Bacardi has announced that it will slash the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to its iconic rum brand, committing to cutting the distillery’s emissions in half from 2023.
The GHG emissions for Bacardí rum will be reduced by 50 per cent next year when a combined heat and power system goes live in the brand’s Puerto Rican distillery. This new system will replace heavy fuel oil with propane gas, which is a much cleaner and more efficient energy solution.
Ned Duggan, Senior Vice President for Bacardí rum, said: “As a brand and as a company, we are committed to doing the right thing for the planet.
“Our rums are made in Puerto Rico, a beautiful island in the Caribbean where we are continuously investing in new innovations that will ensure we do just that. This year, we are celebrating our 160th anniversary and while we reflect on our incredible history we are also looking forward to a more sustainable future.”
Once this GHG emissions reduction is complete, it will represent a 14 per cent cut in the total emissions for Bacardi’s global portfolio of brands, a significant step towards the 50 per cent cut the company is committed to achieving overall by 2025. This commitment is part of Bacardi’s corporate responsibility program called Good Spirited, which has set a number of global targets around emissions, water consumption, raw materials and packaging, in addition to the company’s commitment to be 100 per cent plastic-free by 2030.
Rodolfo Nervi, VP of Global Safety, Quality and Sustainability for Bacardi, said the company is always looking at ways it can become as sustainable as possible, and this latest move for Bacardí rum isn’t an isolated act.
“We are committed to cutting our GHG emissions by reducing our energy consumption and switching to the most sustainable form of energy in the countries where we operate,” Nervi said.
“While propane gas is the most responsible energy source in Puerto Rico right now, we are continuing to explore ways in which we can reduce our use of carbon-based fuels even further and take more positive steps towards our ultimate goal of Net Zero.”
Other ways the Bacardí rum distillery is already pioneering with environmental practices include the generation of biogas through waste water treatment, which creates more than 60 per cent of the distillery’s energy and also recapturing 95 per cent of the heat from distillation to reduce the overall energy required. There are also six pollinator gardens that support local wildlife in Puerto Rico, and plans are underway to capture CO2 from the fermentation process, to supply to the sparkling drinks industry.