Distell, a leading alcohol manufacturer of award-winning brands such as Amarula, Nederburg, Savanna, Durbanville Hills and Bernini, is a business with deep roots in South Africa with a growing presence on the African continent as well as abroad.
Our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy incorporates international best practices – this includes taking guidance from the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as applying scientific and evidence-based data on alcohol-related harm reduction. Our funding is directed at projects that are measurable and beneficial to the communities in which we operate.
Our CSI initiatives include:
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (Aware.Org) is the alcohol industry institution responsible for raising the awareness of alcohol abuse and reducing the harmful effects thereof. The focus areas of Aware.Org are underage drinking, binge drinking, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and responsible trade facilitation. Distell invested R25,7 million in 2021.
Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR): Distell continued to support the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research’s (FARR) evidence based Healthy- Mother- healthy- baby (HMHB) programme, Community Capacity Development, Support and Management an Awareness Programmes in Upington. . The programme is offered in 5 communities in the Upington and Keimoes areas, Northern Cape. 179 women completed the HMHB Programme in 2021.
FARR further held two nine-month baby clinics and evaluated 248 babies for FASD. FASfacts: This NGO established in 2002 works with local communities at risk, to raise their awareness about the impact of alcohol consumption during pregnancy in order to prevent Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Since 2012, 1248 pregnant women and 238 mentors have been enrolled in the PWMP in Western Cape. During 2022, 31 mentors support 108 pregnant women in the Western Cape and 20 mentors supported 100 pregnant women in the Eastern Cape.
Chrysalis Academy: The Chrysalis Academy aims to unleash the potential and deepen the resilience of youth across the Western Cape through an empowering and holistic three-month residential programme. 100% of the graduates (399 in 2022 fiscal) of the programme have been placed in internships at various establishments.
As an alcohol producer, Distell believes that alcohol can be part of a balanced lifestyle where our products are consumed responsibly. Our Responsible drinking and Harm Reduction initiatives strive to provide education and awareness on the need for a responsible drinking culture.
Distell understands the responsibility of being a part of the solution to foster a culture of responsible consumption and to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Our initiatives are all aligned with that of government as well as the UN Global Compact SDGs.
Our Responsible Alcohol Consumption initiatives include a focus of not condoning underage drinking, no drinking and driving, educating and awareness on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant, demonstrate a zero tolerance of violence perpetrated against women and children, and supporting our customers on their journey to maintaining safe drinking trading environments through our responsible tavern trading and formalisation projects
