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 February.
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Carlsberg unveiled the 2030 targets for its global ‘ZERO Irresponsible Drinking’ project. The brewer’ aim is for 35% of its products to be being no- or low-alcohol by 2030.
In Vietnam, Heineken is continuing its 14-year partnership with the country’s National Traffic Safety Committee to promote a road safety culture using the tagline ‘When you drink, never drive’. The company is trialling activities to encourage responsible drinking habits among government employees.
Stating in Vietnam and the NTSC has praised Anheuser-Busch InBev’s month-long responsible drinking campaign, which included a pledge against drink-driving. In South Africa, meanwhile, AB InBev’s South African Breweries division launched the ‘SAB Sharp’ platform to promote responsible consumption and reduce the country’s levels of drink-driving.
In Ireland, Pernod Ricard’s Jameson whiskey brand has fronted a new responsibility campaign, ‘Easy Does It’, fronted by comedian Aisling Bea. The activation encourages mindful, moderate consumption and will roll out globally later this year.
Environment
Carlsberg has completed its 2017 ‘Together Towards ZERO’ (TTZ) ESG plan, one of the world’s first sustainability programmes to introduce science-based climate targets aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The group’s 2022 ESG report describes strong performance against targets for zero carbon footprint, water waste, irresponsible drinking and a ‘zero accidents’ culture. Carlsberg exceeded carbon and water targets and earned a ‘double A’ rating from environmental non-profit CDP for transparency and action in these areas. As well as the responsibility commitments, Carlsberg’s new ‘Together Towards ZERO and Beyond’ programme also builds on the original TTZ plan with a revised set of 2030 and 2040 environmental targets, including ‘ZERO Farming Footprint’ and ‘ZERO Packaging Waste’ along with shorter-term targets on diversity, equity & inclusion.
Asahi has revised its ‘Group Environmental Vision 2050’ to further accelerate its environmental initiatives and maximise the impact on business and society. The company’s ‘Planet Positive’ vision of what the world should be like in 2050 aims for a positive impact on Earth and to connect the gifts of nature to future generations. Asahi has set ambitious carbon reduction targets for 2025 to increase the certainty of achieving its ‘Carbon Zero’ climate change targets. The 2050 vision encompasses four pillars of environmental initiatives which will reduce Asahi’s burden on the environment to zero.
Diageo is partnering with glass manufacturer Encirc to create the world’s first net-zero glass bottles at scale. A new hydrogen-powered furnace in the UK will begin production by 2027 and will produce up to 200m bottles annually by 2030.
In the US, Molson Coors Beverage Co has switched its Fort Worth brewery in Texas to wind power in the latest step towards its net-zero emissions target for 2050. The facility has become Molson Coors’ first in the US to run on 100% sustainable energy.
Kirin has made a similar change in Japan, where its Fukuoka and Okayama factories now run fully on sustainable energy. The pair bring the number of Kirin’s nine factories in the country that are 100% sustainable energy-wise to four. Kirin is also installing a large-scale solar power generation system at its Ube plant, reducing the company’s annual carbon emissions by approximately 1,029 tons.
A conservation project in New Zealand run by Pernod Ricard has restored over five hectares of wetlands as part of efforts to protect the Weweia dabchick from extinction. Meanwhile, Bacardi has marked its 161st anniversary by planting thousands of trees globally, one per employee. The trees will support biodiversity, help local communities and capture an expected 2.5m kg of CO2.
Beam Suntory has published the English-language version of parent company Suntory’s ‘Natural Water Sanctuary Biodiversity Restoration’ report, detailing efforts to manage and conserve forests near its facilities in Japan since 2003. The company has expanded the project to its production sites in the US and launched similar conservation activities in France, India and Mexico to re-green forestland and establish bird sanctuaries. Beam Suntory also launched a new report on how businesses can help stem the rising tide of nature loss in Asia. Suntory CEO Tak Niinami recently spoke about tackling sustainability issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink also participated in discussions at Davos, joining panels on emissions and climate change. Heineken recently published its ‘2022 Annual Report’, detailing achievements to-date on its ‘Brew a Better World 2030’ targets, such as an 18% reduction in absolute carbon emissions and recycling as well as the re-use of 99% of waste globally in 2022.
Finally, Moët Hennessy parent LVMH was recognised with a ‘triple A’ rating by environmental non-profit CDP for its work on climate, forest and water protection. LVMH was one of 12 companies worldwide to achieve the score in 2022, in what is widely considered the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency.
Governance
The Coca-Cola Co announced the formation of its Global Women’s Leadership Council (GWLC) to accelerate the development and recruitment of female talent into roles of increasing responsibility and influence. The GWLC will support Coca-Cola’s target of being 50%-led by women by 2030.
In Canada, A-B InBev’s Labatt Breweries has been celebrating 175 years of “equitable, inclusive workplace policies and initiatives”, such as last year’s first annual ‘Inclusivity Day’.
To mark World Cancer Day on 4 February, LVMH announced its commitment to the ‘Working with Cancer’ initiative, the first international coalition of companies to champion a more open, supportive, and inclusive corporate culture for employees with cancer.
Head here for more details on the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking.
