Bacardi Plants a Tree for Every Employee To Celebrate 161st Anniversary With a Gift to the Planet
- Family-owned company is planting thousands of trees across the world to support biodiversity, help local communities and capture an expected 2.5M kg of CO2
- Initiative marks company’s ‘Founder’s Day’ and 161-years of doing the right thing with a celebration of its bold ESG commitments
HAMILTON, Bermuda, February 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Family-owned Bacardi Limited is celebrating its 161st anniversary with a gift to the planet and its people. The world’s largest privately held spirits company will plant one tree for every employee to support biodiversity, help local communities, and capture a combined 2.5M kg of CO2 during the trees’ lifetime.
This week, every person in the company will receive an anniversary edition bottle of BACARDÍ® Carta Blanca, complete with a QR code which enables them to plant their own tree and then track its progress and positive impact through an online platform.
The initiative forms part of the continued drive from Bacardi to be the most responsible global spirits company in the world. Through its extensive Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) program, Good Spirited, the company takes bold action to restore communities, revitalize natural ecosystems, and revolutionize the way it does business.
“As a family-owned company, doing the right thing is in our DNA, and all of us at Bacardi share that passion for taking care of the environment,” said Bacardi Limited CEO Mahesh Madhavan. “By creating our very own Bacardi forests, we can all take pride in having our own positive impact and being part of our company’s legacy for the next 161 years and beyond.”
The trees will be planted in India, Nepal, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Madagascar, with 11 different species carefully selected to maximize the benefits to each location and community.
The tree planting sites represent areas where Bacardi sources some of the botanicals and raw ingredients used in crafting its premium drinks portfolio, which includes BACARDÍ rum, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, MARTINI® vermouth and DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky.
“We care deeply about the farmers who grow our beautiful ingredients and take great pride in the strong relationships we’ve spent decades building with these communities,” says Dave Ingram, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Bacardi Limited. “Planting these trees on their doorsteps is another way of giving back as we invest in their future and in protecting the environment for generations to come.”
To mark the 161st anniversary, Bacardi will also plant 161 coconut trees in Puerto Rico, home to the world’s largest premium rum distillery where BACARDÍ rum is produced. The trees will help regenerate and protect a beach located near the BACARDÍ rum distillery, an area that has suffered significant hurricane damage in recent years.
The initiative also pays homage to the company’s legendary coconut palm, ‘El Coco’. Planted in front of the first BACARDÍ distillery in Cuba, El Coco came to symbolize the strength and resilience of the Bacardi company after withstanding a distillery fire, five earthquakes, and countless hurricanes.
In Bermuda, home of the Bacardi’s global headquarters, the company will plant 100 cedar saplings at one of the island’s nature reserves. A highly valued and symbolic tree in Bermuda, the cedar supports biodiversity by providing a crucial nesting site for birds such as the native Bluebird.
On February 4, 2023, Bacardi celebrates 161 years since Don Facundo Bacardí Massó founded the company in Santiago de Cuba. Family owned over seven generations, Bacardi grew from a single rum brand to a portfolio of iconic global spirits brands.
Find out more about Bacardi and its ESG commitments, including its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, at www.bacardilimited.com/good-spirited.
Always drink responsibly.
Notes to editors
This limited-edition bottle of BACARDÍ Carta Blanca is only available to Bacardi employees and is not on sale for consumers.
About Bacardi
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF® vodka. Founded more than 161 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 8,000 people, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
Media enquiries:
Phillippa Williams, Corporate Communications Director, Bacardi, pholmes@bacardi.com
