By 2019, James' commitment to sustainability had become a defining characteristic of the brand. BrewDog employed over 2,000 people at the time, had 100 locations worldwide, and had over 130,000 Equity Punk shareholders. While amazing beer remained at the heart of everything James did, incorporating sustainability into this world had become a matter of when, not if. Thus, in 2020, BrewDog announced that they would become the world's first carbon negative brewery – a monumental achievement that would inspire the rest of the industry to commit to changing their business practices. James collaborated closely with Mike Berners-Lee of Small World Consulting to calculate the business's carbon emissions and identify opportunities to mitigate them through authentic reforestation programs, which included a 9,308-acre plot of land in Scotland.
Highlands and embarked on one of the largest reforestation projects ever undertaken in the United Kingdom. The beer world has shifted dramatically in just 15 years. Beyond the liquid in your glass, the pioneering breweries are more than product suppliers. They are social commentators, integral members of their communities, and exemplars of excellence and change. James has been instrumental in these developments, demonstrating that beer can be an agent of positive change.
