ABAC signatory

This company has signed the ABAC Responsible Alcohol Marketing Code, which is designed to regulate alcohol advertising and marketing within Australia.

Source: ABAC (2021)

Alcohol - direct involvement

Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.

Source: company website (2020)

Sports advertising

This company has been criticised for leveraging the popularity of the AFL and NRL to market their alcohol brands to kids. Of the four foreign-owned alcohol companies that have stitched-up the majority of alcohol advertising deals with the AFL and NRL, Carlton & United Breweries has the most advertising deals.

Source: Fare (2019)

Breaching advertising codes

This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. In 2016 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about a cinema ad by this company on the grounds that it breached advertising codes. The ad was an image that showed a hand offering a beer to a kangaroo who was reaching out to hold it and the caption 'Kangabrew'. The ad was subsequently discontinued or modified.

Source: Advertising Standards Bureau (2016)

Industrial action over sacked workers

55 maintenance workers at this company's Abbotsford plant were sacked in 2016 and then told they could reapply for their jobs if they accepted worse conditions and pay cuts of up to 65%. The action has sparked industrial action, community protest, public outcry and boycott calls.

Source: news article (2016)

Breaching advertising codes

This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. In 2018 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about an ad by this company on the grounds that they breached advertising codes. The ads were subsequently discontinued or modified. The ad made fun of people with ginger hair and portrayed them in an inferior manner.

Source: Advertising Standards Bureau (2018)

Political donations

According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $179,013 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).

Source: Democracy For Sale (2018)

Misleading labelling

In 2014 CUB was fined $20,400 and provided an undertaking to the ACCC for representing that its Byron Bay Pale Lager was brewed by a small brewer in Byron Bay when this wasn't so. CUB agreed to cease distribution of product with the misleading labelling, and place corrective notices.

Source: news article (2014)

Apple concentrate from China

This company is Australia's largest cider producer. Most of the apple concentrate used to make this cider is imported from China.

Source: ABC (2015)

Tax dodging in Australia

Between 2013 and 2017 (when owned by SABMiller) this company paid zero tax on a total income of $8.7 billion, earning the number 20 spot on Michael West's Top 40 Tax Dodgers 2019. West calculated which of Australia's largest companies have paid the least tax, or no tax, on the highest incomes using four years of tax transparency data published by the Australian Tax Office. In 2020 CUB was sold to Asahi.

Source: Michael West (2019)

Organic products

Company retails, manufactures or distributes products that are certified organic under the Australian Certified Organic label.

Source: ACO (2022)

100% renewable energy

In March 2018 CUB announced it will source 100 per cent of its electricity from renewables, after signing a 12-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with German renewable energy developer, service provider and wholesaler, BayWa r.e.

Source: company website (2018)

DrinkWise contributor

This company makes voluntary contributions to DrinkWise Australia, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 by the alcohol industry, whose stated goal is to help bring about a healthier and safer drinking culture in Australia.

Source: DrinkWise (2024)

Sustainability claims

This company has sustainability claims on its website under the headings climate action, circular packaging, water stewardship, smart agriculture, communities and responsible drinking.

Source: company website (2021)

Alcohol - direct involvement

Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.

Source: company website (2020)

Water mining in Australia

Victorian farmer Tim Carey successfully applied to change the source of 19 million litres of his existing licence from surface water to groundwater, and from agricultural to commercial purposes. This allowed him to truck the water to a bottling plant run by Mountain H2O, owned by Asahi. In 2018 residents of Stanley, Victoria, lost a four-year court battle to stop the farmer bottling local groundwater for Asahi. The residents were left with a A$90,000 bill for legal costs.

Source: The Conversation (2018)

Opposing a CDS

In 2013 Coca-Cola Amatil, Schweppes Australia (part of Asahi Beverages) and Lion Pty Ltd filed proceedings in the Federal Court challenging the legal validity of the Northern Territory's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). Other large bottlers like Fosters and Diageo have not joined the court case. A CDS has been proven worldwide to be the best way to increase collection and recycling. The Boomerang Alliance estimates a CDS would increase recovery by 80%.

Source: news article (2013)

Renewable energy use

Greenpeace's Reenergise campaign ranks Australia's biggest electricity using companies on their commitments and actions regarding renewable energy use. This company has committed to powering their operations by 100% renewable electricity by 2030, and invested in on-site solar. However they have not signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power from a wind or solar project.

Source: Greenpeace (2021)

Organic products

Phoenix Organics soft drinks and juices are certified organic by BioGro, and Mountain Goat beer has an organic option. However these only represent a tiny fraction of this company's total beverage sales.

Source: ACO (2022)

Responsibility claims

This company has responsibility claims on its website under the headings environment, beverages & health, and people & society.

Source: company website (2020)

Alcohol - direct involvement

Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.

Source: company website (2020)

FSC certification

In Nov 2011 Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) recertified Asahi's Shobara and Miyoshi forests in Japan to the Forest Stewardship Council's standard for responsible forest management. Asahi bought the forested properties during World War II. They have been FSC certified since 2001.

Source: SCS (2011)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.

Source: We Mean Business (2021)

FSC certification

This company holds Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Certification, and sells products packaged in materials certified as FSC Recycled and FSC Mix.

Source: FSC (2023)

IARD member

This company is a member of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing harmful drinking and promoting understanding of responsible drinking. IARD is affiliated with the United Nations.

Source: IARD (2021)

UN Global Compact participant

The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.

Source: UN Global Compact (2020)

Sustainable Business Activities

Activities include reducing CO2 emissions, FSC certified forest management, and donations to environmental protection schemes.

Source: Japan for Sustainability (2010)

High-biomass sugarcane

Asahi Breweries is developing 'high-biomass sugarcane' or 'Monster Cane', designed to produce ethanol without sacrificing sugar output. Could be seen as a positive as ethanol is carbon-neutral with CO2 released in the combustion of the fuel offset by the CO2 captured by plants through photosynthesis. Critics also say ethanol is no solution to global warming if massive inputs of fossil fuels are required to grow the crops and power the facilities used to produce ethanol and land is taken from suppling crops for food and feed.

Source: Impact Lab article (2006)

Alcohol - direct involvement

Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.

Source: company website (2020)

28% in Food and Agriculture Benchmark

The 2023 Food and Agriculture Benchmark assessed 350 keystone companies across the entirety of the food system, from farm to fork. It covers three dimensions where transformation is needed: nutrition, environment and social inclusion. This company ranked #71/350, with a total score of 28/100.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)

29.5% in Nature Benchmark

The Nature Benchmark ranks 816 companies across 20 industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. Companies were assessed in three phases between 2022 and 2024 using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company was assessed in 2023 and is ranked #84/816, with a total score of 29.5/100.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)