Diageo Sustainable Solutions: how global partnerships are driving new approaches to sustainability, from grain to glass

As part of our 'Society 2030: Spirit of Progress' goals, we’re committed to becoming sustainable by design – meaning we are always looking for new ideas and innovations to improve our approach to sustainability, from grain to glass. As part of this, our Diageo Sustainable Solutions (DSS) programme – born from our passion and experience in brewing and distilling – encourages innovators to share new ideas for growing brands and businesses sustainably, helping us to develop partnerships through the delivery of ‘proof of concept’ pilots, that advance technologies and practices that reduce our impacts. 

In November 2021, we began working with EXXERGY, Ardagh and Dassault Systèmes, collaborating on a DSS pilot to develop a new coating which could enable the use of thinner glass for our bottles – without reducing strength. Through industry-first trials, both lab-based and virtual, we’ve been trialling this new coating technology to ‘lightweight’ our bottles. Virtual trials allow us to model, visualise and develop innovations using real-time digital representations of products and processes – reducing time, cost, energy and raw materials. Once we’ve successfully completed the virtual and lab trial, we will then test the thinner glass on our iconic Johnnie Walker bottles. Through this exciting collaboration, we hope to significantly reduce the raw materials needed to create a bottle, and to reduce the overall weight so less carbon is used to transport our bottles.