Diageo publishes first sustainable packaging guidelines
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- Published on Friday, 30 December 2011 00:48
GLOBAL – Spirits giant Diageo has released its first sustainable packaging guidelines, which aims to manage and reduce the impact of its packaging at every stage.
Representing its global policy on ensuring its packaging is increasingly sustainable, the guidelines reflect Diageo’s commitment to a holistic approach to reducing its overall impact on the environment across its entire value chain - from barley for the breweries to the bottle in the bin – while at the same time meeting customers’ and consumers’ desire for more sustainable living.
Developed by a cross functional team, the guidelines for sustainable packaging are anchored on the principles of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’.
Diageo’s commitment to sustainable packaging – which the company defines as ‘packaging designed with the lowest possible environmental footprint while retaining its core functions of protecting, delivering and presenting our products and brands’ - includes identifying the potential for light weighting packaging, increasing the use of recycled content and optimising packaging for recycling or reuse.
The brand owner says that it is also examining its packaging to identify materials that pose a potential risk to the environment, such as inks and heavy metals, and to replace them with viable alternatives where possible.
Besides including examples of best practice, the guidelines also stress the need to work closely with suppliers and other stakeholders.
Andy Fennell, chief marketing officer, Diageo said, “Packaging is vital in delivering and protecting our valuable brands – and increasingly customers and consumers are demanding more sustainable packs from all leading consumer goods companies. These new guidelines will be adopted throughout our business to ensure we drive year on year improvements. ”
“This is an important milestone that will ensure a consistent approach to developing new packaging and reviewing existing packs,” added David Gosnell, Diageo’s president for global supply & procurement.
“The guidelines will not only help us meet our stretching sustainable packaging targets for 2015 but also support our engagement with customers and consumers – and further embed our position as corporate leaders in environmental sustainability.”
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.
A global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world, the company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).
