Heineken Joins Ellen MacArthur Foundation to Accelerate Reuse in Global Packaging

Heineken has announced a new partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, joining its global network to advance the adoption of reusable packaging across the brewing industry. The move reinforces Heineken’s commitment to sustainability under its "Brew a Better World" strategy.

Through the partnership, Heineken will work alongside businesses, governments, and NGOs to scale circular packaging systems that reduce waste and carbon emissions. The initiative comes as part of a broader industry shift highlighted in the Foundation’s 2024 Global Commitment progress report, which found that 64% of signatories have launched reuse pilots.

Joanna Price, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Heineken, emphasized the importance of collaboration in making reuse scalable: “Partnering with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is crucial due to their convening power... By sharing our expertise in reusable packaging, we aim to drive adoption at scale.”

Heineken has already embedded reuse in its circularity strategy, aiming to minimize reliance on virgin materials and limit packaging waste globally. The brewer’s operational presence in over 70 countries positions it to drive industry-wide change through its experience and reach.

Rob Opsomer, Executive Lead Plastics and Finance at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said, “Scaling up reuse is critical to tackle packaging pollution... We look forward to working with HEINEKEN, a company that has experience implementing reuse models globally.”

Heineken continues to position sustainability as a central pillar of its global business, aiming to inspire systemic change and foster a commercially attractive circular economy.