The training video programme for sales
representatives, known internally as 'Living the
Alcohol Policy', has been translated into Dutch,
Hungarian, Russian, Arabic and Polish and has
been adapted to the Greek business environment
by using Greek Heineken employees as actors.
The Greek version has been used as a tool for
informing our customers (mainly outlet owners)
on our alcohol policy. Education sessions for
managers dealing with problem drinkers have
been developed in some countries while other
operating companies have used existing
conferences and regular meetings to address
the topic. In France, special training has been
developed and implemented in all distribution
centres, along with a two-hour alcohol information
introduction for new employees. In La Reunion,
awareness sessions called 'Tiredness, Alcohol,
Speed' have been organised and in Austria a
new 'Health management' project team was
established to ensure Cool@Work becomes part of
normal business procedures. Lebanon has drawn
up a completely new policy and programme for
dealing with the green, yellow and red groups and
has developed innovative materials such as Cool@
Work car key hangers to underpin their activities.
These activities, together with many other
initiatives, have been documented by Heineken
International Health Affairs in Amsterdam, the
Netherlands. They have been made available
to all operating companies through intranet and
through the Global Human Resources Managers
meeting that took place in Vienna in 2006.
Our commitment to help employees consume
beer responsibly will continue throughout 2007,
with a number of specific activities:
Monitoring the progress made by our operating
companies on the initiatives described in their
local plans for implementation for 2007
Continuing the support of our operating
companies in all their relevant activities,
especially those companies that need to take
additional measures.
Commercial communication
The strong belief that we must promote
responsible consumption through our advertising
and promotions forms an important element of our
alcohol policy. Our commercial communications
must never appear to condone irresponsible
consumption.
We have had rules and guidelines for responsible
commercial communication for almost forty years
now. Since the late 1960s we have made it an
important part of our company's policy that our
advertisements do not encourage alcohol misuse
and that it only targets people above the legal
drinking age.
Some public interest organisations advocate
restrictions or total bans on the advertising of
products that include alcohol. They argue that
reducing advertising will reduce excessive
consumption or other abuse. However, ample
international research into social behaviour
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, drink-driving
(a clear example of irresponsible consumption) is
being addressed through awareness campaigns,
by legislation and strict enforcement of
regulations. The successful industry-promoted
designated driver campaign called 'BOB', which
originated in Belgium, has been introduced in over
10 countries across Europe with support from the
brewing industry.
Over the past years we have improved
understanding of, and compliance with, our
Rules on Responsible Commercial Communication
by running presentations for management teams
and workshops for employees in our marketing
and sales disciplines. The rules cover all Heineken
owned brands marketed worldwide. In 2006,
a broader spectrum of employees in our
commercial discipline (representing around
90 percent of the operating companies) received
Heineken N.V. QQ
Sustainability Report 2006 £Z3
