Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business. With its global vision, and local marketing focus, Diageo brings to consumers an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across the spirits, wine and beer categories including Smirnoff, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Baileys, J&B, Cuervo, Captain Morgan and Tanqueray, and Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo trades in some 180 countries around the world and is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE).  Diageo employs over 20,000 people worldwide, of which over 4,000 are direct employees in Africa.  Diageo is proud of its long history in Africa and investment in African markets represents a significant part of Diageo’s global total.

As the world’s leading premium drinks business, Diageo accepts the responsibility that comes with the position, and seeks to match its commercial achievements with leadership in corporate citizenship. Diageo has committed 1% of its operating profit to social investment and community projects - currently an input value of over £20 million annually.

enterprise and employment

Diageo is supporting the creation of an industrial skills development centre in Ghana. This centre will focus on high technical and vocational training as a response to the demand from industry for skilled workers.

Diageo is an active leader in supporting and encouraging employment and economic livelihoods of the communities in which they operate.  In Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone, Diageo is supporting the use of locally-grown sorghum and maize in brewing to replace more expensive imported barley.

In Uganda, Diageo is working with close to 2,500 local farmers who produce barley exclusively for East African Breweries Ltd; these farmers also receive business training through an Enterprise Uganda programme.

human development

Diageo’s human development approach focuses on skills for life, water for life, health and responsible drinking.

As part of skills for life, Diageo supports education projects to help unemployed or disadvantaged people fulfil their potential and improve their life prospects. In Ghana, Diageo is supporting the Heineken-led initiative to establish a postgraduate college which will award MSc degrees in ICT.

As part of the water for life programme, Diageo invests in projects that provide water to areas of severe shortage. Diageo has supported a project in the semi-arid Makueni district in Kenya, benefiting over 55,000 households. As part of the £35,000 scheme, the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) will work with the community to rehabilitate polluted boreholes and install pumping equipment.

Diageo also provides financial and practical support to numerous health initiatives such as the Sickle Cell Association of Uganda, hospital beds in Kenya, and funding for three eye hospitals and a cardiothoracic centre in Nigeria and Ghana respectively.

Diageo’s African businesses operate HIV/Aids education programmes aimed at raising awareness, preventing proliferation and combating discrimination in the workplace, as well as the provision of screening, testing, counselling and ARV treatment for life for employees and their dependents affected by the syndrome.

Diageo recognises the responsibility that comes with selling beverages and strives to be at the forefront of industry efforts to promote responsible drinking.

perceptions of africa

Launched in 2004, the annual Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards were established as a practical contribution towards promoting a more accurate and balanced understanding of the business environment and opportunities in Africa. Further information can be found on www.diageoafricabusinessreportingawards.com.

On 29 June at a gala ceremony, Diageo announced the winners of the 2006 Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards.

Introducing journalists to the ‘reality on the ground’ in Africa is an effective way to promote a better understanding of the continent’s business environment.  Diageo manages and hosts bespoke journalist field trips, providing an opportunity to enhance relations with key stakeholders such as governments, investor relations, community groups and key media.

governance and transparency

Diageo aspires to best practice in governance and transparency and its global and country-level corporate citizenship reports are prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines and independently verified.