UK – British multinational beverage alcohol company Diageo has launched a new 10-year, 25-action sustainability action plan designed to steer the company into a low-carbon carbon future.
In its sustainability plan, Diageo says it will focus its action over the next 10 years in three core areas: promoting positive drinking; championing inclusion and diversity; and pioneering grain-to-glass sustainability.
To reduce its carbon impact on the planet, Diageo says it hopes to harness 100% renewable energy across direct operations and a further 50% reduction in indirect carbon emissions through working with suppliers.
“It is vital that we act now if we want to maintain the wonderful world we all live in. I’m proud that we have already halved our own carbon footprint and that we are going to push ourselves further by becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”
Ewan Andrew – chief sustainability officer and president, Diageo supply and procurement
As the first step in its net zero ambition, Diageo’s Scottish distilleries of Oban and Royal Lochnagar will both become carbon neutral by the end of 2020.
The maker of popular brands such as Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Guinness and Diageo also said it will aim to achieve net zero in India by 2025.
By 2030 Diageo says it will ensure that every drink it produces will take 30% less water to make than it does today.
The company also plans to use 100% recycled content in plastic packaging by 2030 while at the same time ensuring that 100% of its packaging are widely recyclable.
The brewer’s sustainability action plan also hopes to leave a positive impact in the world, not only by cutting emissions but also by positively impacting communities.
To this end, the company hopes to deliver over 150 community water projects across the world, including providing access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.
Diageo says that it will also support over 150,000 smallholder farmers with farming techniques to regenerate the land and build biodiversity.
The company also recently launched what is calls “Sustainable Solutions,” a global platform that will provide non-equity funding to start-up and technology companies in order to help Diageo continue to embed sustainability in its supply chain and brands.
Ewan Andrew, chief sustainability officer and president, Diageo supply and procurement, said: “It is vital that we act now if we want to maintain the wonderful world we all live in.”
“I’m proud that we have already halved our own carbon footprint and that we are going to push ourselves further by becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”’
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