Diageo seeks 100% renewable electricity by 2030

Diageo has reported “strong progress” against its 2020 sustainability and responsibility targets, claiming it will aim also to procure 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Diageo will aim to source 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030

In 2014, the Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky maker revealed 20 new targets to achieve by 2020 across three core areas: ‘leadership in alcohol society’, ‘building thriving communities’, and ‘reducing environmental impact’.

Diageo has now reported “good first year progress” against the targets, stating that it has decreased greenhouse emissions in direct operations by 7.7%; improved water efficiency by 12.5% compared to 2015; and replenished 21% of total water used in final product in water-stressed areas through reforestation, desilting of damns, water storage and safe water and sanitation projects.

This new set of targets was formed in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and aims to “support Diageo’s overall growth and performance for many years to come”.

Last year, Diageo revealed it had failed to meet all but one of its sustainability targets for 2015. Set in 2008, the targets addressed water use, carbon emissions and waste.

The group only managed to meet its water efficiency objective: since 2007, this increased by 32.2% against a 30% target. Diageo performed worst in its ‘reduce polluting power of wastewater by 60%’ target, achieving just a 3.1% reduction over six years.

Diageo attributed this to the “challenging” application of a bioenergy plant at the Cameronbridge Distillery in Scotland, while noting that polluting power at its operations in Africa fell by “around 90%”.

On the first year of its 2020 sustainability and responsibility targets, Ivan Menezes, CEO of Diageo, said: “Our sustainable development strategy reflects how the elements of our value chain are interdependent and how contributing to society, to communities, and to the environment strengthens our business.

“This year, we have made good progress towards our environmental goals, with some substantial gains in the management of our water, carbon and waste. We have also introduced a new target of procuring 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030.”

Diageo said it has moved closer to its target of recruiting one million responsible drinking ambassadors by 2020, and has so-far recruited more than 700,000 through training programmes such as DRINKIQ, Learning for Life, Diageo Bar Academy and Plan W.

The firm also said it provided access to safe water and sanitation to 351,700 more people through the Water of Life programme, which has helped more than 10 million people since 2006.

As part of its plan to source 80% of its raw materials in Africa by 2020, Diageo will soon publish it new Sustainability Agriculture Strategy.