Environmental Sustainability Practices And Operational Efficiency At Nile Breweries Uganda Ltd.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of environmental sustainability practices on operational efficiency at Nile Breweries Uganda Ltd. The specific objectives were to examine the effect of pollution prevention practices, resource efficiency practices, and sustainable product stewardship on operational efficiency. A cross-sectional study design was used, enabling data collection at a single point in time. A mixed-methods approach was used which involved collecting quantitative data from 214 members of operational staff and qualitative data from 10 middle level managers and 3 members of Top. The respondents were sampled using purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaires and interview guide. Quantitative data was analysed using percentages, mean, standard deviation, correlation, and multiple regression analysis, whereas qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis as per the objectives of the study. The findings indicated that resource efficiency practices had a significant positive effect on operational efficiency (β = 0.476, t = 5.491, p = .000), demonstrating that enhanced resource management significantly boosts operational performance. Similarly, sustainable product stewardship had a significant positive effect on operational efficiency (β = 0.328, t = 3.950, p = .000), implying that proactive stewardship practices effectively can improve operational efficiency. On the other hand, Pollution prevention practices had a positive but not-significant effect on operational efficiency (β = 0.005, t = 0.062, p = .951), indicating that while pollution prevention practices may be beneficial environmentally, these practices alone do not significantly and sustainably influence operational efficiency. Basing on the findings, it was concluded that adopting and enhancing resource efficiency and sustainable product stewardship practices positively affect operational efficiency at Nile Breweries. However, implementation of pollution prevention initiatives require additional support to maximize their operational benefits. Therefore, it was recommended that management of Nile Breweries strengthen investment in resource-efficient technologies, advance sustainable product designs and packaging, and enhance employee training and awareness programs. Further it was recommended that management support regulatory frameworks, enact clear industry-specific standards, and incentives for adopting sustainability practices which are expected to further improve operational efficiency and sustainability outcomes within the brewing industry in Uganda.