Social
Anheuser-Busch InBev is using its no-alcohol beer sponsorship of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris to promote responsible drinking worldwide. The brewer’s unit in South Africa, South African Breweries, has partnered with TeamSA and the SA Sports Confederation & Olympic Committee to encourage moderation among sports fans. The Corona Cero partnership will continue through the 2028 Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, AB InBev’s Cass Beer has launched a new no-alcohol extension to coincide with the Olympic Games. Cass 0.0 is sponsoring the ‘Olympic Day Run 2024’ marathon event in Seoul with prizes and events to highlight alcohol-free consumption.
In Poland, Asahi’s Kompania Piwowarska is running a campaign to promote a moderate consumption approach to young adults. The ‘Party in a Moderate Style’ activation is inspired by the world of fashion and will run online and at the country’s major music festivals.
In Sweden, Carlsberg has unveiled an activation discouraging the consumption of alcohol while fishing, using a limited-edition ‘DrunkenBaits’ fishing lure in the shape of a drowned fisherman to grab public attention. Polling commissioned by Carlsberg revealed that 41% of adults approve of drinking while fishing, rising to 55% among young males. The activation communicates a non-drinking message to fisherman rather than heavily promoting the group’s alcohol-free beer.
Diageo’s Guinness brand has partnered with ride-hailing service Yango to launch a drink-driving prevention initiative in Ghana. The push will use promotional events and activities to encourage responsible driving habits, including notifications from Yango’s app. Guinness and Yango are also holding road safety forums with training by certified instructors, for drivers, passengers and representatives from many road safety organisations.
In Ireland, Heineken is partnering with Drinkaware with an online campaign encouraging people to check that their alcohol consumption is within responsible levels. The free ‘Drinking Check’ quiz quickly assesses users’ drinking habits and offers advice on moderation and following responsible consumption guidelines.
Heineken’s Red Stripe brand also held the latest instalment in Jamaica of its ‘Responsibility Now!’ town-hall series, which explores themes of responsible consumption from various perspectives. The event was attended by Government Senator Abka Fitz-Henley, who praised Red Stripe’s efforts to promote responsible drinking, and emphasised the government’s support both for moderate drinking and for corporate stakeholders’ work to prevent harmful drinking.
In Bermuda, the second cohort of Bacardi’s ‘Shake Your Future’ free, professional training programme have just graduated. The company took the students to London to train for international bartender certification before bringing them back to Bermuda to complete the course and begin work placements.
Pernod Ricard rolled-out the first ‘Responsible Host Certification’ programme in the spirits industry, to promote responsible drinking through its brand homes around the world. To be accredited as a responsible host, staff must put in place 18 different responsible drinking practices to encourage guests to practice moderation while mastering the art of drinks tasting. A further badge involves a two-phase verification process to ensure that all 18 standards are being applied appropriately.
Meanwhile in the UK, Pernod Ricard’s Absolut vodka is running a summer responsibility activation, ‘Call It A Night’, which features social media and digital activities plus an Absolut takeover of London’s Clapham Common Underground station. The campaign also incorporates Pernod Ricard’s global ‘Drink More Water’ platform.
Environment
In Japan, Asahi has obtained Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) ‘Net Zero’ certification for its long-term decarbonisation goal of achieving net zero CO2 emissions across its value chain by 2040. Asahi is the first Japanese company to receive the certification for its short-term and long-term targets.
Asahi also published its sustainability report, providing information about its sustainability-related initiatives and featuring the newly established roadmap designed to deliver the ‘Asahi Group Environmental Vision 2050’. The strategy has four core pillars: Climate Change, Packaging, Agricultural Raw Materials and Water Resources.
In South Korea, Lotte Chilsung announced plans to reduce its plastic usage by 20% by 2030 by reducing the weight of its containers and increasing the proportion of recycled materials to 30%. Lotte’s plan is detailed in its ‘2030 Plastic Reduction Roadmap’.
Moët Hennessy published its latest sustainability report, marking progress in its eco-responsible commitments in 2023, such as reducing its energy and carbon impacts on direct and indirect scopes, and evaluating its water footprint in different regions.
Pernod Ricard dedicated its 12th ‘Responsib’All Day’ global initiative by promoting circularity within the local community. Around 750 staff worldwide spent the day working with more than 15 charities to make meals from unsold food for needy people, recycle fabrics, collect litter in cities and make furniture from waste materials.
In the US, Suntory Global Spirits renewed its commitment to water conservation through the Natural Water Sanctuary Alliance, in partnership with the Bernheim Forest in Kentucky. Suntory will be committing up to US$100,000 annually over the next five years to help preserve Bernheim’s 90 miles of waterways and the 21bn gallons of rainwater that fall on the forest each year.
Governance
Bacardi was recognised as one of the world’s ‘Top Places to Work for Wellbeing’ by the 2024 Ragan Workplace Wellness Awards, for its internal mental-health support initiatives.
In Japan, Kirin is conducting a test rollout of its ‘Sleep Improvement Program’ to address sleep problems among staff that work three-shift patterns. The programme has been developed in collaboration with a sports-tech company that works with athletes and sports teams.
In the US, Molson Coors Beverage Co switched production at its Milwaukee brewery to produce and donate 50,000 cans of water to aid disaster relief efforts in Spencer and Sioux City, Iowa, as residents recover from recent floods.
