Sustainability in the Rum Industry (Part II)

In the first part of Sustainability in the Rum Industry, we discussed some of the leading rum brands in carbon offsetting. Now, we’re going to dive deeper into the sustainable actions of other successful brands, which also reduce cost and risk while achieving a positive impact on the environment.

For the following companies, a commitment to sustainability requires not only action but also transparency since the measure of progress is a key component of growth.

Ron Barceló

The Dominican Republic’s leading spirit is the first rum brand globally that receives the CarbonNeutral and ISO14067 certification, as well as the Bilan Carbone® License, a French methodological tool for quantifying carbon emissions.
Barceló’s carbon-neutral initiative started in 2016 to respond to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

The project focuses on quantifying, reducing, and offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacture and transport of raw materials to the final disposal of the products.

To carry on such an initiative, the company has invested in sustainable infrastructure that allows them to implement eco-friendly techniques: the generation of steam and electricity from a cogeneration plant made from sugar cane bagasse; the fertigation of cane fields with organic waste; and the use of renewable energy (solar and biomass). It is important to note that the company has always worked with suppliers who recycle and promote green practices.

Furthermore, they have been following the “RB360 Sustainability Code,” which is a set of policies to reduce environmental impact. The code has four indicators:

• Field indicator is related to managing the company’s agronomic activities such as soil management
• Water indicator, which follows the impact on water resources in the field activity and the production processes
• Territory indicator assesses the impact on the landscape space where the company operates and considers its environmental, social, and economic effects on the local community
• Air indicator, related to the management of polluting gas emissions from the life cycle of products and the company itself to reduce and neutralize them

The brand has minimized its dependence on fossil fuels through these indicators, ensuring that 100% of the process steam and nearly 90% of the electricity consumed comes from renewable sources. In the same way, the CO2 produced during fermentation is captured and reused, transforming it into food-grade CO2, used to make soft drinks and other carbonated beverages.

The brand’s global projects include forestry conservation in the Amazon, the treatment of municipal solid wastes in Mexico, wind power generation in Honduras, the shift to efficient stoves in rural communities in Ghana, and a wind generation plant in Mauritania, Northwest Africa, which provided clean electricity to 140,000 people.

Ron Barceló has confirmed that they will continue to harmonize with the planet, aiming to develop communities as a socially responsible brand. Learn more about Ron Barceló at https://ronbarcelo.com/en/sustainability/

Licores de Guatemala

In 2021, Licores de Guatemala also became a CarbonNeutral corporation when SGS Group recognized its hard work in mitigating its carbon footprint. This certification guarantees that their production chain meets the requirements of the ISO 14064:2006 standard.

Over the years, the corporation has been working on its environmental management programs. In 2020, they also added the Foresa part’s assets, a company established by Licores de Guatemala in charge of the reforestation of plantations, preservation of natural forests, and clean energy production at the Ingenio Tululá. At the Ingenio, they reuse sugar cane bagasse to produce more than 72 MM kWh of clean or renewable energy.

Owning 1,850,000 trees in different geographical locations in the country allows Licores de Guatemala to mitigate its carbon footprint on its own. For more than 40 years, the corporation has worked on forest preservation. Nowadays, it already has a robust forest inventory that allows it to support the methodology.

The corporation’s more than 4,500 hectares of forest, which can fix more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, also generate a positive balance that exceeds the total emissions generated in all business units by more than 50%. It is expected that the corporation will continue investing in the growth of new hectares, which will help in mitigating its carbon footprint.

Copalli Rum

The brand has been working on sustainable projects to serve the community and consumers. When creating its main facility, Copal Tree Distillery, it incorporated sustainability into its design to have as little impact on its operation and resource use.

Copalli Rum’s distillery sits in Southern Belize among 12,000 acres of preserved rainforest, supplied only by the adjacent Copal Tree Farm. The farm has 3,000 acres, and it is the first certified organic farm in Belize.

The sugar cane is fertilized without pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, using only leftover boiler ash, chicken manure, and vinasse (a by-product of distillation rich in nitrogen). The approach adopted by the management teams leads the farm to grow what is needed year-round and reuse materials whenever possible.

They do not burn the cane in the fields to reduce air pollution. Nutrients remain under the soil, and water retention and insect biodiversity increase through this practice. The farm produces an environment that does not affect food sources for small and large mammals, alongside a diverse population of birds.

Also, their refrigeration system is powered by steam, which requires less electricity. What’s more, its boiler system is powered by 100% renewable biomass (from sugar cane bagasse). Between 2020 and 2021, about two million pounds of biomass were used to run the boiler.

The brand’s direct carbon emissions (Scope 1 & 2) are significantly low due to its circular principles and functional design. According to its last report, Copalli Rum emits 1.42 kg CO2e per bottle, which is much lower than the industry average, 2.97 kg CO2e per bottle. Most Copal Tree Distillery’s emissions come from the purchased products and transportation (Scope 3 emissions).

On the other hand, they use a roof cistern system to collect rainwater and store it in large tanks, collecting about 100,000 gallons of rainwater per year. Additionally, they decided not to use any secondary packaging. Currently, the brand generates less than 50 gallons of garbage weekly.

Copal Tree Distillery also contributes to the well-being of its workers and their families by preventing deforestation for cultivation or illegal fishing in the area. The brand plans to continue incorporating sustainability into everything they do.

Hattiers Rum

Since 2017, this benchmark has been doing more than making and selling finely blended spirits by selecting the best rum distilleries worldwide. Hattiers Rum embraces for main aspects: premium rum, sustainable, plastic-free, and committed to carbon neutrality.

From day one, they decided to be plastic-free. The brand partnered with Flexi-Hex to provide an eco-friendly packaging that ensures their bottles get to consumers safely. Besides, Hattiers headquarters has its woodland.

They also collaborate with Ecologi to back transparent planting projects and offset their direct emissions (Scope 1 & 2) to become sustainable. Likewise, the brand has conducted responsible practices, including waste and water use, energy supplies, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency.

As a result, in November 2020, Hattiers Rum became the first British B Corp certified rum, following the highest social and environmental standards, transparency, and accountability.

The brand’s next challenge is its Scope 3 emissions, all indirect emissions linked to the Hattiers operations: both upstream and downstream emissions. They are much closer to their “Net Carbon Zero” goal, which they expect to achieve by 2030. In the meantime, they are reducing their carbon footprint by constantly evaluating their supply chain and processes (blending production, office, workforce, and wholesale distribution channels).​

The rum industry aims to incorporate sustainability pillars into every process. It is not only about making a well-crafted rum but also balancing profit and purpose with a positive impact on consumers, communities, and the planet.

One can notice that many brands in the rum industry have achieved carbon neutrality in line with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. They understand what should be covered in their footprint, measure their impact accurately and conservatively, set goals to offset all remaining emissions, communicate their climate actions, and engage their teams, customers, and stakeholders.