Employee ideas are at the heart of Labatt's environmental stewardship
TORONTO, June 5, 2017 /CNW/ - Today marks the United Nation's World Environment Day and Labatt Breweries of Canada is recognizing the people at the heart of their award-winning environmental efforts – the employees. By giving employees ownership of putting forth improvement ideas and implementing changes, Labatt has made significant achievements in environmental performance that have resulted in being named one of Canada's Greenest Employers three years running.
To date, 55,000 employee ideas have been put forward, with 45,000 ideas implemented since 2001.
"Employee ownership is deeply rooted in our 170 years of brewing. The solutions don't just come top down; they come directly from employees who know their area of the business best. They have the training and insight to make the greatest impact," said Charlie Angelakos, Labatt Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs. "At Labatt, employees are involved in every step of the way, from brainstorming to recommending improvements and implementing the changes necessary to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment."
The company's environmental efforts extend beyond World Environment Day. Environmental stewardship and action at Labatt occurs day in and day out. Through the collective efforts of employees, Labatt has:
Employee Ideas
At Labatt's Edmonton brewery, a brewing employee was convinced there was a better way to handle the annual cleaning of a hot water tank. Prior to its annual cleaning, the entire 1,000 hL of hot water was emptied into the city sewer. After determining the hot water could easily be relocated and stored for use in other processes, the hot water tank now effectively reuses 1,000 hL of hot water instead of sending it to the city's water treatment plant. This best practice has since been adopted at all six of Labatt's breweries.
In London, the brewery relies exclusively on its own cogeneration for electricity during the non-peak summer season, reducing the annual amount of power it takes from the grid. During peak demand summer days, the brewery's powerhouse engineers coordinate with brewing and packaging operators to shut down non-critical processes to reduce overall demand by 1 MW. Last year, the brewery successfully kept its electrical consumption at zero during Ontario's top five periods of peak demand as a result of this employee initiative.
"I've been working on the powerhouse team at the London Brewery for over 9 years and every day I'm inspired and challenged to find ways to improve environmental efficiencies" said Glenn Riggs, Labatt. "As owners of our environmental performance results, we have the power, support and encouragement to change it for the good of the company, but more so, the good of the environment."
About Labatt Breweries of Canada
Celebrating its 170th anniversary in 2017, Labatt Breweries of Canada was founded by John Kinder Labatt in London, Ontario in 1847, and is one of Canada's founding businesses and its leading brewer. The company today has more than 3,000 employees, six breweries, three stand-alone craft brewers, and a portfolio of 60 quality beers, including Budweiser, Alexander Keith's, Labatt Blue, Kokanee, Stella Artois and Corona. Brands also include ready-to-drink beverages such as Palm Bay and Mike's Hard Lemonade. As part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev family, Labatt is committed to Bringing People Together for a Better World, making a positive contribution through multiple programs that support its communities, promote responsible drinking and protect the environment.
SOURCE Labatt Breweries of Canada
Briar Wells, [email protected], 647-968-9295; Dishni Jayasuriya (National), [email protected], 416-342-1827
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