of Damm's raw materials are reusable and work is being done to find ways to reincorporate them into the market; measures such as the reuse of bagasse and other by-products of making beer as animal feed. Every year more than 190,000 tonnes of bagasse from Damm’s breweries are used to feed cows on numerous farms.
Recycling and the fight against plastic are priorities
In recent years, Damm has developed different measures aimed at reducing the amount of material in containers and packaging, employing new manufacturing technology and replacing those materials with the greatest environmental impact with more sustainable ones. At present, 51% of Damm’s beer bottles and cans are reusable and 100% are recyclable.
“At Damm we are aware of the key role companies play in fostering efficient environmental management; we work every day to minimise our own environmental impact and, at the same time, promote awareness projects that encourage care for the environment among the general public. An example of this is our campaign for recycling cans; for over 25 years we have had 349 recycling points along the Mediterranean coast, from which we recycle around 500,000 cans every summer,” says Juan Antonio López Abadía, Damm's Director of Energy Optimisation and Environment.
Last April, Estrella Damm began testing the LatCub® system of joining packs of cans together. This biodegradable cardboard packaging is made by Alzamora from 100% natural fibre from sustainably and responsibly managed trees with FSC certification. If successful, the project would mean a reduction of more than 260 tonnes of plastic per year.
Among other measures aimed at eliminating plastic, the replacement of plastic cups with 100% biodegradable cups at events such as sports fixtures and festivals where Estrella Damm participates also stands out. An eco-glass, made with maize and other plant-based raw materials, has been developed. These glasses can be broken down via an industrial composting process and returned to the earth.
