If you look at the alcohol industry, you’ll see that it has a history of being very taxing on our planet. Most brands do have elaborate packaging, whereby they also use a lot of nonrenewable items. All of this involves a lot of energy, water, and heat in the manufacturing process which increases the carbon footprint. And when a large number of companies are involved in this process, it’s hard to think how it affects nature and its resources.
But, how would you feel to know that the alcohol industry has been taking measures to improve its carbon footprint? There are ample alcohol brands and companies that have already taken precautionary measures to save nature and have been actively working towards the same. Additionally, many have pledged to turn their production and supply completely sustainable in the forthcoming years. Let’s have a look at some of the smartest ways alcohol brands have approached sustainability.
Alcohol Brands That Have Approached Sustainability In Smart Ways
- Bacardi
- Bombay Sapphire
- John Dewar & Sons
- Anheuser-Busch InBev
- Budweiser
- Corona
- Carlsberg
- Absolut Vodka
1. Bacardi
Bacardi is on the top of our list as a global brand that has taken a global environmental initiative called ‘Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future’. They have taken up this initiative to lead sustainable production and operations of their products in the global market. Responsible sourcing, operational efficiencies, and global packaging are the three major areas that they aim to improve on. At the very base level, they do so by reducing water and energy used in the process and also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Thus far the program has been able to reduce landfill waste, has lowered carbon emissions, improved its packaging, and introduced biodegradable spirit bottles. They also aim to source all of their raw material through sustainable sources and methods in the coming years as well.
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2. Bombay Sapphire
Bombay Sapphire has been working with raw material suppliers who believe and act responsibly in manufacturing the material needed. This helps in a sustainable future for the farmers, their communities, and also their environment in the long run. All of this not only helps the farmers’ living but also helps the brand and reduction of carbon footprint in many ways.
They have also been using biomass boilers in their distilleries that make use of by-products of the production process. These boilers create a circular system whereby low energy is used and the use of water is also reduced by a large amount. Besides, most of the distilleries also work on renewable hydro-energy as it’s quite easily made available due to its location. Bombay Sapphire Gin’s UK distillery has been getting recognized for this effort and has also won many awards for the sustainable initiatives and policies that it has taken in the past few years.
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3. John Dewar & Sons
A leading producer of Scotch whisky, they have introduced sustainable methods and policies in their production and manufacturing even before sustainability was cool. John Dewar & Sons has been practicing sustainable policies for over 50 years now. They have successfully been able to reduce their greenhouse emissions by 34% since 2006, reduced usage of water by 46% since 2009, and 30% of landfill waste has been reduced since 2010.
John Dewar & Sons has some great developments in the recycling of energy, water, and waste that they have incorporated in all of their branches of distilleries. Plus, they also have fuel-efficient transportation for their supply of raw products and final goods and some really advanced water filtration systems as well. One other crucial aspect that John Dewar & Sons pays special attention to is the landscaping. They ensure that they do not damage the natural habitat of the environment where tier distilleries are established. And they strongly believe in leaving their surroundings in the same condition that they found them.
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4. Anheuser-Busch InBev
Popularly known as AB InBev, is an international multinational drink and brewing company. They’re based in Belgium and Brazil and are the brand owner of several renowned beers such as Budweiser, Sella Artois, Corona, etc. They have taken some steps from the beginning stages of production to the distribution of their products. This involves the change and use of sustainable reforms ranging at all levels including from farmers, brewers, manufacturers, distributors, and customers, and down to the consumer level.
Smart agriculture, affordable and clean energy use, responsible consumption and production, circular packaging, and climate action are some of the major ways that Anheuser-Busch InBev has made a conscious effort to introduce sustainability.
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5. Budweiser
Budweiser, the King of Beers, has been aiming to become 100% renewable by 2025. We have to say that it’s quite ambitious! It’s definitely one of those brands that prioritize sustainability but doesn’t need you to burn out on cash. Budweiser has introduced and encouraged its partners to switch to renewable sources of fuel and also advance their machinery and technology. But that’s not all; smart agriculture, a tighter circular packaging loop, and water stewardship are some other important aspects where the company has been making progress.
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6. Corona
Mexico-based beer giant Corona has been taking some effort and initiative to save the beaches and reduce the production of plastic in more than one way. Since 2008, Corona has engaged with over 68,000 volunteers to clean up and collect plastic waste from more than 44 million square meters of beaches. Additionally, they have also conducted more than 1,400 beach clean-ups.
Corona as a company uses recycled glass in manufacturing the iconic Corona beer bottles. Recently in 2021, they also introduced ‘The Barley Pack’. This is a new technology that converts barley waste into paper and that’s been used as a packaging material for the beer as well. These are some of the ways that Corona has been trying to cut down on their waste and reusing or recycling the ones that they are making along the way.
All these efforts have borne fruit, as Corona has officially become the first global beverage brand with a net-zero plastic footprint. This means that it recycles more plastic than it generates. Now you can have a bottle of Corona guilt-free!
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7. Carlsberg
Carlsberg is one of the other big beer brands that has introduced the ZERO sustainability program. Under this program, ZERO carbon footprint, ZERO water waste, ZERO Irresponsible Drinking, and ZERO Accidents Culture combined with Responsible Business is something that they aim for. They work towards developing technology that will reduce the use of plastic by almost 76% in their packaging process.
This company has already introduced ‘snap packs’, which is a simple process where cans are stuck together using an innovative glue technology. Also, Carlsberg is open to sharing this technology with others in the industry. The brand has been working toward eliminating the long-term risks of depleting and overuse of natural resources. They have been doing so by tackling basic growth-level problems such as excessive use of energy, water, resources, and more.
To bring sustainable raw materials to production, Carlsberg partners up with NGOs and suppliers that actively work towards bringing in sustainability. They introduce various programs that help the farmers, suppliers, and partner NGOs in developing sustainable techniques and practices in their process of manufacturing.
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8. Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka is one of the oldest alcohol brands that has taken some steps toward reducing its overall carbon footprint. They started this journey in the 1990s and initially aimed at reducing energy consumption. Over the years, Absolut has had the world’s most energy-efficient distillery. This distillery is carbon neutral certified and reduces the consumption of energy. They have also been collaborating with new artists in the industry to champion the usage of waste in creative ways.
Absolut has also taken initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint by encouraging its transport partners to switch to renewable sources of energy and also develop their technology.
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Summing Up
With this, we sum up our list of the smartest ways alcohol brands have approached sustainability. There’s a lot that still needs to be processed and taken care of by the alcohol brands to completely turn the tables and ensure that sustainability is given more importance. Having said that, all of the above-mentioned alcohol brands have been putting in the efforts and implementing policies to work towards a sustainable future. So it’s only fair that we look positively towards the foreseeable future of the alcohol industry and its approach towards sustainability.
FAQs
What Is The Most Environmentally Friendly Way To Drink Beer?
If you didn’t know, there’s a way to drink your favorite beer in an eco-responsible manner. All you have to do is buy beer cans over glass bottles as they’re easily recyclable compared to glass bottles.
What Is Sustainable Alcohol?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the definition of sustainable alcohol production varies depending on the context and specific goals. However, in general, sustainable alcohol production refers to the creation of alcoholic beverages in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts, maximizes social benefits, and is economically viable.
Is Alcohol Production Sustainable?
The production of alcoholic beverages is not environmentally sustainable as it is resource-intensive. It is a lengthy process and plenty of the resources also get wasted in large quantities during and after production.
Which Alcohol Is Most Sustainable?
according to some reports, wine is the most sustainable alcohol to produce. It doesn’t require much heat or water during the production and distilling process compared to other alcoholic drinks.
Why Is Beer Not Sustainable?
Beer uses large quantities of water in production stage. Most of this water is used in the distilling and barley production stage itself. Many breweries also end up using a significant amount of water which goes down the drain quiet literally. This is why beer is not a sustainable alcoholic drink.
How Are Brands Becoming More Sustainable?
A lot of alcohol brand are becoming more and more environmentally conscious. Some are using alternate packaging options while some are using renewable resources and other alternative approaches in the production process.
