It is something we dream of at Carlton & United Breweries, something we talk a lot about and, as an organisation, continually strive to achieve. We dream of a better world. One that is safer because all people drink responsibly. One that is cleaner, greener and sustainable.  One where we help to make communities we live in stronger for everyone.

As a company we have made a commitment to use our scale, resources and energy, as well as our ability to bring people together, to help achieve this dream of a better world.  But how exactly does the work of the women at CUB reflect this commitment to a better world? As a team, as managers, as employees in particular roles, how are we each contributing to improving our community on a local and global scale? We asked some of the talented women in the team at our Abbotsford Brewery to see how each of them was helping to create a better world.  

Joining CUB as part of our Graduate Program, Sarah Chambers was exposed to some of CUB’s organisation-wide initiatives around sustainability and community. Now, as Brewing Area Manager at Abbotsford, Sarah oversees a process that necessarily involves the creation of CO2,which contributes to global warming. Committed to minimising the effects of this necessary brewing by-product, Sarah says, ‘I am always looking for ways to create efficiencies that will help reduce and counteract the CO2 impact.’

Taking a different approach, Jessica Kelly, the People Specialist at Abbotsford Brewery, says that she is building a better world by focusing on the fact that people are genuinely our organisation’s greatest asset. She says, ‘An engaged, motivated team with a good work/life balance will be more productive, which of course benefits the business but also creates a happy workplace and happy people. Building a better world is about making sure people are content in their own lives and can come to work in a safe and supportive environment. A big part of our role in the People team is driving the initiatives that promote this.’

Laly Navarro, Packaging Team Leader at Abbotsford, agrees with Jessica and believes that her first step towards making a better world is to ensure that every one of her team members is happy, healthy and safe. ‘I want them to leave work each day feeling better than when they arrived. Making their workplace a happier place will make their world better.’ At a broader level, Laly and her team have also made a commitment to minimising waste in their line. ‘From bottles to labelling, we don’t want to waste materials and see them end up in landfill. We don’t want to throw away a single bottle or label. This is something we are dedicated to as a team and focus on to ensure we are always improving.’

As Packaging Specialist for CUB, Tuulia Ijas has a unique role in which she can contribute to building a better world across a variety of functions. ‘It’s extremely satisfying being in a role where I can help make big ideas happen. We have people come to us with great ideas to create efficiencies, be more sustainable and improve environmental friendliness, and we get to find ways to make these ideas happen. I work with a lot of different functions and am able to offer advice and suggestions on how we can do better.’

Our vision of a better world isn’t just something we dream about or talk about. It is something we are actively working towards and striving for every day, in every department, office and level of the organisation. As the efforts of the women at Abbotsford Brewery demonstrate, from People to Marketing to Supply, every one of us contributes in meaningful ways to help bring our dream of a better world closer to reality. How are you working to improve the world?