Bridging the gap: how GHG accounting tools can support beer companies in the implementation of circular economy strategies

This study presents a greenhouse gases (GHG) accounting tool developed for Italian breweries aimed at the quantification of the carbon footprint (CF) of the organizations, thus enabling a self-assessment of their contribution to climate change. The tool builds on a Microsoft Excel interface that allows breweries to input site-specific data related to materials, energy, emissions, and waste across their life cycle in accordance with both the GHG Protocol and the ISO 14064-1 standard. A methodological framework is developed based on 7 steps, which include : i) organizational and operative boundaries definition, iii) identification of the databases for the calculations of emission sources and emission factors iv) calculation of CF which allows v) to perform a screening study and the hotspot identification, followed by vi) a check with literature in order to vii) perform a CE strategies assessment. This procedure made possible to build a valuable and reliable tool, in line with international standard and easy to replicate in other contests. The tool indeed enables companies to identify environmental relevant processes (hotspot analysis) and to implement relevant circular ecosystem innovation. This is possible thanks to its ability to create collaboration within ecosystem actors and allowing a trial-and-error process.