Environment
Asahi has donated JPY1.5m (US$10,000) to the campaign for the Shikoku Pilgrimage route in Japan to be registered as a World Heritage Site. The group has supported the campaign since 2011, and this latest donation will fund environmental improvements along the 1,200km multi-site route.
In Europe, Carlsberg announced plans to expand on a three-year packaging partnership that has seen the weight of its most common cans reduced by 5% in more than ten markets,through a joint packaging sustainability roadmap. Can supplier Ball’s packaging already contains an average of 62% recycled aluminium, and Carlsberg is trialling a new deposit return scheme in Serbia to drive collection and recycling towards a 90% recycling rate by 2030.
In the US, Diageo is expanding its ‘Don’t Trash Glass’ partnership with a second local programme in Kentucky, following the collection of 2.2m pounds of glass in Illinois in 2023. The activity supports the collection and storage of ready-to-recycle glass from local businesses for processing by regional glass suppliers, as part of Diageo’s commitment to increase recycled content under its ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’ action plan.
Heineken launched two major environmental projects in Spain, inaugurating a 6,000-square-metre solar thermal plant with a peak power of 4 megawatt thermal at its Quart de Poblet brewery in Valencia. The brewer also renewed a public-private collaboration under which 1.9bn litres of water from production are returned every year to lagoons in Andalusia, Valencia and Madrid.
Heineken also unveiled a 65cl returnable ‘Star Bottle’ in South Africa, which is currently not available in any other market. The bottle will take the proportion of its total beer portfolio sold in returnable bottles from 29% to 65%.
In the UK, Molson Coors Beverage Co partnered with recycling non-profit Every Can Counts to raise awareness of the importance of recycling at events and festivals. Molson Coors is the first brewer to sign up as an annual funding partner.
Pernod Ricard has joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, a coalition of global businesses working to limit the climate crisis, restore nature and tackle inequality. The company’s membership aligns with its 2030 Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap ‘Good Times from a Good Place’, which supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Social
In Nigeria, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s International Breweries unit finished a one-year ‘Responsible Beverage Service’ initiative in Port Harcourt, delivering targeted responsibility training to the city’s bar and hotel managers. The activation promoted responsible drinking and discouraged harmful behaviours – including drink-driving, underage drinking, binge drinking and consumption while pregnant – through outreach programmes. The division also ran community rejuvenation and improvement initiatives in Port Harcourt’s communities.
In South Korea, the International Road Federation (IRF) recognised AB InBev’s OB Beer subsidiary and the Road Traffic Authority with a ‘Find a Way’ award for their joint ‘Drink Driving Prevention Device Pilot Project’ in 2022 and 2023. The IRF bestows this award on government agencies for improving policies to reduce traffic incidents. The pilot project promoted the use of alcohol interlock devices, ahead of legal revisions taking effect in October this year that will require repeat drink-driving offenders to only drive vehicles equipped with interlock devices.
Diageo has launched a responsibility campaign in Asia Pacific featuring global star SUHO of the K-pop group EXO. The ‘Enjoy the Flow, Savour Every Moment’ activation features an original song recorded by SUHO with lyrics that promote moderation and responsibility. The accompanying music video and behind-the-scenes footage reinforce the campaign’s advice to “slow down” and “savour every moment.”
Pernod Ricard has launched the second edition of its worldwide ‘Drink More Water’ campaign; the first edition launched in over 60 countries three years ago, reaching 400m people across Instagram and Facebook, and another 9m in-person at festivals, carnivals and events. The “visually impactful and audacious” campaign builds on Pernod Ricard’s ‘Responsible Party’ moderation project and will raise awareness among young LDA consumers about risky consumption, reduce harm at events by distributing water to attendees and aims to reach 1bn young adults digitally by the end of 2025.
Governance
Brown-Forman was named one of the world’s ‘Most Ethical Companies’ by corporate standards analyst Ethisphere; this is the third consecutive year that the group has been recognised. The Jack Daniel’s owner also committed US$22.5m in funding for the Brown‑Forman Foundation’s social programmes in Kentucky and to the not-for-profit Dendrifund, which initiates collaborative efforts to advance sustainability in the whiskey industry.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry certified five Kirin Group companies as ‘2024 Health and Productivity Management Organisations’ for the eighth consecutive year. The award recognises corporations that balance employee health management with corporate business management. Kirin will continue to develop its health programme and provide employees with environments conducive to cheerful, motivated work and to promote good mental and physical health and a responsible drinking culture.
Moët Hennessy was recognised in the UK with a gold GroceryAid award for its longstanding support of and engagement with the organisation. The company was a headline sponsor and participant in the non-profit’s campaigns last year, building awareness of its mission to provide emotional, practical and financial support for people working in the grocery trade.
Moët Hennessy’s Glenmorangie brand opened this year’s applications for environmental and community projects on the island of Islay in Scotland. The GBP1m (US$1.3m) fund commenced with the sale of a rare Ardbeg 1975 cask, and in 2023 supported 28 groups and organisations on the island.
Finally, in the UK, Molson Coors introduced an equal parental leave policy for its more than 2,200 employees nationwide as part of the group’s aim to become a more inclusive employer. All new parents on the staff will be entitled to 52 weeks leave – 26 of which are fully paid – as well as further paid leave for parenting time and antenatal support.
