41.
Providing general information is just one step.
In addition, follow-up initiatives based on more
targeted interventions are needed to promote
responsible consumption or help prevent
abuse/misuse.
Heineken USA has developed a number of such
initiatives. In partnership with the New York
Presbyterian Hospital, training material has been
developed to help parents discuss the benefits and
risks of alcohol consumption with their children.
Various research studies have indicated that under-
aged consumers are primarily influenced by their
parents and then their peers. We believe that
responsible consumption by parents themselves,
along with parent-to-child education, is an effective
way to encourage responsible consumption by
young consumers above the legal drinking age.
Commercial communication
An important building block of our alcohol policy
is our belief that we must promote responsible
consumption through our advertising and
promotions. Our advertising must never appear
to condone irresponsible consumption.
We have set rules and guidelines for responsible
commercial communication for almost forty years.
As far back as the late 1960s we made it a point
of company policy for our ads not to encourage
alcohol misuse and to target only those above the
legal drinking age.
Some public interest organisations advocate
restrictions or total bans on the advertising of
alcohol products. They argue that reducing
advertising will reduce excessive consumption or
other abuses. However, a considerable body of
social research from around the world fails to
support this argument.
Heineken believes that misuse of alcohol should
be addressed via specific measures targeted at
specific kinds of abuse. For example, driving while
intoxicated (a clear example of irresponsible
consumption) is being addressed via legislation,
awareness campaigns and by the enforcement
of regulations. The successful industry-promoted
designated driver campaign called 'BOB', which
originated in Belgium, is being implemented in
13 countries across Europe with support from
the brewing industry.
Heineken N.V. - 2004/2005 Sustainability Report