Dive Brief:
- Bacardi is jumping on the sustainable bandwagon with its "Good Spirited" global sustainability program, which sets targets for responsible sourcing, global packaging, and operational efficiencies.
- Its goal is to source 40% of the sugarcane-derived products from certified, sustainable sources to produce Bacardi rum by 2017, with an expected 100% by 2022. It also plans to utilize eco-design, and plans to reduce 10% weight in the packaging by 2017, followed by 15% by 2022.
- The rum maker expects to reduce 55% of water usage and 50% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2017. It also plans to eliminate landfill waste at all of its production sites by 2022.
Dive Insight:
Bacardi Puerto Rico project director Julio Torruella said: "Because we're a small Caribbean island with limited resources, we're always trying to find ways to be more sustainable and maximize the natural resources that are readily available." That's certainly true, but companies are also well-aware of the public relations value of declaring sustainable goals. Food companies like General Mills and Mars have recently made a public promise to use sustainable sourcing for palm oil. As Barcardi's target milestones don't seem overly ambitious, they can probably easily meet or beat them -- and then give themselves a public pat on the back, as Hershey did.