A Toast To Sustainability Across The Scotch Whisky Industry

04 Aug 2015

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04 Aug 2015 --- In Scotland, a small country of just five million people, Scotch whisky is at the heart of the economy. Estimates are that 36 bottles of Scotch whisky are exported every second – yes, every single second – in an industry that supports some 35,000 jobs.

John Dewar & Sons Ltd. – one of the world's most established and respected spirits producers – works closely with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) to protect its 169-year history and ensure its viability for centuries to come. That means a spot-on commitment to environmental sustainability.

"The environment is so important to Scotch whisky," says Iain Lochhead, Operations Director for John Dewar & Sons Ltd., part of the Bacardi group of companies. "We are so closely tied to the air, the water and the landscape where we grow our barley and distil our whiskies that it's crucial we have a sustainable future. Without our barley, there is no Scotch whisky industry."

"Working with companies like John Dewar & Sons, the SWA is implementing an award-winning, industry wide environment strategy," says David Williamson, Public Affairs & Communications Director, for the Scotch Whisky Association. "It's the first of its kind here in Scotland. Our aim is to reduce our emissions and increase our investment in renewables – at a time when production is growing."

"By reducing carbon emissions, we believe we are playing our part in making the environment in Scotland sustainable," adds Lochhead. "Because we use natural ingredients to make our whisky, we want to return at least as much as we take away."

The Scotch Whisky Association partnership is part of a broad scope of sustainability initiatives by John Dewar & Sons, producers of DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, WILLIAM LAWSON'S Blended Scotch whisky and the single malt brands of ABERFELDY, AULTMORE, CRAIGELLACHIE, THE DEVERON and ROYAL BRACKLA.

As part of the Bacardi group of companies, John Dewar & Sons honors the spirit of sustainability with these benchmarks at its five malt distilleries:

34 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2006

46 percent reduction in water use since 2009

30 percent reduction of waste to landfill since 2010

Since 2006, when Bacardi began tracking its global impact on the environment, it has reduced nonrenewable energy use by nearly 28 percent and decreased its greenhouse gas emissions from production by more than 28 percent. Building on current programs and efficiencies that reduce its environmental impacts, the Bacardi Limited "Good Spirited" sustainability program sets specific goals in three areas to help reach its vision of a net zero impact:

Responsible Sourcing: Bacardi strives to obtain all raw materials and packaging from sustainably sourced, renewable or recycled materials while maintaining or enhancing the economic status of growers and suppliers. By 2017, the goal is to obtain 40 percent of the sugarcane-derived products used to make its rum from certified, sustainable sources – and 100 percent by 2022. This pledge from Bacardi is an industry first.

Global Packaging: Bacardi commits to use eco-design to craft sustainability into its brand packaging and point-of-sale materials. By 2017, Bacardi plans to reduce the weight of its packaging by 10 percent and achieve 15 percent by 2022.

Operational Efficiencies: Bacardi continues to focus on reducing water use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with a 2017 goal to cut water use by 55 percent and GHG emissions by 50 percent. In addition, Bacardi aims to eliminate landfill waste at all of its production sites by 2022.