Bacardi in Puerto Rico Recognized With Wildlife Habitat Council Certification for Its Bat Conservation Work

HAMILTON, Bermuda, July 24, 2025 /3BL/ - Bacardi in Puerto Rico has achieved Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Certification, powered by Tandem Global, recognizing its dedication to preserving Puerto Rico’s bat populations and educating the community about their ecological importance.

The bat is deeply embedded in the family-owned company’s 163-year history and conservation work to protect bat populations takes place at many Bacardi sites around the world. In Puerto Rico, Bacardi has launched a series of initiatives to educate employees, local communities, and visitors about the vital role bats play in the island’s ecosystem.

The program’s efforts include hosting the Puerto Rico Bat Festival in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Bat Conservation Program (PCMPR). The festival, which is attended by more than 500 people, includes educational talks from bat conservation experts, interactive workshops and educational exhibits. In 2024, Bacardi also opened a new space dedicated to educating the c. 150,000 annual visitors to the Casa BACARDÍ visitor experience about the importance of bats. Through its partnership with the PCMPR, Bacardi also helps engage the wider community in Puerto Rico through outreach events.

“Protecting the local bat population is a real passion for us at Bacardi, and this WHC Certification is fantastic recognition of our success in sharing that passion and drive for action with others,” said Gregorio Frias, Sustainability Manager, Bacardi, based at the BACARDÍ rum distillery. “From our own teams to the wider community across the island, we want to help foster a culture of environmental stewardship and play our part in protecting the planet for the future.”

Looking ahead, Bacardi plans to further its conservation efforts by funding new research equipment for the PCMPR, as well as reforesting a small patch of habitat near the front of the distillery which was damaged during recent hurricanes. 

“The Puerto Rico Site is recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Tandem Global. “Companies achieving WHC Certification, like Bacardi, are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

This is the fourth time the site has achieved this award. The largest premium rum distillery in the world and the home of the world’s most awarded rum, received the first WHC Certification ever presented to an organization in Puerto Rico in 2018 and as of today, remains the only organization to receive a WHC Certification on the island.

The BACARDĺ rum distillery joins other sites in the company’s portfolio in securing the WHC Certification. Both the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® distillery in the UK and the Bacardi Bottling Corporation site in Jacksonville, Florida, have earned WHC Certifications for their work in conservation.

For more on how Bacardi is protecting People & Planet, visit www.bacardilimited.com/CS.