Bombay Sapphire (Bacardi Ltd.) said it’s on track for all 10 of its botanical ingredients to be certified sustainable in 2021. With the suppliers of eight already certified according to the For Life standard, the goal is for the remaining two producers – for grains of paradise from Ghana and liquorice from China – to be certified in the months which follow the lifting of travel restrictions.
That would be a major step toward Bacardi, the largest privately-held spirits company in the world, achieving its 2025 goal of sourcing 100% of its key ingredients from sustainably certified suppliers.
The 10 botanicals, which include juniper from Tuscany, coriander from Morocco, lemon peel from Spain and cubeb berries from Java, are hand selected by Bombay Sapphire Master of Botanicals Ivano Tonutti to create the gin’s taste.
Bacardi worked closely with its suppliers to help them achieve For Life certification. To be certified, suppliers must commit to continuous improvement in the following areas:
- the well-being of the people involved in the harvesting and supply of the botanicals;
- the reduction of their environmental impact;
- their responsible purchasing practices;
- and sustainable development at a local level and key stages in the supply chain.