Bacardi’s ‘Good Spirited’ endeavours
Welcome to Duty Calls. This regular feature aims to shine a light on some of the most laudable examples of altruism and sustainability within the travel retail industry by companies that go beyond the call of duty. In this issue, Bacardi highlights its corporate responsibility achievements in its latest annual report.
Bacardi’s 2018 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report aims to highlight the drinks company’s achievements as a responsible business.
The publication – Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future – details Bacardi’s commitments to areas including alcohol responsibility, disaster relief, women’s empowerment, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.
The company has coined the phrase ‘Good Spirited’ to describe its wide-ranging CR efforts. “Being Good Spirited means being responsible in every aspect of our business,” explains Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility Rick Wilson.
Good Spirited: Bacardi’s wide-ranging achievements on the corporate responsibility front are highlighted in this graphic.
“This extends across all our offices and manufacturing sites, from how we source our ingredients and the quality of materials used to make our products, to the ways we market our brands only to adults who choose to drink.
“It also shows our commitment to support and care for our employees and the communities in which we live and work. Our family values make us a globally conscious and responsible company.”
This is emphasised in the new report with a detailed description of Bacardi’s work on the Producers’ Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking initiative, which was completed in 2017.
Often in partnership with others in the industry and through country-level associations, the company has implemented 44 responsible drinking education programmes in 16 countries. It claims to have reached nearly four million individuals with underage drinking prevention education.
On the environmental front, Bacardi’s CR report highlights reduced greenhouse gas emissions intensity of -59% over the last 12 years, and improved overall water use efficiency of +50%, as compared to its 2006 baseline.
The drinks company’s commitments cover areas such as alcohol responsibility, disaster relief, women’s empowerment, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.
In addition, less than 1% of waste was sent to landfill in fiscal year 2018, with 11 manufacturing sites achieving zero-waste-to-landfill. Other environmental achievements include responsible sourcing of sugar cane-derived products for use in Bacardi rum (highlighted by 86% certified by international sustainability non-profit Bonsucro).
Bacardi is also committed to eliminating one billion single-use plastic straws by 2020 through its collaboration with Lonely Whale.
The CR report highlights a range of initiatives to promote equal opportunities within the Bacardi business. As a result, the company now has 36% of leadership positions held by women.
The report also reveals that Bacardi has now committed US$3 million, via a variety of initiatives, to disaster relief in Puerto Rico, following Hurricane Maria in September 2017.
Reflecting on Bacardi’s overall CR achievements, CEO Mahesh Madhavan says: “On behalf of the more than 7,000 Bacardi employees, we are proud of our efforts this past year and look forward to what the future holds in our Good Spirited endeavours.
“As important as it was to our founder more than 156 years ago, Good Spirited runs through our veins. Being a responsible business has long been a mark of distinction for Bacardi, based on a foundation of strong corporate governance, ethics, and CR programmes.
“The company remains committed to being a leader in corporate responsibility in the spirits industry, and we will build upon current initiatives to continue to raise the bar across all aspects of the business moving forward.”
Click here to view the 2018 Corporate Responsibility Report. Look out for an interview with Mahesh Madhavan by The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie coming soon.
The Moodie Davitt e-Zine Duty Calls feature highlights environmental and socially responsible initiatives around the globe where people and the planet are the priority. If you have CRS projects, big or small, that you would like featured in Duty Calls, please contact Michael Barrett at Michael@MoodieDavittReport.com.
The Moodie Davitt e-Zine | Issue 251 | 12 November 2018