CSR in Supply Chains of Brewing Industry - Technology Management for Sustainable Production and Logistics - page 113

its products is the CSRware's Sustainability Supply Chain. This programme makes
it possible to benchmark individual suppliers. In addition, it evaluates suppliers
on the basis of various indicators and allows to create one's own supplier ranking
(ZrównowaǙony ła´cuch dostaw: trendy i innowacje 2013 ).
The beer industry is the only one in which unit packaging is used. Packaging
management in such a way that the greatest recycling degree is ensured consti-
tutes one of the largest challenges for breweries. The two biggest beer producers
in Poland conduct numerous campaigns and programmes aimed for ensuring the
best packaging return system possible. The present system, however, is not suffi-
ciently supported by the law, so a bottle makes, on average, 8-10 cycles. This type
of returnable packaging, though, is prepared for a larger number of cycles, even
more than 20 times. The deposit and return of beverage packaging system applied
in Denmark seems a comprehensible solution. The initiative undertaken in 2002
by retailers and producers in agreement with the Danish Environmental Protection
Agency was the first enterprise of this type and aimed for unifying the system of
packaging return. Its main assumption was and is for one entity to be responsible
for collecting and segregating packaging and paying deposits on a domestic scale.
This entity operates as an external non-profit organisation which assures shops
that they will obtain the due funds for sorting and returning packaging (Kacprzyk
2010 ). The costs of the whole system are reduced by installing machines enabling
to return both returnable glass bottles and disposable packaging which is then
recycled in retail outlets. As a result, the packaging does not re-circulate, which
would have disastrous consequences for the environment. As a rule, the system is
supposed to be self-sufficient; accordingly, producers and importers are obliged to
cover part of the operational costs (Kacprzyk 2010 ).
Some valuable by-products are made during the brewing process from the raw
materials used for beer production. They are appreciated and used in other indus-
trial processes or as raw materials for specific aims or products, such as pharma-
ceuticals, healthy food, renewable energy sources, industrial application, feed for
animals and farming products, cosmetics or spa products. The importance and
value of the brewing by-products has persuaded breweries to sign long-term con-
tracts concerning deliveries with traders and end-users. The production waste re-
use indicator is close to 100 % both at Kompania Piwowarska and Grupa Ǚ ywiec's
breweries. Similar results are achieved by many European brewing concerns. For
example, the brewery Plzenský Prazdroj from the Czech Republic has collabo-
rated with a local university to create a tool for making the best use of its second-
ary products. It is currently being used for the Plzeský Prazdroj brewery and, if
successful, will provide a blueprint for other breweries. About 98.6 % of waste is
used in a secondary way. Prazdroj has sought ways to further reduce the volume
of waste that cannot be re-used with partners and suppliers of Plzenský. PlzeLJský
Prazdroj is a member of the EKO-KOM association, which deals with the issue
of packaging recycling and re-use in line with the applicable Czech legislation
(Plzenský Prazdroj Sustainable Development Report 2013 ).
In recent years, the European brewing sector has been trying to reduce water and
energy consumption for beer production. As a result, water and energy consumption