Month: September 2023

HAMILTON, Bermuda, September 7, 2023 /3BL/ – Family-owned spirits company Bacardi has achieved Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) certification for its BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin distillery in Hampshire, England, recognizing its efforts to support local wildlife and biodiversity.

The distillery becomes the first spirits production site in the UK to hold the certification and, as of today, the only Certified Silver program in the UK, thanks to its focus on protecting local bat populations and the section of the River Test that runs through the site.

Conservation work includes the installation of 26 bat and hibernation boxes, bat access tiles and numerous cavities and gaps to the walls of the distillery. Meanwhile, to increase the abundance of insects in the area – a food source for bats – bee nesting boxes have been installed and wildflowers planted. The home of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is also used to train early career ecologists on using bat detecting and recording equipment, helping to educate tomorrow’s experts in the field.

On the banks of the River Test – an area which has held Site of Special Scientific Interest’ status since 1991 – more wildflowers have been planted and fish and eel passes have also been constructed to allow for greater movement of river life.

In addition, the distillery is part of a nationwide program called the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, which engages a local community of volunteers from the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme to monitor the river’s invertebrates. This study provides invaluable insight into the health of the river, helping to track and monitor any changes over time.

“The home of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is incredibly special – not only for the beautiful gin we produce there, but for its surrounding Hampshire countryside and nature,” says Rodolfo Nervi, VP, Global Safety, Quality & Sustainability, Bacardi. “We put protecting that environment front and center when we designed and built the distillery nearly 10 years ago, and we continue that work to this day, prioritizing doing the right thing to have a positive impact on the planet for future generations.”

All 10 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE botanicals are sourced from 100 percent sustainably certified suppliers, and the brand has a long history of pioneering in sustainability. When the distillery opened in 2014, its design was rated ‘outstanding’ by BREEAM – the most recognized environmental assessment for buildings.

The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery joins other sites from the company’s portfolio in securing the WHC certification. Both Bacardi in Puerto Rico, which is the largest premium rum distillery in the world and the home of the world’s most awarded rum BACARDĺ, and the Bacardi Bottling Corporation site in Jacksonville, Florida, have previously earned WHC certifications.

The BACARDĺ site in Cataño, Puerto Rico was recently re-certified for the third time for its efforts in building pollinator gardens that protect bats, butterflies and bees. It remains the only initiative on the island to hold the WHC certification.

Meanwhile, the Bacardi site in Jacksonville has been re-certified an incredible five times for its conservation initiatives, which include installing song bird nesting boxes for Eastern Blue Birds and native bat acoustic monitoring to support local biodiversity. The WHC also presented Bacardi in Jacksonville with its first ever Ibis Award in 2020, created to recognize a program that has demonstrated resiliency of spirit and advancement of conservation despite shutdowns, quarantines, and changes in the workplace.

“Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them,” says Margaret O’Gorman, President, Wildlife Habitat Council. “We applaud the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE distillery for its dedication to restoring local waterways, providing shelter for important bat populations and removing invasive species. These incredible efforts support the biodiversity of the ecosystems surrounding this site while also benefitting the greater community.”

Find out more about Bacardi and its ESG – Environmental, Social & Governance – commitments, including its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, at www.bacardilimited.com/good-spirited.

For more information contact Jessica Merz, VP Global Corporate Communications, jmerz@bacardi.com

About Bacardi Limited

Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, produces, markets, and distributes internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, PATRÓN® tequila, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, D’USSÉ® Cognac, ANGEL’S ENVY® American straight whiskey, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur. Founded more than 161 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs approximately 9,000, operates production facilities in 11 countries and territories, and sells its brands in more than 160 markets. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or X.

About Wildlife Habitat Council

WHC has been working at the nexus of business and nature for 35 years. It is the only international NGO focused exclusively on enabling private sector action for nature. WHC builds strategies and frameworks that connect corporate ambition for nature to robust action on corporate lands. WHC works with mostly Fortune 500 corporations, traversing value chains, jurisdictions and geographies. It seeks to integrate nature, especially biodiversity, with climate, equity and engagement to support sustainable ecosystems and healthy communities. WHC’s corporate members represent some of the leading national and multinational corporations seeking to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them. These efforts have resulted in more than 1,000 certified programs across 47 states and 28 countries.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

A new school year can be challenging for kids and parents, especially when a medical diagnosis might require special accommodations. Emily Brannon, a hospital teacher and educational advocate at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, works with families to make this transition as easy as possible. Emily recently met with a sickle cell patient and his parents who were concerned about their son beginning kindergarten and wanted to make sure his teacher and administrators were aware of his medical needs.

“I was able to set up a meeting with the school principal, kindergarten teacher and the patient’s parents to provide handouts explaining sickle cell disease and discuss what was most important for this patient and his family,” said Brannon. “Schools have processes in place for children with medical needs, and through my educational advocacy and the parents’ opportunity to share their personal concerns, the school was able to provide appropriate support and accommodations for this student as he began his elementary experience.”

Emily is part of the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center’s family support team, which is completely donor-funded. In early 2023, the Aflac Foundation contributed $1.5 million to the family support team to help provide needed services. Emily and other teachers work with families every day to help them overcome school barriers. “The school system can be overwhelming, and with the addition of a medical diagnosis, school tasks can seem impossible,” said Brannon. “The best part of our day is seeing the relief in a parent’s face when we offer to take on certain tasks and provide solutions for them.”

How can you help? 

The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center’s family support team maintains a wish list where teachers can identify their greatest needs. Donors can purchase items which are shipped directly to the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

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GLOUCESTER, Mass., September 07, 2023 /3BL/ – Pure Strategies, a sustainability consulting firm empowering brands and retailers to realize meaningful environmental and social improvement, is partnering with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to offer three free events aimed at helping advance corporate sustainability programs. These in-person sessions will be held during Climate Week in New York City on September 19 and 20, 2023, with registration now available for these limited capacity events.

Pure Strategies and EDF are offering these events to dive deeply into key topics for businesses to help spur more significant action by addressing common challenges, clarifying areas of confusion, and providing inspiring examples to continue to drive progress on climate and nature by businesses. These learning opportunities include:

Lessons from FLAG: discuss experiences with accounting, defining targets, and developing reduction plans for forest, land, and agriculture (FLAG) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (small group discussion)

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 3:30-4:30 PM

EDF New York Office, 257 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10010 (entrance, floor, and office details provided with registration confirmation)

This event will enable participants to engage in a small group discussion about lessons learned from applying Science Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) recommendations for forest, land, and agriculture greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets and management.

EDF and Pure Strategies are collaborating to provide a unique opportunity for a small group of companies interested in discussing with peers about their experiences with accounting, defining targets, and developing reduction plans for FLAG GHG emissions. We expect to cover common challenges with data availability, managing changing standards, and needs for new roadmaps/interventions and tracking demands. This will be a facilitated discussion where the participants will be involved in the discussion. Climate Week attendees can learn more and register here. (Due to the small group nature, registration is limited to participants working in-house at brands and companies; Registration is a two-step process. You will need both your Eventbrite confirmation and a confirmation from Pure Strategies to participate.)

Brands Scaling Scope 3 GHG Solutions (panel session) 

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 9:00-10:30 AM

Jay Suites 109 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018, Sydney Room

The dominant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for most businesses lies in the value chain, in Scope 3 GHGs. These impacts of doing business have been hard to manage and ultimately reduce. This panel discussion will explore how brands have been looking at overcoming common hurdles and scaling Scope 3 GHG reduction solutions.

Businesses reducing value chain-level GHG emissions will discuss why and how they are working on the harder-to-manage areas of their GHG impacts. Topics will include farm-level changes, SBTi FLAG target setting, unique supplier engagement, product and packaging innovation, and other approaches. Pure Strategies will facilitate a highly engaging exploration of solutions from leading businesses, including Stonyfield and others. Climate Week attendees can register here.

Connecting Corporate Climate and Nature Strategies: explore the next steps with corporate nature strategies (workshop)

Wednesday, September 20, 2023 10:45 AM-12:00 PM

Jay Suites 109 W 39th St, New York, NY 10018, Sydney Room

Are you asking yourself, how does a nature strategy fit in my business? Why do I need a nature strategy if I already have a climate strategy? This free workshop is set up for you and corporate sustainability professionals looking to explore what an effective nature strategy may look like within an ESG/sustainability program.

During this workshop, experts from EDF and Pure Strategies will help workshop participants identify how nature connects to their business and existing efforts, such as climate strategies. We will explore what next steps are typical and options for their nature journey, such as value chain assessments, measuring biodiversity, and setting targets. This will be a hands-on experience where participants should be prepared to be given tools to explore and draft the next steps for their business. Climate Week attendees can register here.

About Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

One of the world’s leading international nonprofit organizations, Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships. With more than 3 million members and offices in the United States, China, Mexico, Indonesia, and the European Union, EDF’s scientists, economists, attorneys, and policy experts are working in 28 countries to turn our solutions into action.

About Pure Strategies 
Pure Strategies has been transforming business through sustainability performance since 1998. Our team helps companies initiate and enhance existing sustainability programs by setting meaningful sustainability goals, devising effective management strategies, and making changes to products and supply chains that deliver value to the business and society. Our clients include Walmart, Ahold Delhaize USA, Seventh Generation, TAZO, Timberland, Everlane, MegaFood, Ben & Jerry’s, and over 100 others. Pure Strategies is proud to be a Co-Founder of The Chemical Footprint Project, a licensed GreenScreen® Consultant, The Sustainability Consortium registered service provider staff member, a pioneer member of the Science Based Targets Network Corporate Engagement Program, and a certified B Corp.

For more information, contact: 
Melanie Fleming 
Marketing Manager 
Pure Strategies, Inc. 
mfleming@purestrategies.com 
978-525-0487