Brewers Unite With Governments, NGOs, Employees and Retailers Worldwide to Promote Responsible Drinking

On September 16, brewers, governments, NGOs and retailers in 76 countries around the world will partner on the second annual Global Beer Responsibility Day (GBRD), a worldwide effort to promote the responsible consumption of beer.

Initiated by Anheuser-Busch InBev, Carlsberg and HEINEKEN, together with local brewers and beer associations, Global Beer Responsibility Day 2016 aims to build upon the success and momentum of year one by engaging tens of thousands of brewer employees, more than a hundred governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and half a million retail accounts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. In addition, brewers, retailers and their partners will aim to directly engage more than 700,000 consumers and reach more than 200,000,000 consumers with responsible drinking messages and activations.

The collaboration, which involves activities to combat drink driving and underage consumption, bartender and server trainings and consumer education, helps to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal to treat and prevent the harmful use of alcohol.

“As brewers, we are not only committed to brewing quality beers, but also to ensuring those beers are enjoyed responsibly. We’re excited to join together as an industry again this year to make an even greater impact on reducing the harmful use of alcohol,” said Carlos Brito, Chief Executive Officer at Anheuser-Busch InBev.

“Global Beer Responsibility Day is a way for us to collectively highlight the importance of responsible drinking, and it complements the activities we and partners do throughout the year to encourage moderation and fight harmful consumption. We are pleased to see more and more countries and partners coming on board, as we can only address this important societal issue if we collaborate,” said Cees 't Hart, Chief Executive Officer at Carlsberg.

Among the many efforts taking place across the globe, Anheuser-Busch InBev and HEINEKEN, along with other local brewers through the Mexican Beer Chamber, are partnering with municipal and state authorities from 32 federal entities to communicate a single responsible consumption message to retailers and consumers across Mexico. In Russia, Carlsberg and more than 2,000 employees from the members of the Russian Beer Union – including AB InBev, EFES and HEINEKEN – are promoting responsible sales practices to retailers across the country.

“Attitudes towards responsible consumption are changing. Increasingly we see millennials embracing drinking in moderation to get more from their experiences. This is an opportunity that the industry must capitalize on by working together. By championing responsible choices through our marketing and reinforcing our education programs with stakeholders, we can positively influence behaviour,” said Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chief Executive Officer at HEINEKEN.

“Global Beer Responsibility Day embodies the notion that we are stronger together,” said Simon Spillane, Chairman of the Worldwide Brewing Alliance. “United through local brewers associations across the world, brewers large and small are working together with NGOs and government partners to support and roll out innovative, effective campaigns that both promote responsible beer consumption and support the fight against alcohol misuse.”

For more information on how brewers are helping encourage moderate consumption and reduce the harmful use of alcohol, visit the Worldwide Brewing Alliance website at: http://gsri.worldwidebrewingalliance.org/php/home.php

About Global Beer Responsibility Day

Global Beer Responsibility Day is an annual industry-wide initiative that brings together brewing companies, big and small, and beer associations, to highlight and reinforce the responsibility efforts conducted and supported by brewers in partnership with wholesalers, retailers, government and law enforcement officials, NGOs and others. Established in 2015 on the initiative of Anheuser-Busch InBev, Carlsberg and HEINEKEN, Global Beer Responsibility Day is an occasion for brewers, together with many local partners and stakeholders, to launch and showcase a variety of both new and ongoing programs aimed at reducing the harmful use of alcohol, including drink driving and underage drinking. The initiatives include server and seller training, ID-checking programs and consumer education efforts, among others.

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Contact information

Anheuser-Busch InBev:
Jessica Adkins, +1-212-573-9288
Jessica.adkins@ab-inbev.com
or
Carlsberg:
Wouter de Groot, +45 3327 2144
Wouter.JoostdeGroot@carlsberg.com
or
HEINEKEN:
Holly Bostock, +31 (0)20 5239228
holly.bostock@heineken.com