Heineken sustainability score: 44/100
Heineken is a Dutch brewer headquartered in Amsterdam, selling more than 340 beers and ciders, including the Heineken brand, in over 190 countries; it makes beer, soft drinks and cider in more than 70 countries. Europe is about 40% of its net revenue and the Americas about a third.
More about Heineken
It had 87,160 employees and €28.75 billion net revenue in 2025.
Head office Amsterdam, NetherlandsStaff ~87,160 (end 2025)Revenue ~€28.75B net revenue (FY2025)Website ↗
Heineken's footprint fell 6% in 2025 to 14.9 MtCO2e, and its SBTi-validated targets aim for net zero across all scopes by 2040. Its Scope 1 and 2 emissions are 38% below 2022, but Scope 1, mostly gas for brewing, has fallen only about 5%: 88% of its electricity is renewable but only 47% of all its energy. Reusable packaging is flat at 39% against a 43% target, and in 2026 the Dutch prosecutor fined Heineken Netherlands €1.5 million over cans sold without the required deposit.
Heineken scores 44/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score. Last verified October 2026.
That places Heineken joint 306th of 934 companies scored, and joint 18th of 51 in Food & Beverage (non-meat).
What is Heineken doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Targets & Commitments and Carbon Footprint: Operations (9/10, 8/10). Weakest on Nature & Biodiversity Impact and Resource Use & Waste (5/10, 5/10).
Where Heineken lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain8/10Its Scope 3 emissions aren't fully verified or falling year on year.
- Whether its emissions are falling7/10No consistent fall over several years across its operations and supply chain.
- How clean its energy is6/10Less than 90% of its energy shown to be renewable.
- Its effect on nature5/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water7/10No water stewardship programme or verified fall in water use.
- Its climate targets9/10No validated long-term net zero target.
- How openly it reports8/10No mission-locked structure, such as B Corp certification.
- Its record on controversies6/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is Heineken's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas Heineken's score changed?
Heineken's score has moved from 45 to 44 across 2 recorded reviews, down 1 point.
- 45 → 44-129 October 2026
Re-scored under the current methodology (v2.5); owner ruling 2026-10-29
- Scored 455 April 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is Heineken's score based on?
12 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
25% of them were published by Heineken itself; the rest come from independent sources.
9 of 12 sources are independent of the company.
“In 2025, we achieved a 38% reduction (2024: 34%) in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, compared to the 2022 baseline.”
“works to influence suppliers and investors to reduce upstream GHG emissions”
“This company received a score of 42.5/100. The average score was 17.3 and the highest score was 56.4.”
“There is a strong interlinkage between water and nature, as demonstrated by our programmes that address water resilience, soil health and biodiversity.”
“Heineken Reaches 84% Renewable Electricity in 2024, Cuts Scope 1 & 2 Emissions by 34%”
“In its latest annual report , Heineken revealed it reduced its emissions in scope 1 and 2 by 34% and 20% in scope 3.”
“The PPA will provide 25 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy annually”
“imposed a €1.5 million penalty on Heineken Netherlands BV for violating regulations linked to the introduction of the deposit system on cans”
“Heineken will pay the fine and donate €500,000 (US$585,000) to support the country’s DRS initiative.”
“Environmental organization Recycling Netwerk Benelux accused Heineken of breaking the Economic Offenses Act”
“with any residual emissions (up to 10%) neutralised through permanent carbon removal solutions”
“The SBTi validated HEINEKEN's Scope 3 and FLAG targets in September 2023”
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How does Heineken compare with other food & beverage (non-meat) companies?
Where Heineken sits among food & beverage (non-meat) peers.
Among the 51 major food & beverage (non-meat) brands we've scored, Heineken is tied =18th of 51, with 7 others.
Who scores higher in Food & Beverage (non-meat)?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Heineken.
Carlsberg reports thorough, assured emissions data, but its reported total rose 9% in 2025 to 9.0 MtCO2e after the Britvic deal, and most of its renewable electricity comes from unbundled certificates.
See the breakdown →Kerry has cut its own emissions 52% since 2017 and has SBTi-validated targets for net zero by 2049, but most of the fall in its total, to 7.1 MtCO2e, came from selling its dairy business.
See the breakdown →Candy Kittens has calculated its carbon footprint via ClimatePartner but publishes no emissions figures or reduction targets.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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