Stakeholder Collaboration Key to Curbing the Harmful Use of Alcohol

Stakeholder Collaboration Key to Curbing the Harmful Use of Alcohol

AB InBev and GlobeScan release report highlighting crowd-sourced outcomes of online Well-Being and Responsibility Forum

BRUSSELS, 17 DECEMBER 2013 – Anheuser-Busch InBev (Euronext: ABI) (NYSE: BUD) and stakeholder research firm GlobeScan today published a report (download here) detailing the outcomes of its Well-Being and Responsibility Forum, the first-ever online conversation on the harmful use of alcohol convened by a global brewer. As part of AB InBev’s Better World corporate social responsibility strategy, the Forum brought together experts and stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors to engage in an open, honest dialogue on underage-drinking, drink-driving and excessive-drinking prevention. The Forum builds on AB InBev’s long tradition of promoting dialogue, awareness and action around responsible drinking.
“As the leading global brewer, we are committed to promoting responsible enjoyment of our products, and we recognize that delivering on this commitment cannot be achieved alone,” said Carlos Brito, CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev. “Through the Forum, we were able to better engage with local stakeholders and experts around the world and hear their insightful ideas to drive sustainable change in our collective approach to curb the harmful use of alcohol.”
Chris Coulter, GlobeScan CEO, commented: “Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Well-Being and Responsibility Forum is a powerful example of how to make collective progress on challenging issues. Not only was the Forum a valuable source of diverse insights and ideas from knowledgeable stakeholders, but it also was a demonstration of AB InBev’s collaborative, open and engaging leadership.”
GlobeScan moderators led conversations on four topics: Well-Being and Responsibility; Underage Drinking Prevention; Drink-Driving Prevention; and Excessive-Drinking Prevention. The report outlines specific actions and outcomes from the conversation. Key takeaways include:

• Responsible drinking as part of well-being: Participants emphasized the importance of putting responsible drinking in context of an overall strategy of individual and collective well-being.
• Collaboration: Participants emphasized the cross-cutting nature of key issues related to responsible drinking, and highlighted the need for collaborative approaches that draw in stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.
• Social Norms: Across all discussion topics, social norms were repeatedly deemed an important factor that must be taken into consideration in any conversation or action plan to drive positive behavior and combat the challenges related to the harmful use of alcohol.
• Parental Involvement: From modeling responsible drinking behaviors to leading a healthy lifestyle, participants identified parental involvement as a crucial factor in not only preventing underage drinking, drink driving and excessive drinking, but also in promoting responsible behavior more broadly.
• Education: Formal education on well-being and responsible drinking for young people in schools and universities is key to promoting responsible behavior.
• Positive vs. Negative Messaging: Positive communication and messages related to alcohol play just as important a role as communications highlighting the negative consequences of irresponsible alcohol use.

The Forum, which was designed and independently moderated by GlobeScan and took place on September 17, 2013, brought together about 240 participants from 15 countries, including 25 expert guest contributors. More than 1,300 comments were posted.
The full Forum report is available to download at: http://www.globescan.com/component/edocman/?view=document&;id=92&Itemid=591

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