Flor de Caña has been honored with the “Sustainability Award” at the 2020 The Drinks Business Green Awards. The sustainably produced premium rum brand was given the award in recognition of its leadership within the industry and historic commitment to sustainable practices.
The judges considered Flor de Caña’s efforts to employ the most efficient and effective sustainable practices in all aspects of production, including environmental stewardship and community development.
Flor de Caña is the only global spirit to hold the world’s two top sustainability certifications: Carbon Neutral and Fair Trade. While this achievement impressed the judges, it was the additional efforts of this family-owned brand that secured its position as recipient of the award, in particular the use of 100% renewable energy to distill its Rum, planting 50,000 trees annually since 2005 and its programs to support the local community.
The Carbon Neutral certification, issued by Carbon Trust, assures Rum fans that Flor de Caña offsets all carbon emissions during the entire lifecycle of the rum, from field to market. Meanwhile, the Fair Trade certification, issued by Fair Trade USA, verifies that the spirit is sustainably produced in compliance with over 300 rigorous labor, social, and environmental standards.
The story of Flor de Caña began in 1890 when a young Italian adventurer decided to establish a distillery at the base of Nicaragua’s tallest and most active volcano, the San Cristóbal. 130 years and five family generations later, the entire production process of Flor de Caña continues under the supervision of the same family, mastering the art of sustainable Rum making.
Other winners from the 2020 The Drinks Business Green Awards include Ian MacLeod Distilleries, which took home the award for Green Packaging For Spirits Award. Judges praised this company’s use of 100% recyclable packaging, featuring no metals or plastic, sourced from FSC approved suppliers, and the way it encourages consumers to reuse its prestige packaging as a storage cabinet once the whisky has been drunk. “They take the topic of sustainability very seriously and are working with Scottish suppliers to support their local economy,” said one judge.