Diageo PLC, a British multinational alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London has revealed plans to invest $219 million in renewable energy resources, across 11 of its 12 refineries in Africa.
Diageo PLC is notable for its flagship products Guinness Stout, Johnny Walker Whiskey, Smirnoff Vodka and Ciroc eau-de-vie, and intends to replace its oil-based refineries with solar-based refineries. The company wants to improve its water recovery, purification and reuse facilities across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and two other countries.
This project will aid the company in saving about two billion cubic litres of water every year. It will also help conserve water in areas tagged water-stressed. Thus, ensure a green environment for the communities where the refineries are located, and also portray Diageo Plc as a climate-friendly brand.
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The investment will cover the replacement of the company’s heavy fuel-oil boilers with sustainable biomass boilers which utilizes wood chips and rice husks sourced from local farmers for production. This process is free of pollution.
According to Diageo Plc’s Chief Executive, Ivan Menezes, they have set an ambitious environmental target that aligns with the United Nations global SDG’s. He said their effort to deliver these targets by 2020 will continue at pace.
He also revealed that they have recorded a 45% reduction in carbon emissions and another 44% reduction in water consumption over the past decade.
What better place to make an ecologically relevant investment than Africa, where 13% of Diageo’s turnover and half of its beer sales comes from.
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