It begins in an expansive, pristine forest in Georgia, in the southern United States. There, mature trees are selected for an evolution that results in beautiful, bright boxes that carry the award-winning BACARDI rum to market. At every step along the way, sustainability is a key part of the equation – from trees that generate cardboard containers, to production lines that bottle and box, to trucks that transport the product.
The way containers are stacked and loaded onto transport trucks now is streamlined – another significant savings in terms of carbon footprint. Fewer trucks deliver the same amount of bottles.
"At Bacardi, even the corrugated cardboard cases used to ship our product play a role," says BACARDI rum brand director Kevin Oglesby. "They are designed to protect the bottles as well as reduce the environmental impact of our packaging."
Every cardboard container BACARDI rum uses for its packaging in North America originates from a sustainable forest. Harvested trees provide pulp for the recyclable cardboard cases – close to 10 million a year – and all receive endorsement from Forest Stewardship Council, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, or Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
"It's gratifying that Bacardi, with its philosophy of longevity and sustainability, is using a product grown on our land," says Joe Hopkins, a fourth-generation forester in Georgia. "Our companies are working in the same direction, with the same long-term view for viability."
The overarching vision of the Bacardi Limited Good Spirited sustainability platform is to return to the environment as least as much as it takes away. The Company pledges to use eco-friendly design in its brand packaging and point-of-sale materials.
Since 2006, when the Company began reporting its global impacts on the environment, Bacardi has reduced energy use by nearly 28 percent, supported by a 28.5 percent decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Building on current programs and efficiencies that reduce water and energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, the Bacardi Limited "Good Spirited" global sustainability program sets specific goals in three areas:
Global Packaging: By 2017, Bacardi plans to reduce the weight of its packaging by 10 percent and achieve 15 percent by 2022.
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 BACARDI rum from certified, sustainable sources – and 100 percent by 2022. This pledge from Bacardi is an industry first.
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.
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