(March 2022) One of the most important environmental issues in the world today is handling of plastic waste in the ocean. With World Recycling Day drawing near, Corona has recently announced its sustainable development plan for 2022 -- to recycle 145 tons of plastic waste in the ocean throughout the whole year, becoming the first beer brand in China to achieve a "net zero plastic footprint*". As a warm-up for the annual plastic cleaning target, Corona has joined hands with the BlueRibbon Ocean Conservation Association, a well-known NGO in China, to launch the “Restoring the Fishing Road” project, inviting local fishermen in Sanya to clean up plastic waste in the ocean. Subsidies equivalent to the average price of seafood are being granted for all waste collected. This is Corona's local interpretation of sustainable projects in China with an innovative model, and it is also a part of the continuous action Corona has taken to improve the marine environment, continuing to explore the myriad of possibilities of "This is Living" (*Net zero plastic footprint: more plastic is recovered from the environment than produced.)

Poster of “Plastic Fishing China"

Localization Attempts of Sustainable Development

As an advocate of the beach lifestyle both in China and everywhere else in the world, Corona has always considered marine environmental protection to be one of its major social responsibilities. In the context of China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues are at the very core of its brand strategy and operation. Nowadays, the continuous opening of domestic capital market has attracted more and more enterprises with ESG investment ideas. Corona has not only promoted the concepts of plastic reduction in the ocean and sustainable development to the consumer end, but also minimized plastic pollution within both the production process and the whole industrial chain. In 2017, Corona teamed up with Parley, an international Marine conservation agency, to launch a project to clean up plastic waste on 100 different islands. In 2018, plastic waste collected from the ocean was sculpted to resemble waves and subsequently turned into outdoor billboards to raise consumer awareness about ocean conservation. In 2021, Corona launched new zero-waste environmentally friendly packaging made from recycled straw. In an effort to raise consumer awareness about plastic reduction in the ocean, Corona also launched a deformed bottle in 2021 which resembled sea creatures affected by plastics in the ocean. By remaining true to its core values, Corona embodies the concept of sustainable development with every action it takes. With World Recycling Day approaching, Corona announced its sustainable development plan in China for this year -- to recycle 145 tons of plastic waste in the ocean. The launch of this “net zero plastic footprint” signifies the further localization of sustainable development in China.

Corona Beach "Plastic-free Community" Project Officially Launched

Working with the BlueRibbon Ocean Conservation Association, Corona launched a "Plastic-free Community" project this year called Restoring the Fishing Road. As a key part of the 145-ton recycling plan, and intended to help fishermen deal with plastic waste in offshore waters that has left them without any fish to catch. Corona hopes to turn fishermen from victims of plastic in the ocean into practitioners of marine conservation by encouraging them to actively participate in collecting plastic waste from the ocean. Corona also promises to provide financial subsidies to aid in the development and self-governance of various communities. In ABI, "Plastic-free Community" project has been launched in China, Mexico, Israel and Brazil. In next phase, it will be rolled out in Colombia and South Africa very soon.

The "Plastic-free Community" project also opens a new model of public welfare innovation. By encouraging active interaction and the personal participation of local fishermen, it is designed to raise awareness as to the importance and urgency of marine conservation. Taking this project as a starting point, Corona hopes to reach more coastal communities in order to achieve ecological and community development that benefits all parties involved.

The commencement ceremony was successfully held in Sanya recently. According to Mr. Matt Che, Chief Marketing Officer of Budweiser APAC: “Plastic reduction in the ocean and sustainable development have been the brand vision advocated by Corona for many years. We aim to get more people engaged in similar plastic cleaning programs, while enjoying the pleasant beach life, not forgetting to start from ourselves, together to remodel and share the pleasant.”

Contribute to Plastic Cleaning in the Ocean, Recreate the Concept of “This is Living”

As a beer company, AB InBev has long considered sustainable development as more than just a slogan. Rather, it is one of the main forces behind the development of the enterprise. It has fully integrated ESG investment ideas and evaluation criteria into its development plan. As a brewer consuming a great deal of energy, AB InBev announced a new goal at its investors conference late last year -- to achieve greenhouse gas net zero discharge across the value chain by 2040, and to take one step closer towards Budweiser APAC’s dream, to become the Most Loved High-Quality Growth Leader in Beverage..

Corona, a super-premium beer brand of Budweiser APAC, is committed to providing consumers with a relaxed, comfortable and environmentally friendly beach lifestyle. It has also used its influence to contribute to the good of the marine environment time and again. It will continue to remain earnestly devoted to the cleanup of plastics in the ocean, from individual collection of plastic waste to plastic-free communities, in order to help rebuild the pleasant beach lifestyle.