Heineken supports
effective strategies to combat
alcohol abuse
Drinking beer can be a positive part of
a balanced healthy lifestyle. However,
the potential negative impact of the
irresponsible consumption of alcohol is
well known. Reducing the harmful use of
alcohol is high on the business, political
and social agenda.
World of Heineken 41 - winter 2009
The World Health Organisation is currently drafting a global strategy
to fight alcohol abuse, which will be presented for consideration
to the World Health Assembly in May 2010. Health ministries and
representatives from the alcohol industry around the world, including
Heineken, were consulted during the development of the draft global
strategy.
The draft strategy was published in 2009. It identifies ten target areas
that WHO is considering addressing through a global policy. These
include measures such as drink-driving policies and countermeasures,
studying pricing policies and providing prevention and treatment
programmes.
Heineken and the industry as a whole are committed to playing their
part in both the debate and the action to reduce alcohol-related
harm. Heineken takes a leading role in this, both independently as the
world's most global brewer and as an active member of brewing and
alcohol industry bodies in the majority of our key markets. At a global
level, we cooperate with other industry players through the Global
Alcohol Producer's Group and other organisations.
Heineken is already involved in a number of activities aimed at
reducing the harmful use of alcohol. Heineken supports the need
for effective strategies that emphasise the role of education and
the effective targeting of information towards vulnerable groups.
Concerted measures in these areas are likely to be most effective in
dealing with alcohol-related problems.
"We are supportive of the WHO's efforts to develop a global
strategy," says Rutger Goethart, International Public Affairs Manager
at Heineken in Amsterdam, commenting on the draft policy. "In
particular, some of the policies and actions under consideration,
especially in the areas of drink driving, the availability of alcohol,
marketing and pricing are issues that we are already actively
addressing as an industry."
In response to the draft strategy, the CEOs of global alcohol beverage
companies, including Heineken CEO Jean-Frangois van Boxmeer, wrote
to the WHO detailing three key projects which will begin in 2010.
These projects will help the industry play its part in addressing the key
issues, particularly in developing countries and emerging markets.
The projects will address drink driving, responsible marketing
standards in developing markets and research and action on non
commercial alcohol, which, according to some estimates, accounts
for as much as 50 per cent of global consumption.
www.who.int/substance_abuse/activities/globalstrategy/en
