The world's No. 1 vodka touches down in the Windy City on its mission to adopt more sustainable practices
Smirnoff will support the campaign's effort to work with more than 300 Chicago bars, restaurants and local businesses to gather used and discarded glass bottles. (Credit: PR Newswire)
Following World Cleanup Day on Sept. 17, Smirnoff announced today it will embark on a mission to develop more sustainable packaging and systems by 2030.
As part of its mission to build a more sustainable future, Smirnoff is heading to the Windy City, to partner on an initiative to collect used glass for processing into new bottles for future Smirnoff products. Through its partnership with the Don’t Trash Glass (DTG) campaign, a combined effort with the Glass Packaging Institute and GlassKing Recovery & Recycling, Smirnoff will support the campaign’s effort to work with more than 300 Chicago bars, restaurants and local businesses to gather used and discarded glass bottles, increasing the total available recycled glass in the area.
“This partnership with Smirnoff helps support educational and relationship-building opportunities with local restaurants and bars so they can be at the forefront of glass recycling,” said Scott DeFife, president of the Glass Packaging Institute. “Encouraging these businesses to be influencers within the glass recycling process will have long-lasting effects, not only on our environment but also on the glass manufacturing and supply-chain process.”
In partnership with Smirnoff, DTG will scour the Chicagoland area to collect ready-to-recycle glass bottles that will be processed by Smirnoff’s glass partners and then transported to the Smirnoff packaging plant in Plainfield, Ill. to be filled and delivered into communities nationwide, including Chicago.
“We take our commitment to a more sustainable future very seriously. Smirnoff is packaged and bottled in Plainfield, so it was important we started this movement right here in our backyard,” said Ed Pilkington, chief marketing & innovation officer, Diageo. “When it comes to the environment, the way we can all help the planet is by doing our part to better our communities and Chicago is just the beginning for Smirnoff.”
With DTG, Smirnoff will lead the charge to educate bartenders, back of house staff, employees, custodians and others who deal directly with waste management to encourage them to adopt more sustainable practices.
“This initiative is a good indicator of the need for systems to be put in place, not just in Chicago, but around the country to create a more circular economy for glass,” said Rose King, chief operating officer of GlassKing Recovery & Recycling. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Smirnoff on this initiative, a brand that clearly values sustainable practices and bettering our communities for future generations.”
Improving circularity and reducing waste are priorities for Smirnoff and its parent company, Diageo. Beginning with work on reuse and refill projects, the efforts from the DTG initiative will contribute to the company’s commitment to reimagine packaging and become sustainable by design – a key pillar of Diageo’s approach to sustainability outlined in its ten-year action plan, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.
Smirnoff is committed to bettering the world’s communities through sustainable practices and ensuring that adults 21+ can responsibly enjoy the brand’s variety of vodka flavors and flavored malt beverages for years to come.
Source: Company Press Release