Question

8.1 RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION Twelve producers of beer, wine and spirits have formed an industry association, Producers' Commitments, dedicated to the reduction of harmful drinking. The five key areas to be addressed are: reducing underage drinking; strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice; providing consumer information and responsible product innovation; reducing drinking and driving; and enlisting the support of retailers to reduce harmful drinking. They also support the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Strategy to Reduce Harmful Use of Alcohol. Two members of the association are Diageo plc and Molson Coors. Diageo is the producer of beer and spirits including such brands as Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan, Barleys, Tanqueray, and Guinness. There are six main priorities to Diageo’s Sustainability & Responsibility Strategy with the first one being “Alcohol in society.” The company states that it wants to contribute to the World Health Organization's goal of reducing alcohol-related harm. It plans to do this by communicating about alcohol responsibly and tackling misuse through effective programs and policies. It will work with industry to promote responsible marketing, to provide appropriate consumer information, and to implement programs to address alcohol misuse. Page 155 Molson Coors Brewing Company states that one measure of success is to have their products consumed in the right way. Their brands include Carling, Coors, Black Horse, Black Ice, Becks, and Corona. The company is concerned about excessive consumption and in particular underage drinking. They have several programs targeting alcohol abuse including: Responsible Entertaining and Serving; Binge Drinking; Drinking and Driving; Underage Drinking; Drinking and Risky Activities; Drinking and Health; Drinking and Pregnancy; and Responsible Consumption. Questions 1. Are beer, wine, and spirits producers good corporate citizens? 2. Is excessive consumption of alcohol a serious societal problem? Who are the stakeholders and what are the issues involved? 3. Are the CSR initiatives of Diageo and Molson Coors motivated only by economic self-interest? 4. What else the industry do about this social issue?

Answer 1

1. Yes, beer, wine and spirits producers are good corporate citizens. Because along with their business they are thinking about the betterment of the society by adopting the WHO guidelines and also dedicated to the reduction of harmful drinking.

2. Ofcourse, Excessive consumption of alcohol is a serious socitial problem. The stakeholders are the family, friends, and the people of the locality who got affected by the excessive use of alcohol.The issues are like domestic violence, drink and drive cases and other related crimes due to alcohol use.

3. No, the CSR initiatives of Diageo and Molson Coor motivated by not only economic self-interest. Because they are doing their best to promote responsible marking, to provide appropriate consumer information and to implement programs to address alcohol misuse.

4. To tackle the social problems due to excessive use of alcohol the industry have several programs targeting alcohol abuse including drinking and driving, under age drinking, drinking and health, drinking and pregnancy and responsible consumption of alcohol.