ESG SUSTAINABILITY

BY JAMIE STAFFORD

The alcohol industry is frequently in the spotlight when it comes to environmental , social , and governance ( ESG ) concerns . While other sectors may contribute more to global emissions , consumers have been holding businesses to higher standards of ethical , sustainable and inclusive practices .

A GREENER FUTURE Why should sustainability be important to consumers and companies alike ? “ Because we ’ re people ,” says Aimy Steadman , founder / chief operating officer of BeatBox Beverages . “ Ultimately this is something that affects every single person and every part of the economy . Food and beverage production is one of the biggest industries that affects our planet , so sustainability absolutely is the responsibility of executives and leaders in beverage companies .”

BeatBox is dedicated to exemplifying their values . After partnering with Carbon- Better , a climate and sustainability consulting firm , the company released their inaugural sustainability report , which detailed the implementation of their environmental management system ( EMS ) to track environmental progress , actions , and compliance and facilitate continuous improvement of sustainability efforts .

BeatBox adopted a formal environmental policy as part of this system , committing to reducing environmental impacts across the company . This included small efforts — such as prioritizing remote work for staff , to cut down on potential emissions — and larger initiatives , like working with a co-packer that uses treated wastewater on agricultural fields and gardens to reduce stress on the local aquifer and forming the Carton Recycling Action Group through a partnership with the Naturally Network .

The company even uses a byproduct of orange juice production as a key ingredient to prevent it from being diverted as a waste stream .

“ Our company was really started to create a product for the next generation of drinkers ,” says Steadman . “ For us , that means not only creating a product that tastes great and is relevant in social media marketing , but also a company that embodies the values of our generation . As a founder , I ’ ve been anxious about climate change since I was a teenager . When I became in charge of a company that makes stuff and ships things all over the country , sustainability was something very top of mind for me . You want to leave the world a better place than you started with .”

“ CARTON PACKAGING IS LIGHTWEIGHT WHICH MEANS YOU CAN FIT MORE OF THEM ON EACH TRUCK , REDUCING WEIGHT AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY .”

– Aimy Steadman , founder and COO of BeatBox Beverages

BeatBox ’ s biggest priority as a company now is to be carbon efficient , Steadman continues . “ While we care about recycling and waste , carbon and the carbon crisis is what we think is the most time-sensitive issue . We ’ ve done things with our supply chain , including choosing carton packaging . Carton packaging is lightweight which means you can fit more of them on each truck , reducing weight and increasing efficiency .”

BeatBox addresses waste via a plastic neutral offset . “ So , as much plastic as we put into the world through caps and liners , as well as all the plastic we use as a company every quarter ,” Steadman says , “ we pay for the same weight of that plastic we put into the world to be removed from nature in places like India , that don ’ t have good access to recycling .”

BeatBox is spearheading eco-conscious efforts , but it remains largely behind the scenes . The company keeps most of the work away from marketing and brand messaging .

“ I want my customers to enjoy the music festival they ’ re at , or the party they ’ re at . I don ’ t think , as a society , we should be putting the burden of environmental responsibility on the consumers . It ’ s all of us

6 ESG Supplement 2022