…Marks World Environment Day
International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), a proud member of AB InBev, has commenced the move aimed at reducing plastic pollution in urban and semi-urban environments, while also fostering environmental responsibility among residents.
The company said it is also supporting sustainability through its Kickstart youth entrepreneurship programme, which has funded several startups in the recycling and waste-to-wealth sectors.
Also, the company has supported small-scale circular economy ventures that complement its operational sustainability efforts.
To mark this year’s World Environment Day, it carried out a series of environmental activities across its operational sites in Nigeria.
The activities were conducted under the framework of Africa Sustainability Week, an AB InBev regional initiative designed to drive awareness and coordinated sustainability efforts across the company’s key markets in the continent.
Carlos Coutino, managing director of International Breweries Plc said sustainability is a corporate goal and a way of life for the company.
He added that the brand believes in leaving the environment better, which requires commitment, collaboration, and consistency.
“We are proud to join the world in celebrating this important day by taking real action from restoring land and cleaning our rivers to promoting circularity in packaging,” he said.
Coutino said the company had made circular packaging a key focus of its sustainability strategy.
According to him, over 95 percent of its product portfolio is packaged in returnable glass bottles, a measure aimed at reducing waste and supporting reuse models in line with the company’s circular economy sustainability pillar.
“International Breweries recovered over 200,000 kilogrammes of post-consumer PET and flexible plastic from the environment in 2024 through its partnership with the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA). The effort is part of its compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and broader environmental stewardship goals,” he added.
Temitope Oguntokun, corporate affairs and regulatory director at International Breweries, said the company recognises that its responsibility to the environment extends beyond compliance; it’s about leadership and long-term impact.
“We have set bold 2025 goals to ensure that 100 percent of our product packaging is either returnable or made from predominantly recycled materials. These aren’t just targets, they are part of our core purpose to create a future with more cheers, for people and the planet.
“At each brewery location, the company also engaged with residents and local authorities through sensitisation campaigns. In Lagos, waste sorting demonstrations and plastic recycling talks were held to improve public awareness on how individual behaviours impact the environment,” Oguntokun explained.
Agharese Onaghise, executive director of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, said the collaboration with manufacturers like International Breweries is a demonstration of its collective commitment to beat plastic pollution.
“By supporting community-based recovery and launching collection hubs in places like Osogbo, Mararaba and Nasarawa, we are helping to ensure post-consumer packaging is diverted from waterways and landfills into recycling value chains,” Onaghise said.
Government representatives present at some of the events also acknowledged the impact of the clean-up initiatives. In Rivers State, Alwell Chinedum Okereuku, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environment, commended the efforts of International Breweries and other partners.
“International Breweries’ consistent efforts to tackle plastic pollution have not gone unnoticed. We are proud of this collaboration and will continue to partner to protect our environment. This is not just about stakeholders; it’s about shared ownership of our future,” he said.
