In recent months, the members of IARD have contributed to relief efforts around the world, to help communities recover from natural disasters.
In the US, Bacardi donated US$100,000 to the American Red Cross for disaster relief and recovery work across five states, following Hurricanes Milton and Helene. The Coca-Cola Co also made grants to the ARC, totalling $1.75m, for immediate relief efforts in communities hit by the hurricanes. The soft drinks giant also donated 50,000 cans of drinking water and has been supporting disaster relief agencies’ short- and long-term work. Meanwhile, Molson Coors Beverage Co contributed 280,000 cans of drinking water in the aftermath of the two hurricanes. The latest donation marks almost 3m cans of water produced by the company following natural disasters in the US since 2017. Molson Coors emphasised that the initiatives are a group effort that also involves can manufacturers and logistics companies.
In South-East Asia, Carlsberg made donations to support victims of Typhoon Yagi, which swept across communities in September. In Laos, the group distributed drinking water worth around LAK1bn (US$46,000) to disaster-stricken areas and shelters, while in Vietnam, donated VND1.1bn (US$39,500) to government agencies, funding repairs to damaged homes and businesses and aid to families in the provinces most affected by the typhoon.
Pernod Ricard also supported relief work following Typhoon Yagi, giving VND1bn to support the northern areas most severely impacted, distributing the funding through local government groups and the Red Cross.
Suntory donated JPY50m (US$330,000) to support recovery efforts following recent rainstorms in Japan that affected communities in the Noto Peninsula. The torrential rains caused flooding and landslides across a region that was still recovering from a major earthquake at the beginning of 2024.
Elsewhere in the country, Asahi ran the 14th iteration of its ‘Shikoku Pilgrimage to World Heritage Site’ campaign, originally launched in 2011. This year, a portion of the sales of Asahi Style Free will be donated to organisations that are working towards securing recognition of the historic Japanese pilgrimage route as a World Heritage Site.
In France, Moët Hennessy held its second annual World Living Soils Forum at the LUMA Arles art forum. The conference expanded on the geographical reach of last year’s forum by running parallel events in California and Ningxia, resulting in a global event with over 180 speakers across 60 sessions to discuss the preservation of soil health.
Pernod Ricard’s Absolut vodka distillery in Sweden reached the milestone of becoming powered solely by renewable energy sources, over a year ahead of its original target date. The facility now emits seven times less CO2 per litre of alcohol produced compared to the average fossil fuel-powered distillery.
In Japan, Suntory partnered with the University of Tokyo and engineering consultancy Nippon Koei to launch the world’s first online water risk assessment platform. The ‘Water Security Compass‘, which is available to the public free of charge, enables users to assess future water scarcity risks based on demand and supply across various regions by water usage.