Bacardi commits to sustainable sugarcane

As a founding member of Bonsucro, a non-profit organisation that fosters the sustainability of the sugarcane sector, Bacardi has pledged to select suppliers who can produce high quality yields of sugarcane under sustainably certified conditions.

The company also claims that its new pledge to make sure all of its sugarcane products come from sustainable sources by 2022 is an industry first.

A key ingredient used to produce Bacardi rum is molasses, a by-product of sugarcane. In a statement, the company said that it is “making a difference on the ground in places where sugarcane is grown”.

In Fiji, the company helps sugarcane growers develop model, sustainable farms. The initiative is a joint partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to educate farmers about increasing crop yields while, at the same time, reducing water runoff and other older practices that are hazardous to the Great Sea Reef.

Bacardi global sustainability director Dave Howson said: “There have been a lot of challenges in the sugarcane industry. That’s why Bonsucro is so important.

“It’s really working to develop a sustainable sugarcane industry. Together with Bonsucro, our commitments are also a key pillar to building a sustainable future for Bacardi.”

According to Bacardi, since 2006, the company has reduced its non-renewable energy use by 27.7%, supported by a 28.5% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from production.

These activities are part of Bacardi’s ‘Good Spirited’ sustainability initiative that set specific goals by 2022 for sourcing, packaging and operations across the entire Bacardi family to help the company reach its environmental goals.

Liz Gyekye