The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable to Hold Inaugural Latin America Water Forum

June 8, 2017 /3BL Media/ - The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER), a technical coalition of global beverage sector leaders, announced today that it will sponsor its first 2-day regional forum event for members, select supply chain stakeholders and industry partners in Latin America, June 14-15, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico.

The theme chosen for this inaugural event, “Operating in an Increasingly Water-Stressed World,” recognizes both acute water issues in Latin America for the beverage sector, and the paramount need for sound environmental stewardship of this essential resource.

“Promoting the sustainable use and protection of water is a business imperative that BIER was founded on,” notes Nick Martin, BIER Associate Director and Water Working Group Facilitator. “Its members work collectively to share innovative approaches, tools and methodologies for assessing both the technical and business aspects of water within their operations.”

BIER colleagues operating in Latin America face particular challenges, such as diminishing groundwater resources and frequent droughts and floods. These water issues pose significant risk and disruption to business as usual. With that in mind, the BIER Latin America Water Forum provides an opportunity for peers to convene and learn about useful tools and practices developed by leaders in the beverage industry. This will enable participants to accelerate their operations toward more sustainable production processes, as well as dialogue on important dimensions of water stewardship relevant to Latin America.

Facilitated by Julio Torruella, Global Sustainability Director for Bacardi Limited (a BIER member company), Nick Martin, Associate Director for BIER, and Hilton Lucio, Latin America Region Water Stewardship Expert for BIER, this event will provide participants with a venue to discuss accelerating corporate water stewardship in the Latin America Food and Beverage Sector. In addition, featured keynotes will include Julio Torruella of Bacardi, as well as Edgar Guillaumin, Vice President of External Affairs for Constellation Brands, Mexico.

Special thanks to both Bacardi Limited and Constellation Brands for co-hosting this event with BIER.  BIER looks forward to highly-engaged discussions with regional leaders, focusing both on the challenges and opportunities inherent in this important topic.

If you are interested in learning more about insights gleaned from the beverage industry on “Operating in a Water-Stressed World”, stay tuned – BIER will be sharing highlights from the event, as well as perspectives from beverage industry thought-leaders.

For more information on BIER’s work in this critical sustainability dimension, please visit our website: http://www.bieroundtable.com/water. 

About BIER

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector. BIER aims to affect sector change through work focused on water stewardship, energy efficiency and climate change, beverage container recycling, sustainable agriculture, and eco-system services. BIER members include: American Beverage Association, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Constellation Brands, Danone Waters, Fetzer Vineyards, Diageo, Heineken, Jackson Family Wines, New Belgium Brewing, Molson Coors, Pernod Ricard, Ocean Spray Cranberries, and PepsiCo. For more information, visit www.bieroundtable.com

About Bacardi Limited

A member of BIER since 2007, Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Blended Scotch whisky, ERISTOFF® vodka, and ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur.

Founded 155 years ago in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi manufactures its brands at 29 facilities and sells in more than 160 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. www.BacardiLimited.com

About Constellation Brands

A member of BIER since 2014, Constellation Brands, a Fortune 500® company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, Italy and Canada. Constellation is the No. 3 beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported brands such as Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra and Pacifico. The company's beer portfolio also includes Ballast Point, one of the most awarded craft brewers in the U.S. In addition, Constellation is the world leader in premium wine, selling great brands that people love, including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Mark West, Franciscan Estate, Ruffino and The Prisoner. The company's premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey.

Based in Victor, N.Y., the company believes that industry leadership involves a commitment to brand building, our trade partners, the environment, our investors and to consumers around the world who choose our products when celebrating big moments or enjoying quiet ones. Founded in 1945, Constellation has grown to become a significant player in the beverage alcohol industry with more than 100 brands in its portfolio, about 40 facilities and approximately 9,000 talented employees. We express our company vision: to elevate life with every glass raised. To learn more, visit www.cbrands.com.