Social
Anheuser-Busch InBev built extensive responsible drinking messaging into no-alcohol beer Corona Cero’s global sponsorship of the Olympic Games. The brand’s ‘For Every Golden Moment’ platform reminded adults who choose to drink that they could alternate regular alcohol drinks with no-alcohol alternatives such as Corona Cero, and reinforced the legal drinking age. The brewer also promoted its evidence-based Smart Drinking tips and funded ‘Responsible Beverage Service’ training for servers worldwide where its primary Olympic activations took place.
Diageo launched its online DRINKiQ responsibility tool in the Dominican Republic and Panama to mark the World Health Organization’s World Responsible Alcohol Consumption Day. The brand owner’s DRINKiQ global platform offers responsible drinking advice, educational tools and a personal consumption evaluation.
In the US, Heineken launched its ‘Player 0.0’ racing simulator to promote responsible driving. Promoted through Heineken 0.0’s brand partnership with F1 World Champion Max Verstappen, the global platform can be accessed by smartphone and scores players on how safely they drive rather than by race times.
Pernod Ricard introduced QR code labels for its major brands in Singapore, taking users to a dedicated webpage with information on official consumption guidelines, potential health risks and comprehensive product information for each beverage. The brand owner will roll out the digital labels across South-East Asia.
In Australia, DrinkWise launched its annual responsible drinking campaign for the State of Origin rugby league series and the NRL and AFL Finals Australian rules football series. The ‘Always Respect, Always DrinkWise’ activation is supported by athletes, state governments, police forces, support services, sports leagues, retailers and hospitality associations. This year’s push advises sports fans to moderate their consumption for maximum enjoyment of these sporting events.
The Drinks Federation of South Africa revised the Alcohol Industry Communications Code of Conduct, previously overseen by Aware.org. The updated voluntary marketing code now includes additional accountability for digital ads and requires alcohol delivery vehicles to display responsibility messages instead of alcohol branding.
Over in the US, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association partnered with universities and colleges throughout the state to launch the ‘Kentucky Coalition for Responsible Alcohol & Substance Misuse Education’. The initiative will target underage drinking and drink-driving among college students with evidence-based, data-driven harm reduction strategies. All campuses across Kentucky will be provided with annual assessments, training and funding for their prevention strategies.
In the UK, the Portman Group reported near-total compliance with its voluntary health labelling guidelines. A survey of 500 alcohol products by the industry-funded organisation found that 99% carried a pregnancy warning, 96% had units information, and 86% carried official responsible consumption guidelines. Many producers also went beyond minimum requirements with additional elements including calorie info, drink driving warnings and age restrictions.
Also in the UK, the Scotch Whisky Association launched its second annual ‘Made to be Measured’ responsible drinking campaign, which raises awareness of unit measures and official consumption guidelines. Meanwhile, Drinkaware partnered with retired soccer player David Seaman in the country to promote its new Drinking Check tool, where consumers answer a short questionnaire to find their drinking risk score and receive according health advice.
Environment
Brown-Forman continues to help conserve white-oak forest in the US through its multi-year partnership with the American Forest Foundation and the University of Kentucky. The ‘White Oak Initiative’ will regenerate 100m acres of white-oak forest by 2070 through recognised forest-management practices.
Carlsberg engaged in new sustainability projects around the world under its ‘#TowardsZERO Water Waste’ programme, including a partnership with the WWF to restore wetland ecosystems and increase water availability across China and Laos. The brewer has also teamed up with the WaterAid NGO to improve water access and sanitation in India.
Diageo unveiled the “world’s lightest whisky glass bottle”, a limited edition Johnnie Walker 70cl unit that weighs 180 grams; five times less than the brand’s previous lightweight bottle. Whisky bottles typically weigh between 400g and 1kg. The brand’s owner is also offering a royalty-free licence to the patent to encourage sustainability progress in the industry.
In the UK, Molson Coors Beverage Co announced the latest details from its partnership that sees the brewer collaborate with local businesses and communities to build on its zero-waste-to-landfill achievements with new waste-reduction projects.
Back to the US, and Suntory Global Spirits, Diageo and Pernod Ricard are supporting RecycWELL, Kentucky’s first dedicated glass-recycling programme. The initiative will create new jobs and provide essential recycling for major distillers.
Suntory Global Spirits parent company has also published a new report, The Ripple Effect – Sustainability at Suntory, highlighting its activities under Suntory Group’s Sustainability Vision.
Governance
AB InBev’s OB Beer unit in South Korea provided almost 40,000 bottles of drinking water to help vulnerable people impacted by heatwaves in Seoul and evacuees staying in temporary shelters following a recent apartment building fire. The support forms part of OB Beer’s ongoing commitment to contribute emergency supplies to disaster relief.
The group’s Anheuser-Busch division in the US also donated over 100,000 cans of water to victims of Hurricane Debby in Florida and Georgia, with another 100,000 going to communities hit by Hurricane Beryl in Texas as part of its annual emergency water supplies initiative.
Asahi joined the Girls Meet STEM Career programme in Japan, providing junior and senior high school girls with insights into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers, with workplace experiences and connections with women professionals in the field.
In China, Bacardi was the ‘Outstanding Health Innovation’ winner at the Mercer China Healthiest Workplace Awards. The group has implemented a range of activities to promote human interaction in the workplace following the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the US, Brown-Forman and Pernod Ricard are among the sponsors of ’86 Harassment’, an initiative launched by the Women of the Vine & Spirits to address sexual harassment and gender-based violence within the alcohol and hospitality industries. Other sponsors of the programme include trade associations The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and Spirits Canada.
Finally, Kirin continued its work with the Japan Football Association (JFA), hosting a series of sports events to promote family bonding and social connections. Kirin and the JFA also held their latest walking football event to support community recovery from the Noto Peninsula earthquake earlier this year, using soccer to bring the “joy of connection” to towns and cities across the region.
