Which recent ESG initiative or improvement are you most proud of?
We’re expanding our initiative from the Komos Foundation to a broader alliance called Tierra en Común, which brings together a number of producers to tackle the industry waste problem. We’re over 50 members already, with big plans to grow.
What do you believe is the biggest ESG challenge facing the drinks industry today?
I see it more as an opportunity than a challenge: the ability to repurpose the significant industry waste into positive building blocks to better society. There’s the obvious benefit of doing so, but the added opportunity comes in the messaging to the consumers who do want more – they want to know they’re making good decisions and this is a way to reach them.
What advice would you give to companies looking to strengthen their ESG performance?
Make it real, make it impactful, and stick with it. Greenwashing is a problem for many reasons, and I feel as though it’s incumbent on all of us as citizens of planet Earth to step up, do the right thing and do so in a truly substantive way.
I know I’m not alone in this, as I see such a positive reaction on the part of our consumers to our considerable environmental work. Doing the right thing should be enough, but if a company needs more incentive, then there it is – consumers care.
Tequila Komos won the Waste Reduction Achievement of the Year in the inaugural Global Drinks Intel ESG Awards in 2024 How did winning this award influence your approach?
It’s been awesome, actually. We do what we do because it matters to us greatly, and when you receive external validation, it’s an added boost to keep going.
Additionally, it’s given credence to our efforts and people take us more seriously.
