TRBusiness is delighted to announce the inaugural Sustainability Pitch session of TR Sustainability Week 2024 (2-6 December).

In the spotlight is Suntory Global Spirits, a global leader in premium spirits, with its Peatland Water Sanctuary submission.

This concentrates on the restoration and preservation of wetlands and peatlands as part of a multi-stakeholder collaboration involving the likes of the Scotch Whisky Association, Forestry and Land Scotland, and the RSPB.

PITCH 1: WATCH BELOW

Please watch the pitch below to discover whether Suntory Global Spirits achieved the four-star TR Sustainability Trailblazer status or the five-star TR Sustainability Hero accolade.

The pitch carries commentary from several of the stakeholders, including Alistair Longwell, Head of Distilling and Environment at Suntory Global Spirits.

In a Q&A with the Sustainability Guardians, Longwell addresses the investment impact of an initiative within the context of what remains a limited percentage of total peat extraction as it concerns total whisky production.

He also quantifies how the cross-party alliance bringing to life the initiative is channelling its efforts into regenerative activities.

The Peatland Water Sanctuary initiative plays into Suntory Global Spirits’ ‘Proof Positive’ strategy, which accelerates environmental and social change across several pillars: Nature Positive, Consumer Positive and Community Positive.

Nature Positive covers actions from reducing water usage in the company’s operations and protecting and recharging water sources, progressing towards net zero carbon emissions across the value chain and supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Achievements in 2023 included the protection of 6,679 hectares of natural water sanctuaries, including the restoration of an additional 52.4 hectares of peatland and utilising regenerative techniques to farm 17% of the land used to produce its crops and ingredients.

TRBusiness would like to thank the Sustainability guardians for lending their expertise to this year’s Sustainability Pitch programme.

Established in 2021, the Sustainability Pitch initiative is designed to recognise and reward sustainable products and initiatives associated with the travel industry and affords companies a unique opportunity to demonstrate innovation across a number of environmental and social barometers.

Those Pitch entrants that meet the benchmarked standard will receive a coveted seal of approval that they can feature on their B2B and B2C marketing and material to communicate their achievements to end-consumers and businesses alike.

Critically, the sustainability Trailblazer and Hero logos are designed to make it easier for consumers to navigate and make sustainable choices in duty free stores.

This Sustainability Pitch broadcast is brought to you with production assistance courtesy of The Bluedog Group.

For more on the methodology behind the Sustainability Pitch, click the button below for a video explainer.

For the full event agenda, click here. 

View our sustainability content: Stay close to the dedicated section on our website to view TR Sustainability Week content, including this edition’s Sustainability Pitch broadcasts.

To read the dedicated event programme, click here.

For more on the Sustainability Pitch programme, click the below links

READ MORE: Pitches set: Suntory Global Spirits, Ferrero, Kellanova, Rémy Cointreau

READ MORE: Pitch series returns with high-profile Guardians

To find out more about TR Sustainability Week 2024 please visit www.TRBusiness.com, www.travelretailsustainabilityweek.com or access the below

READ MORE: TR Sustainability Week now live – click to view

READ MORE: TRSW24 panel: Partnership and communication key to ESG

READ MORE: TRSW24 keynote – “Sustainability is par for the course – not an add-on”