Bacardi Aspires to 100% Sustainable Sugarcane Sourcing by 2022
Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held spirits company, has pledged to obtain 40 percent of the sugarcane-derived products used to make its rums from certified, sustainable sources by 2017 and 100 percent by 2022 — an industry first — as part of a new global sustainability campaign.
Marking the 152nd anniversary of the company’s founding, Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future builds on current programs and efficiencies that reduce water and energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and sets new goals in three primary areas: responsible sourcing, global packaging and operational efficiencies.
“Protecting the natural resources we use to create our brands, at every step along the value chain, is central to our corporate responsibility,” said Ed Shirley, Bacardi's president and CEO. “We’ve always set the bar high. Now, we’re taking our solid, sustainable foundation to the next level.”
To achieve its lofty goal of 100 percent sustainable sourcing, Bacardi says it will continue to support sustainable sugarcane farms in Fiji that take measures to protect the islands’ Great Sea Reef. The company will focus on obtaining all raw materials and packaging from sustainably sourced, renewable or recycled materials while maintaining or enhancing the economic status of growers and suppliers.
In a move towards more sustainable packaging, Bacardi plans to reduce the weight of its packaging by 10 percent by 2017 and achieve 15 percent by 2022. The company says it collaborates with its partners — including glass and paper suppliers — to make packaging more environmentally friendly.
Through the new initiative, Bacardi also will redouble its efforts to reduce water use and GHG emissions, by cutting water use by 55 percent (by exploring innovative treatments for water left over from production) and GHG emissions by 50 percent by 2017.
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Media Contacts
Patricia M. Neal/Amy Federman, +1.441.294.1110, afederman@bacardi.com
