Name of the company: Stroud Brewery

Who are they? 

Stroud Brewery’s mission is to make great beer, without harming the planet. They were established in 2006 in Stroud, Gloucestershire and to this day count integrity, environmental regeneration, and community as some of their core values. 

What sustainability actions have they taken?

• They are a Soil Association certified organic brewery, meaning that each of their beers is made using organic malt and hops
• They are powered using 100% renewable electricity and gas
• They prioritise local ingredients, sourcing their organic malt from Westminster Maltings in Wiltshire and hops from Charles Faram in Malvern 
• They capture 140,000 litres of rainwater from their roof each year and use it to flush their toilets
• They have switched from selling their beer in bottles to cans, resulting in a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions
• They are striving to reduce their plastic use and are recognised as Plastic Free Champions by Surfers Against Sewage
• They give their spent grains to local farmers to feed cows or use them in their flapjack recipe for their bar
• They invest their money in green banking with Triodos

How have they achieved these goals?

The first step to achieving these goals for Stroud Brewery was centering and embedding environmental sustainability into their core values from their establishment in 2006. This has meant that they’ve always prioritised the planet in every component of their business and in every decision that they’ve made.

They also recognise that while it may not be possible for them to change the world, they can help to make their local area a more planet-conscious place. For example, by sourcing all their ingredients from local farms and engaging their customers in conversation around sustainability, they have aimed to change their local community for the better.

What benefits have they seen as a result of their actions?

Stroud Brewery has not only noticed environmental benefits, but also financial ones due to their actions. Since they began canning instead of bottling their beer, they have been able to make huge savings due to reduced losses of their product.

They have also gained national acclaim as environmental innovators, achieving B Corp certification in 2019.