Bombay Sapphire Sustainability

Objective

Continue reducing the environmental impact of its products.

Continue sustainable development at a local level and key stages in the supply chain.

As part of the wider Bacardi company vision, Bombay Sapphire is committed to:

Being plastic free by 2030
Reducing GHG emissions by 50% by 2025.
Cutting water consumption by 25% by 2025.
Surcing 100% of its key ingredients from sustainably certified suppliers by 2025.

Description

Sustainability is vitally important to Bombay Sapphire at Laverstoke Mill. The company follows the Bacardi “Good Spirited” global sustainability initiative which strives to improve sustainability within three main areas: responsible sourcing, global packaging and operational efficiencies.

InnovativeDistillery

As the owner of Bombay Sapphire, Bacardi, bought a derelict mill in Hampshire, England as the site for a state-of-the-art environmentally sustainable gin distillery and visitor centre. The five-acre site included Grade II listed buildings in a conservation area, a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and a section of the River Test, which flows directly through the site.

The design of a low carbon, BREEAM assessed, flagship distillery underpinned the design brief, which was supported by design team from the outset. There was a strong desire to reduce any impact on the existing environment, and sustainability was woven into the site’s fabric during its renovation. The distillery was awarded the prestigious 2014 Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) Industrial Award.

When the distillery opened in 2014, it set a new standard for sustainability by showcasing many innovations which were integral to the distillery’s design. including:

The recycling and reuse of existing building materials from demolished buildings across the site.
The use of cutting-edge technologies in multi-functional renewable energy strategy, including a 6kW hydro-electric turbine located in the River Test and solar panels.
The use of scrap woodchips and spent botanicals from distillation in a biomass boiler to power the distillery and to supply heat and hot water to the whole site.
The harvesting of rainwater from the roofs to be used for flushing the toilets.
The recovery of heat from the condenser’s cooling water which is used to pre-heat the spirit before charging the stills, as well as heat for the two glasshouses.
The reinvigoration the River Test habitat running through the grounds (the riverbed was drained, fish removed, its banks rebuilt and replanted, then rerouted to let the water flow and trout swim again).

Long-TermVision

Bombay Sapphire is always working to reduce the environmental impact of its products. From field to bottle, a 360-degree approach is taken to sustainability. The company believes that it’s their responsibility to care as much about the farmers and their communities as they do the botanicals they grow and harvest for Bombay Sapphire.

The company follows the Bacardi “Good Spirited” global sustainability initiative which strives to improve sustainability within three main areas: responsible sourcing, global packaging and operational efficiencies.

Example activities

Botanical certification: The company and its Master of Botanicals built strong partnerships with sustainable farmers and suppliers over the years. In 2022, all ten botanicals in its gin recipe to be certified sustainable by international certification group Ecocert. The Ecocert For Life certification recognises commitment to work only with suppliers who act responsibly and ensure a sustainable future for farmers, their communities and the environment. Bombay Sapphire became one of the first leading gin brands to be made using 100% sustainably sourced botanicals with the achievement.
Protecting Wildlife: Restoration crews working on the redevelopment of the distillery at Laverstoke Mill had to carefully deal with some very shy bats living in the vacant structures. Due to the protected nature of bats in England, the crews took extra care when re-roofing all the dilapidated buildings on the property. Craftsmen turned and lifted each roof slate to ensure the protection of any bat on the other side and called in an expert to help humanely relocate a bat when they encountered one.
Conservation work: Conservation work is continually carried out to support local wildlife and biodiversity around the home of the distillery.
- On the banks of the River Test, more wildflowers have been planted and fish and eel passes have been constructed to allow for greater movement of river life.
- In 2017, the distillery began protecting a colony of bats by installing 26 bat and hibernation boxes, bat access tiles and numerous cavities and gaps to the walls of the distillery. Meanwhile, to increase the abundance of insects in the area, a food source for bats, bee nesting boxes were installed and wildflowers planted.
- The site is used to train early career ecologists on using bat detecting and recording equipment, helping to educate tomorrow’s experts in the field.
- The distillery is part of a nationwide programme called the Anglers’ Riverfly Monitoring Initiative, which engages a local community of volunteers from the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme to monitor the river’s invertebrates. This study provides invaluable insight into the health of the river, helping to track and monitor any changes over time.

Results

June 2024: The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) recognised the company with an award for its work to protect the river running through the distillery. The site was one of the top-scoring initiatives from across the globe, earning the Wetlands and Water Bodies award. The accolade is presented to a high-scoring project that both collects and evaluates monitoring data to inform the next steps in its corporate wetland conservation efforts.

September 2023: The distillery achieved the Wildlife Habitat Council certification that recognises their work in supporting local wildlife and biodiversity. It is the first spirits production site in the UK to hold the certification, and currently the only Certified Silver programme in the UK.

2022: All 10 botanicals in Bombay Sapphire were certified sustainable in 2022 according to the Ecocert For Life standard.

2020: Bombay Sapphire uses 2-ply cardboard boxes rather than 3-ply to reduce consumption for the packaging in which botanicals are sent to the distillery. The minimal plastic used to hold the boxes together in transit is a type which can be melted down and made into vehicle fuel. The move was made from polyethylene terephthalate plastic inserts to recycled alternatives in caps and inserts. Botanicals delivery packaging received at the distillery began being turned into vehicle fuel.

2018: The distillery received a silver award in the Green Tourism Programme after being judged on criteria for categories such as Social Responsibility & Equality; Energy Saving; Travel & Transport; Innovation and Waste Minimisation.

2014: The distillery and brand visitor centre were awarded the prestigious 2014 Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) Industrial Award, the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings, for its design. It was first ever refurbishment project to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating in the world. It was also the first distillery to be BREEAM Outstanding certified. It scored 100% of available BREEAM credits in the energy and management categories and more than 90% of credits in the water, materials and waste categories. There was an additional 5% worth of innovation credits scored for exemplar performance levels achieved. Key sustainability measures that contributed to BREEAM Award:

38% carbon savings through renewable and low carbon energy provided by photovoltaic array & hydro-electric turbine in the River Test.
An EPC rating of ‘A’ – CO2 Index of 14.
Building related Carbon Emissions less than 4kgCO2/m2.
More than 80% of the existing building structure retained.

The river Test habitat supports a huge range of insects and wildlife including ducks and geese, kingfishers, otters and brown trout.

The distillery runs on 100% renewable electricity.

Zero waste is sent to landfill.

The distillery has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.

All bottles are made from one-third recycled glass and are 100% recyclable, including the metal cap and the product labels which are made from paper approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

When spirit is transported to its bottling plant in Scotland, three distillations travel on one lorry to put fewer vehicles on the road.

Measurement & evaluation

In 2014 the distillery was awarded the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) Industrial Award for its sustainable design. The ‘Outstanding’ rating was given to a building measured by its management, health and well-being, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, land use and ecology, pollution, and innovation. The distillery achieved a score of 86.81%, the second highest score awarded to an industrial building by BREEAM.