ESG SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

The Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing ( CCSW ) certification is among the top accreditations for sustainably produced wine in the country . Introduced in 2010 , the CCSW is administered by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance ( CSWA ), a nonprofit leader in promoting sustainable winegrowing practices within California ’ s wine industry .

The movement within corporate America to create goals and publicize successes around environmental , social and governance best practices includes members of the beverage alcohol industry . Given the high amounts of water and energy used to produce and transport spirits , wine and beer , sustainability has long been important to suppliers and wholesalers . These are some of the companies that embraced the tenets of environmental sustainability during 2022 .

BACARDI DECREASES PLASTIC USE Bacardi announced that removing plastic pourers from bottles has cut approximately 140 tons from the company ’ s plastic use annually . Those pourers were frequently found in bottles of Bacardi , Martini Fiero , Bombay Sapphire and Dewar ’ s .

“ We are making the bold move because it ’ s the right thing to do for the planet ,” says Rodolfo Nervi , vice president of global safety , quality and sustainability . “ We ’ re proud to be leading the industry as we take another huge step towards achieving our commitment to be 100 % plastic-free by 2030 .”

In 2023 , the company will hit another milestone in its sustainability plans by removing all single-use plastic from gift packs and point-of-sale materials .

Bacardi ’ s overall ESG commitments , including its alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals , are part of its “ Good Spirited ” program that includes Good Choices , Good Footprint , Good Futures and Good Sources .

ANHEUSER-BUSCH BRINGS SUSTAINABILITY TO SPORTS Anheuser-Busch launched two programs this year focused on sustainability and sports — The Energy Collective and the National Recycling League .

The Energy Collective helps provide renewable electricity to power bars , stadiums and venues globally , including more than 2000 local pubs in Brazil and Ireland so far . The program has a gold of 250,000 locations converted to renewable electricity in Brazil by 2025 . Budweiser was the company ’ s first brand to be brewed with 100 % renewable electricity from wind power .

“ Consumers crave a better world where the things they love are sustain- able ,” says Budweiser VP of Global Marketing Todd Allen . “ The Energy Collective is helping close the gap between what consumers want and what companies can do . We ’ re just getting started .”

The National Recycling League was created to elevate how the beverage industry encourages recycling .

“ At Anheuser-Busch , we approach everything we do with an innovation mindset so we can create an outsized impact ,” says CEO Brendan Whitworth . “ Through the National Recycling League , we are thrilled to bring together our team partners and sports fans to work toward a shared dream of a future with less game-day waste and more cheers .”

Ten MLB teams have signed on as inaugural members of the league , which commits them to adopting and implementing a range of activations aimed at reducing waste and improving recycling rates at stadiums . Those include offering aluminum cups to fans instead of plastic , in-seat recycling decals and in-stadium signage .

The company and its baseball team partners also introduced Recycling Hawkers to stadiums , deployed to collect used cups , cans and bottles from fans to ensure they ’ re recycled . The volunteer hawkers are from charity Keep America Beautiful . In the future , Anheuser-Busch plans to work with NFL teams and other league partners to expand the National Recycling League .

As part of its membership in the Green Sports Alliance , by 2025 Anheuser-Busch

14 ESG Supplement 2022