Beam Suntory announced its commitment to long-term sustainability across all facets of its operations with its new Proof Positive initiative.

Goals of the program align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and aim to making a positive impact on the planet, its communities and the company itself, according to a news release. This new effort is designed to build upon the gains made by Beam Suntory’s Nature Positive program, which has enabled the company to reduce water use, greenhouse gas emissions and more.

“Proof Positive is a critical roadmap towards 2030, 2040, and beyond for how we will positively impact the environment, our consumers and our communities,” Beam Suntory President & CEO Albert Baladi said, noting that the initiative extends beyond strictly environmental impacts. ”We’re fundamentally committed to reducing harmful drinking, and we’ll increase investment to support consumers in making responsible choices. We’ll use our platform to advance diversity, equity and inclusion, and leave a lasting legacy for our teams, community and our industry.”

Some goals for 2030 and 2040 include:

• Further reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent across direct operations by 2030, with an ambition to remove more carbon than is emitted across the entire value chain by 2040.
• Reducing water usage for every unit of production by 50 percent by 2030 and replenishing more water than what is used in direct operations to water sources, shared with local communities and nature, by 2040.
• Planting more trees than those harvested to make whiskey barrels–a commitment to plant 500,000 trees annually by 2030.
• Working only with suppliers that use sustainable practices by 2040.  
• Using 100 percent recyclable packaging and 40 percent recycled materials by weight across the packaging portfolio by 2030.
• Investing $500 million to promote responsible decisions and positively impact behavior by significantly expanding responsibility-led brand communications, elevating the Drink Smart platform, and supporting evidence-based partner programs.
• Reaching 50 percent women in leadership positions globally, 45 percent racially and ethnically diverse employee representation in the US, and achieve an industry-leading sense of belonging among employees by 2030.  
• Contributing 1 million cumulative volunteer hours to communities around the world by 2030 and continuing to invest in initiatives and organizations that support on-trade partners, build stronger communities, and promote social justice.