In its latest ESG Reporting Index, Diageo India has set a high bar with remarkable sustainability achievements in line with its 2030 net-zero ambitions. Since 2022, the company has eliminated coal usage by converting all distilleries to biomass-fuelled boilers, driving a 93% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2020.
Currently, 99% of its energy consumption comes from renewable sources, supported by 2.7 MW of in-house solar capacity, placing it well ahead of its 2030 renewable energy targets.
Additionally, Diageo India has reached zero waste to landfill in direct operations, with 99% of packaging materials recyclable, 59% derived from recycled inputs, and 33% food-grade recycled PET used across its PET bottle portfolio.
Diageo India (United Spirits Ltd.) is one of India’s leading alcoholic beverage companies, and its ESG report also spotlights advancements on its ‘Spirit of Progress’ ESG action plan. The Reporting Index outlines the company’s impact across three pillars of its Spirit of Progress framework: pioneering grain-to-glass sustainability, championing inclusion and diversity, and promoting positive drinking, all anchored in doing business the right way.
Jitendra Mahajan, Chief Supply and Sustainability Officer, Diageo India, said, “Our Spirit of Progress ESG agenda reflects the business we are deliberately building—one that grows responsibly, leads with integrity, and creates long-term value. From strengthening water security and accelerating our transition to renewable energy to advancing inclusion and promoting responsible consumption, our actions demonstrate that a focus on ESG powers performance.”
Key Highlights
Carbon Emissions: In line with its 2030 net-zero ambitions, Diageo India has eliminated coal use since 2022 by converting all distilleries to biomass-fuelled boilers.
- A 93% reduction in GHG emissions since 2020.
- 99% of its energy comes from renewable sources, supported by 2.7 MW of in-house solar capacity
- The company has also achieved zero waste to landfill in its direct operations, with 99% of packaging material now recyclable
- 59% coming from recycled inputs, and 33% food-grade recycled PET (r-PET) used across its PET bottle portfolio.
- Through its brand ‘Signature Packaged Drinking Water,’ the company is supporting mangrove regeneration in Puri, Odisha, where 31,500 seedlings have been planted.
- Additionally, over 1 lakh trees have been planted and maintained to offset residual GHG emissions.
- The company has also planted more than 2 lakh trees as part of its afforestation drive in Alwar, under the ‘Trees Outside Forest in Rajasthan’ (TOFR) program.
- Continues to collaborate with suppliers to reduce Scope 3 emissions through sustainable sourcing and the use of low-carbon technologies.
- The company has trained 430 farmers (80% of them being smallholders) in regenerative agriculture practices, covering 2000+ acres across two seasons.
Preserve Water for Life: Water stewardship remains a focus area, and the company drives this through operational efficiency, water replenishment, community interventions, and collective action.
- Since 2020, the company has improved water-use efficiency by 54% in distillation and 35% in packaging.
- In FY25, Diageo India replenished 182,000 cubic meters of water (a cumulative 1.1 million cubic meters since 2020) across various regions, including Nanded, Nashik (Maharashtra), Hardoi (Uttar Pradesh), and Alwar (Rajasthan).
- Through its WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programs, the company continues to provide access to drinking water and sanitation facilities across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
- In Maharashtra, the company has co-founded The Godavari Initiative, a multi-stakeholder collaboration that works across the Godavari basin to restore aquifers, strengthen watershed management, and improve water availability for communities.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: The Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) approach encompasses people, brands, suppliers, partners, and communities. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to nurturing an inclusive and diverse work culture.
- It aims to increase women’s representation to 50% within USL’s Leadership Team.
- As of FY25, women made up 28% of the executive workforce, 30% of the leadership team, and 50% of the Executive Committee.
- Under Project Saksham, 43 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) have been hired and upskilled.
- Through the Learning for Life program, 1,922 individuals were trained in FY25, including 1,282 women and 303 PwDs.
- 67% of beneficiaries across Diageo India’s skilling programs are women.
- Diageo’s Bar Academy trained more than 9,400 bartenders and bar owners.
- Diageo India has been recognized as a Gold Employer for LGBT+ Inclusion (2024) by the India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI) and ranked 16th (out of the top 20) in Equileap’s Gender Equality Report & Ranking 2024 for Emerging Markets.
Positive Drinking
- The Act Smart India initiative reached 200,000 youth in FY 2024-25, bringing cumulative reach to 500,000 since FY 2020-21.
- The Wrong Side of the Road digital learning platform, implemented across 79 Regional Transport Offices in 10 states, engaged 500,000 consumers in FY25, taking total reach to 1.2 million since 2021.
- The DRINKiQ platform continues to drive awareness around moderation and alcohol-related harm as a global resource for responsible
