Not-for-profit organisation the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking rounds up the latest ESG-related efforts from its brand-owner members. Here’s what they were up to in June.
Environmental
Asahi, Beam Suntory and Kirin’s Lion all published their latest annual Sustainability Reports, detailing progress towards their sustainability initiatives and goals.
In the UK, Carlsberg is continuing an environmental partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that began with a seagrass restoration project in 2021. Carlsberg and the WWF are working with farmers to save water and reduce river pollution, with the aim of replenishing up to 100m litres of fresh water.
The Coca-Cola Co’s ongoing work with the WWF in South Korea was joined by the latest phase of a plastics recycling campaign that was originally launched in 2019 and ran through the Covid-19 pandemic. The activation recycled plastic waste into essential PPE equipment during the pandemic, and has since continued to collect and recycle tonnes of waste every year. Coca-Cola is also part of ‘The Business For A Plastics Treaty‘, which campaigns for a worldwide treaty on plastics to set consistent and legally-binding recycling and reuse targets.
Kirin and Coca-Cola joined three other F&B companies to launch an AI experiment to address issues with damaged cardboard outer packaging. Cardboard crates with superficial external damage are routinely returned or discarded during transit, but the new AI system will minimise this waste by implementing uniform standards and evaluation for every company in the supply chain.
In Tanzania, Diageo’s Serengeti Breweries unit has been working to improve access to drinking water through a number of water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH] initiatives including a new dam project in the country’s Tanga region. The division has also set up an additional project for women in the area to manage water supplies from the dam, earning a recognition award from the Government.
Over in the UK, Moët Hennessy’s Glenmorangie brand extended its conservation partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland for a further three years. The project focuses on reintroducing Nubian giraffes to areas of Uganda where giraffes are locally extinct. In addition to creating new populations, the project is training more local vets to equip them with the specialist skills required to treat giraffes and other wildlife.
Social
Anheuser-Busch InBev reached its target of including responsible guidance labels on all its beer products worldwide, including in markets where there is no legal obligation to do so. The messages on topics such as drink-driving prevention and responsible drinking habits were developed by public health experts based on the science of social norms marketing. The labels also feature a link to additional consumer information and smart drinking practices.
In Jamaica, Heineken’s Red Stripe held its third ‘Responsibility Now’ Town Hall panel, which focused on alcohol and mental health. The event, which was hosted in partnership with IARD and the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, included a panel discussion on the roles and responsibilities of the private sector in preventing harmful drinking.
Pernod Ricard launched its ‘Drink More Water’ campaign across Asia to promote the importance of pacing oneself while consuming alcohol. Pernod Ricard has rolled out the campaign to markets including India, China, the Philippines, South Korea and Malaysia.
Governance
AB InBev is celebrating the fifth year of its ‘100+Accelerator’ global incubator programme, which was launched in 2018 to support the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme, which is co-sponsored by, among others, Coca-Cola, partners with start-ups to help solve some of the world’s most pressing supply chain challenges. The platform welcomed a record 46 start-ups in 2022 and is currently accepting applications for year five.
In the US, Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve brand has committed to buying rye grain from local Kentucky farmers for the next five years, while working with the University of Kentucky to conduct grain research.
In the UK, Heineken has kicked off a partnership with charity Marmalade Trust with an activation addressing the issues of loneliness and social disconnection. Around 46% of adults in the country report regular feelings of loneliness, while 45% admit to lying about non-existent social plans to cover their feelings of embarrassment. The tie-up will launch a number of initiatives designed to combat loneliness.
Finally, in Japan, Kirin and seven other partners have established the “Health Management Alliance” to jointly address common issues for the welfare of their employees. Around 100 companies and organisations have already joined the initiative, which will create solutions for common corporate health issues, including the sustainability of corporate health insurance societies. The group also unveiled a new remote-work system as part of its ‘Kirin Group Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ plan. The move allows employees to work remotely for reasons including childcare and nursing care, helping to reduce anxieties about family life and responsibilities that can hinder positive career development.
Head here for more details on the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.
