Disaster relief

Our approach

We aim to respond rapidly to disasters affecting communities in our markets and better engage our employees in our efforts through improved fundraising tools. Where possible, we build on the work of our existing programmes in affected regions, otherwise we respond with emergency relief efforts.

Report on 2011

This year was a particularly harrowing one, with major disasters affecting many of the regions in which we have operations.

• Brazil: more than 670 people died in a series of floods and mudslides in the Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states, in the worst climatic disaster in Brazil’s history. One of our supplier’s farms, where the premium spirit brand Cachaça Nega Fulô is produced, was damaged by the flood. Sadly, four people from a family living nearby died, and one was an employee of the farm. Diageo employees in Brazil donated goods and cash to support flood victims, and the Diageo Foundation matched cash donations that were donated by employees via our Giving for Good site.
• Australia: more than 35 people lost their lives in the devastating floods that affected the states of Queensland and Victoria. Diageo sites and employees in Bundaberg and Brisbane were affected. Diageo, the Diageo Foundation and the Bundaberg Distilling Company committed A$750,000 (£490,000) to support the Queensland community recover from the disaster, which included a donation to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Fund, a contribution to the local emergency services in the Bundaberg area, and a series of events to support the community and recognise the work of the emergency services.
• New Zealand: more than 200 people died when Christchurch was hit by an earthquake registering 6.3 on the Richter scale. Employees around Diageo, including many from New Zealand, launched fundraising activities and made donations to support those affected.
• Japan: fortunately all Diageo employees were accounted for during the earthquake that hit Japan this year, however many in the country suffered hugely. After consulting with government authorities about the best way to respond, the Diageo Foundation made an immediate donation to the Japanese Red Cross, while our business partners, Kirin, which had suffered damage to production facilities in the north-east, suspended marketing operations and handed out free bottled water to communities affected. Many Diageo employees made special tax-deductible donations to the Diageo North America Foundation, which were then directed to the relief efforts.
• US: the Diageo 'Spirit of the Americas' humanitarian aid programme provided special relief to flood victims in Mississippi and tornado victims in Alabama and Missouri. This included 225,000 bottles of water – equivalent to nearly 30,000 gallons – to provide much needed fresh drinking water to the victims and first responders in the aftermath of these natural disasters.

Diageo Foundation Disaster Relief Fund

We contribute to disaster relief efforts through this fund run by the Diageo Foundation. This year, to make it easier for employees to contribute, we set up a temporary microsite within our Giving for Good site. The Foundation matched funds donated by employees towards the floods in Brazil and Australia. The Diageo Foundation also provided funding for emergency relief to specialist NGOs, such as the Japanese Red Cross. The Foundation also supports longer-term rehabilitation projects such as refitting a rescue boat in Australia to provide protection for the future.