ENHANCING SOCIAL EQUITY WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITIES
Looking ahead does more than help us anticipate what products our customers will reach for next – it helps us see the growing and evolving needs in the communities we serve. We proudly partner with and support people and organizations dedicated to addressing today’s pressing societal needs. Two areas we are particularly passionate about are championing the professional development and advancement of women, and serving as a catalyst for economic development and prosperity for disadvantaged communities with a focus on Black and Hispanic communities in the areas of housing empowerment, job creation and training, and financial empowerment. Beyond critical support with funding, we pour our passion and enthusiasm into these partnerships, enabling us – and our employees – to be true force multipliers for good.
Dress for Success
Despite recent advancements in post-COVID-19 pandemic corporate policies, workplace inequities for women persist. These can contribute to a loss of confidence and a sense of loneliness that can compound challenges with work-life balance and contribute to burnout at a higher rate than men. We remain committed to providing resources to support the professional advancement of women at Constellation Brands, within our industry, and within our communities. We are inspired by the belief that when a woman has access to education and employment resources, her contributions can increase organizational effectiveness and business outputs, grow economies, and strengthen communities. Year over year, we believe that our advocacy efforts create a positive ripple effect.
In fiscal year 2023, we continued our national partnership with Dress for Success Worldwide, an organization which has supported 1.3 million women since starting operations—most of whom are people of color. Our support goes beyond dollars donated. Over the last two calendar years (2021 and 2022), we’ve supported clients at affiliates in our major office locations (Rochester,
Chicago, San Francisco, and Mexico City) through mentorship, digital workforce training, leadership coaching, board membership, and engaging programs like like DFS’ Lean In Circles initiative. These circles bring women from all walks of
life together in small groups, where participants get and give peer mentorship, sharpen their skills, and have a place to be unapologetically ambitious.
During this time of isolation, I’ve looked forward to this virtual gathering. I appreciate the spaces the other women share with us to learn from their experiences and feel empowered by examples of the uncommon but possible. I say this with a full heart but during this pandemic time this group has and is so important to me. I hope many more women get to experience a Lean In Circle.
- Lean In Circle participant (Anonymous}
UNIDOS US
As an industry leader with a portfolio of powerful brands driven by an increasingly diverse workforce and consumer base; we believe we have an obligation to deliver more for our communities. Constellation Brands, including support from our Modelo brand, has committed $1.6 million over the last three calendar years to a national partnership with UnidosUS, the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, focused on providing resources like housing counseling and financial coaching programs for Hispanic families.
For over three decades, UnidosUS has made important contributions to the fields of housing, homeownership, and overall wealth-building among Latinos in the U.S. They lead the largest network of community-based nonprofit organizations dedicated to creating new Latino homeowners, while also advocating for policies that allow more Latinos to afford to buy a home. Over the last two calendar years (2021 and 2022), our support has benefitted thousands of individuals and families, helping renters avoid eviction, first-time homebuyers to receive pre-purchase counseling, and assisting homeowners through financial coaching to manage their budget and keep their homes.’
Modelo has a tradition of honoring those who embody the fighting spirit and show grit, perseverance, and determination in the face of adversity. “We are proud to work with UnidosUS and to help support their mission to provide our core Hispanic audience with the necessary resources to build unified, prosperous, and resilient communities.
– Greg Gallagher, Vice President, Modelo Brand Marketing
Community Giving
Our community giving efforts are aligned to our four CSR focus areas: water stewardship, championing the professional development and advancement of women, serving as a catalyst for economic development and prosperity for disadvantaged communities, and fostering a culture of conscious consumption within our company and industry.
These areas are important to our company and our employees, and we support a number of non profit organizations around the world with monetary and product donations.
Corona’s Focus on Removing Plastic
Corona, a brand synonymous with beaches, is on a mission with Oceanic Global to remove 1 million pounds of plastic from our beaches by the brand’s 100th birthday in calendar year 2025. The Protect Our Beaches campaign is composed of three initiatives: high-impact beach clean-ups, internal plastic reduction, and community clean-ups. Since the launch of the campaign in 2020 through Earth Day 2023, Corona has removed approximately 863,000 pounds of plastic, which is almost 86% of the overall goal. It has also cleaned 50 beaches as of August 2023.
Professional Advancement of Women
At Constellation Brands, we have dedicated leadership development programs for women, as well as leadership programs for all employees. In calendar year 2022, approximately 100 women completed our Advancing Women Leaders Digital Academy program, and in calendar year 2023, approximately 60 women will complete the program. In addition, more than 160 women completed other Constellation leadership development programs in the past two years.
Economic Development of Disadvantaged Communities
The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to challenge the restaurant industry, and the impact will be felt for years to come. That is why the company, in partnership with a number of our iconic beer, wine, and spirits brands, is proud of our multi-year collective commitment of $1.75 million to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s “Restaurants Advance” campaign and “Restaurants Advance Futures” program. In calendar year 2022, our contribution to NRAEF supported job skills training for more than 1,500 people and scholarships for 280 students pursuing higher education in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry. Through national programs like Restaurant Ready that attracts diverse talent to the restaurant industry, supporting scholarships and grants for women and BIPOC students, and helping returning veterans find career opportunities through the Advanced Culinary Training program, we are supporting the rebuild of the restaurant industry.
Responsible Consumption
We are evolving our approach to responsible consumption by embracing a contemporary mindset that aligns with consumer betterment trends. With the understanding that it starts with us, we’ve partnered with our Wellness and Brand teams to create engaging opportunities for employees to learn more about responsible consumption and how our portfolio of brands can play a role. We share resources with the understanding that with deeper knowledge, we will further a culture inspired by shared values and responsible consumption in support of a more balanced lifestyle. This concept is well represented in our product portfolio as many additions have been inspired by rising consumer interest in moderation, individual betterment, and well-being. As consumers reach for brands with lower calories and lower alcohol, how they are thinking about responsible drinking is evolving beyond knowing alcohol limits and warning against drunk driving; they are increasingly embracing a more balanced approach to alcohol consumption as part of a lifestyle choice.
Employee Match Program
Giving back to the communities in which we live and work is something we’ve been doing for more than 75 years, since our founder, Marvin Sands, first brought this commitment to life. We support this effort in a variety of ways, including our Employee Match Program in which the company matches employees’ charitable contributions to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations 1:1 up to a maximum of $5000 per year. Our employees across the globe continue to embrace this program, generously donating their time and funds to local causes they are passionate about.
The biggest thing for me as a person is being able to give back. I have a great job at Constellation, and it allows me to transfer some of my energy to volunteering. Helping my neighbors is something that I truly enjoy.
- Eric Ramey, manager, Leadership Programs