Conference highlights
CIBD Sustainability in Brewing Conference 2025
The first-ever CIBD Sustainability in Brewing Conference took place on 3–4 July in Nottingham, bringing together 250 attendees from across the brewing, distilling and wider drinks industry. Delegates gathered for two days of learning, sharing and discussion on what it will take to build a more sustainable future for brewing.
Day 1 Highlights
Day 1 of the Sustainability in Brewing Conference opened with a welcome from CIBD CEO Tom Shelston, followed by two keynotes: Mike Barry on the global imperative for sustainable transformation, and Kristin Hughes from Diageo on the company’s latest sustainability progress. Delegates then explored energy use in brewing, sustainable barley and malting, and innovation in hops, and water use and recovery before ending the day with a BBQ sponsored by NIRAS.
Day 1 BBQ - Sponsored by NIRAS
Attendees enjoyed a BBQ sponsored by NIRAS to close out the day and continue conversations. A selection of cask beers and ales from across the country was available to sample.
Day 2 Highlights
Day 2 of the Sustainability in Brewing Conference featured insightful sessions on beer processing, small brewery sustainability, innovative packaging, and ESG reporting. Keynote speakers Prof. Charlie Bamforth and Tom Brewer from AB InBev shared perspectives on embedding sustainability into brewing operations. The day ended with discussions on carbon management and the path to net zero, wrapping up the event and leaving attendees with useful insights and actions to implement at their own breweries.
