British Beer & Pub Assoc verified for Climate Change

Press release: 31 July 2003

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has become the first trade association in the UK to achieve Greenhouse Gas Emissions verification from BSI.

Awarded for exceeding its energy-saving targets outlined in its climate change agreement with the Government, the BBPA will now save the brewing industry some £4million a year in Climate Change Levy Payments (CCL).

The CCL is a tax imposed on energy intensive sectors to reduce excess carbon emissions and protect the environment. Sectors that meet energy reduction targets can achieve 80 per cent discount on the levy.

BBPA was the first trade association to establish a trading agreement on behalf of its participating members. The Association is responsible for registration and administration on behalf of breweries, saving them time and costs.

Through this award the sector is assessed as a whole, and BBPA can ensure that all companies achieve compliance by trading the sector's overall achievement. All participating companies thereby benefit from the 80 per cent discount from the CCL.

BBPA leads in Energy Efficiency Goals

Dr. David Long, BBPA Director of Brewing says: "Establishing a sector agreement was made easier because the Association had established voluntary benchmarking scheme for the brewing industry 25 years ago. This was to improve its energy performance. Now we've been able to capitalize on this, saving money for the sector and ultimately reducing emissions that are potentially harmful to the environment."

Presenting the verification opinion, Neil Hannah, Managing Director of BSI Management Systems, EMEA, stated: "The BBPA verification opinion signifies a major milestone in BSI's verification services. This positions BSI well in the market in the light of the forthcoming EU Emissions Trading Directive. The partnership has also been unique and we look forward to working with the BBPA during the next compliance period."

The brewing sector as a whole has reduced carbon emissions by 8 per cent, due to significant investment in capital investment and energy management techniques. This not only helps the environment but also saves money on CCL payments and reduces fuel bills.

The British Beer and Pub Association

The British Beer and Pub Association is the UK's leading organisation representing the brewing and pub sector. Its members account for 98% of the beer brewed in the UK and own more than half of Britain's 65,000 pubs.