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 July.
Heineken, Kirin, Moët Hennessy’s Hennessy and Pernod Ricard have all recently published reports detailing their current ESG activities and progress towards their sustainability initiatives and goals.
Environmental
In Japan, Beam Suntory announced that its Kita Alps Shinano-no-Mori Water Plant has become the country’s first plant to be certified carbon-neutral.
Meanwhile, Asahi and Kirin completed their first joint recycling initiative with local authorities in the country, setting up horizontal recycling schemes for PET bottles in four cities. As a result of the partnership, 400 tons of PET bottles are expected to be recycled per year.
Asahi also announced progress towards its 2025 commitment to only use electricity from renewable sources in its breweries, with new energy partnerships in Australia, the Netherlands and Romania.
In Lithuania, Carlsberg’s Švyturys-Utenos alus (ŠUA) has entered into an ‘energy-as-a-service’ power purchase agreement (PPA) that involves the construction of two facilities to store solar energy, which will cover 100% of the brewer’s annual electricity needs.
In the UK, Heineken is investing GBP25m [US$31.8m] in a project to reduce carbon emissions at its brewery in Manchester by replacing heat from fossil fuels with thermal energy generated by the brewing process.
Meanwhile, in Bermuda, Bacardi has commenced a partnership to educate consumers about the dangers of plastic pollution, building on recent global initiatives to reduce single-use plastics in its packaging and promotional materials.
In the US, Brown-Forman’s Jack Daniel’s brand fronted a recycling campaign in New Hampshire. Over 34,000 pounds of glass were collected in eight weeks by the ‘Bring Back Jack’ project.
The Coca-Cola Co created a sustainability-focused $137.7m venture capital fund with eight of its bottling partners, which will prioritise five key areas to reduce its supply chain’s carbon footprint globally. The group has also increased its sustainable packaging partnerships in North America to accelerate its move to reusable packaging.
In Tanzania, Diageo’s Serengeti Breweries commissioned a water dam supply project in the Tanga region that will provide access to clean and safe water for over 2,000 people, as part of its ‘Water of Life’ programme.
Pernod Ricard commissioned a water sanitation and health project in Nigeria‘s Ogun state as part of its annual ‘Responsib’All Day’ event, and planted 3,000 trees nationwide.
In Brazil, Moët Hennessy parent LVMH and UNESCO led a field mission to present progress on their ‘Man and Biosphere’ scientific programme, which improves resilience and halts biodiversity loss in the Amazon. The division also concluded its ‘Cultivate Our Forests, Cultivate Our Future’ exhibition in Paris as part of its ‘Forest Destination’ project to regenerate 50,000 hectares of forest worldwide by 2030.
Social
Heineken has launched its latest global drink-driving prevention campaign, featuring F1 world champion and Heineken 0.0 ambassador, Max Verstappen. In this newest ‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ video, Verstappen highlights the importance of designated drivers.
In Laos, Carlsberg’s Lao Brewery has been working with local authorities on a drink-driving activation that targets students about road safety, as part of Carlsberg’s ‘ZERO Accidents Culture’ initiative.
Kirin ran a drink-driving prevention campaign in Japan fronted by its Green’s Free no-alcohol beer. Now that Japan’s Covid-19 restrictions on movement have been lifted, the ads emphasise the importance of designated drivers.
Anheuser-Busch InBev concluded its internal ‘Smart Drinking Social Norms’ marketing competition, which reviewed 100 responsible drinking campaigns from around 20 markets. The creatives will inform new ‘Smart Drinking’ initiatives to promote moderate consumption.
In South Korea, Pernod Ricard unveiled plans to roll out a digital label system with a QR code to promote responsible consumption. Pernod piloted the system in Europe last year and will apply the labels to its products in the country in the second half of 2023. Consumers will be able to access consumption advice, information on health risks, and nutritional info online by scanning the QR code, with information tailored to local regulations and guidelines.
Governance
In the US, AB InBev paused production on its Anheuser-Busch production lines to produce emergency canned water for communities hit by natural disasters on several occasions recently, sending 100,000 cans of water to Guam, 50,000 to New York and 50,000 to Tulsa.
Back in Bermuda, Bacardi partnered with the government to provide a free ten-week bartender training course, including a four-week placement in the UK, as part of its ‘Shake Your Future’ global activation to give young people a boost in the hospitality sector.
Beam Suntory staff worldwide participated in the annual ‘Together for Good’ service event, in which employees volunteer in their communities and join in environmental initiatives. Staff donated 6,500 volunteer hours, planted 10,000 trees, collected 5,000 pounds of litter and supported 43 non-profit organisations, including local food banks and shelters.
In the US, Brown-Forman was named a ‘Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion’ by Disability:IN, receiving a score of 100 on the organisation’s Disability Equality Index. The company also partners with non-profit Ben’s Friends, which supports food and beverage sector workers who are maintaining sobriety, and recently supported the organisation’s annual ‘Spirit Free Cocktail’ competition to promote alcohol-free mixology.
Finally, in the UK, Molson Coors Beverage Co scrapped its requirement for CVs when applying for certain roles at the company, as part of steps to encourage inclusion and diversity. A spokesperson said that the change would help to remove unconscious bias from the recruitment process.
Head here for more details on the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.
