Diageo will invest in Glass Futures, a glass research and technology organisation, to help decarbonise the glass industry in North America and India.
Diageo will be providing seed funding to enable the expansion of Glass Futures activities into North America and India, two of Diageo's largest markets.
The funding aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the glass industry internationally.
With this funding, Glass Futures will be able to explore new technologies and system-wide approaches, which will pave the way to further reduce glass carbon emissions in these two markets.
Andy Griffiths, Head of Sustainable Procurement at Diageo, said: “We’re looking forward to expanding our partnership with Glass Futures into North America and India to look into lower-carbon glass production.
“This is key for the success of Diageo’s and the wider glass industry’s decarbonisation efforts. Partnering on innovative approaches is vital to making a net zero world a reality, and we are hopeful that this collaboration will bring great results in other markets going forward.”
The partnership has already seen results in the UK.
In 2021, Glass Futures, Diageo and Encirc trialled the use of waste-based biofuel powered furnaces for Diageo’s Black & White Scotch whisky brand.
This reduced the carbon footprint of the bottle making process by up to 90%.
Hallam Wheatley, Collaboration Lead at Glass Futures, said: “The need to accelerate international decarbonisation and a circular economy across the entire packaging supply chain has resulted in Diageo’s investment over the next two years for further outreach into North America and India.
“Glass Futures’ in-house expertise, cross sector working and unique networks across the glass supply chain is key to increasing glass circularity for the global industry.”
The outcomes of Diageo’s partnership with Glass Futures will contribute towards Diageo’s goal of reducing Scope 3 carbon emissions by 50% (against its 2020 baseline).
