This year´s Sustainable Development Report from Plzeňský Prazdroj is already the fourteenth report of its kind.
We consider it important that the public be informed about all the important aspects of our business. Ensuring such awareness is considered a natural part of our activities.
We behave reasonably and we do not print on paper when it is not necessary. We are sticking to the electronic format again this year – you can read about our activities and future strategy in an attractive online form.
A novelty for the 2019 report is its better structure, and thus a better arrangement. We believe that our Sustainable Development Report will be of interest to professionals, as well as the general public.
Our goal is not only to share our experiences and boast a bit, but we share information about areas of our business which we imagine could be done better. We strive for maximum transparency. Another goal of this report, elaborated in this form, is to increase general awareness of sustainable business and new trends in this area. You will also find a quiz in the report in which you can check how much you know about our responsible approach towards business.
You can find reports from previous years here:
2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
This report provides an overview of the progress Plzeňský Prazdroj achieved in the period between 1 January and 31 December 2019 in relation to the defined targets and strategy of our sustainable development programme.
Our sustainable development programme is complex, covering all strategic areas of our activities from the perspective of their environmental, social and economic impacts.
We identify with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015, and work with them on a continuous basis when creating our long-term company strategy. We believe we can achieve these goals via cooperation with all stakeholders across sectors.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
3.5 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- Responsible marketing communication
- Prevention programmes
- Trainings (internal and external)
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
5.5 Ensure women´s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- Supporting equal working conditions regardless of sex
- Supporting women in the company management. In the past ten years, we have increased the number of women in management from 17 percent to almost double that.
- Supporting flexibility and work-life balance
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the volume of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawal and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water shortages
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- Effective use of water sources and reducing its consumption. More information can be found here.
- Supporting farmers and searching for effective management of water sources. More information can be found here.
- Supporting local communities via the grant programme Radegast lidem (Radegast to the People). More information can be found here.
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj
- We invest in new technologies. In the past 10 years, we have decreased our energy consumption by almost a half and we are continually reducing CO2 values.
- We are increasing the share of green energy and by 2030, our operations in all breweries will be carbon-neutral.
- Our plan by 2025 is to reduce CO2 emissions by a half compared to 2015.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and dignified work for all
8.2 Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and dignified work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- We ensure fair wages for our employees.
- We provide our employees with a safe working environment and have programmes supporting their well-being.
- We support our customers in the development of their business and increase their competitive ability.
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- We support old brewing crafts and cultural heritage.
- We strive for the cooper´s craft to be added to the UNESCO heritage list.
- We breathe new life into old industrial buildings and monuments.
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release into the air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- We take a responsible approach towards business. Sustainable development is an integral part of our business. More information can be found here.
- In the past 10 years, we have invested several billion Crowns into new and sustainable technologies, either in the area of water management, energy management, or packaging. We are introducing the principles of circular economy in the packaging and waste areas. More information can be found here.
- We motivate suppliers of brewing materials to sustainable growing. More information can be found here.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- Together with growers, we are looking for innovative solutions which can be applied directly in hop gardens and fields, and in this way respond to the changing climate. More information can be found here.
- We take care of water sources and use them effectively.
- We are continually reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
17.16 Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Activities of Plzeňský Prazdroj:
- Together with our partners, we look for effective and sustainable solutions across the supply chain.
- We cooperate with the municipalities, cities and regions in which we run our business. We want to be a good neighbour.
- We support non-profit organizations and jointly create projects which improve life in the surroundings of our breweries.
Sources of data
In 2018, we dropped the system used previously for collecting data called the Sustainability Assessment Matrix (SAM). The source of non-financial data for the current period is a new internal reporting system which aggregates data on sustainable development on an annual basis. The system enables complex monitoring of all defined strategic areas of our business. All the data must be checked and approved by the directors of individual sections, who at the same time are members of Plzeňský Prazdroj top management.
Awards
We are delighted that in 2019 we received several significant awards for our efforts in the field of sustainable development.
Stakeholders and dialogue
Correctly set-up processes lead to the achievement of business success and at the same time, contribute to the overall sustainability of our business. We are well aware of this and that is why we focus on thorough mapping of all stakeholders, on their expectations and identification of potential risks which can occur.
Our approach towards this is very responsible as we know that we and our stakeholders influence each other. They contribute to our success in sustainable business and we, via our activities and approach, influence their results and overall satisfaction.
Last but not least, stakeholders are very important for us because it is they who help us see the direction which we should take in the future.
The most important stakeholders of our company include:
We know that a dialogue with stakeholders should take place regularly, and that is why in 2019 we started to implement brand new forms of this dialogue. The basis of our communication are now personal dialogues with approximately thirty of our key stakeholders from the Government, association and unions, regional partners, educational and training institutes and non-profit organizations.
These dialogues led to the creation of an importance matrix which we used for the preparation of our new sustainability strategy and for the identification of key topics.
Ethics and integrity
Transparency and ethics are some of the fundamental values of our company. At Plzeňský Prazdroj, this area is dealt with in detail by the Ethics Commissioner, whose responsibility is to supervise the observance of all internal processes. The ways of implementing ethical principles of the company, investigating and solving suspicions of unethical conduct are defined by the Ethics Committee. The honorary function of the Ombudsman, elected by the employees, represents an independent partner of the Ethics Committee. Investigations into specific cases are carried out by the so-called Ethics Response Team, which also supervises the adoption of remedies. In severe cases of violation of ethical principles, employees can also use the so-called Whistleblowing Line.
In past years, the internal policy concerning ethical conduct was amended so that it reflects the current situation and new challenges of the company. All employees have been familiarized with the policy and attended an e-learning course on this topic.
Monika Matyáštíková