Imagine a World Free of Plastic: Corona Cleans Up Beaches Around the World

Published : Jun 8, 2022 - 20:20 Updated : Jun 8, 2022 - 20:20

Corona creates a powerful global visual made from plastic diverted from our oceans

LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today on World Oceans Day, Corona, an AB InBev global brand, brings its industry-leading net zero plastic footprint* standing to life with an arresting visual installation. The brand unveiled a written letter created from ocean bound plastic with the unifying message, "Imagine a World Free of Plastic" to illustrate the global scale of the ongoing environmental crisis. The plastic used in the exhibit is made from materials pulled from global beach clean-ups conducted by Corona and its partners.

The installation calls attention to the 300 million tons of plastic that enter our oceans every year and make up over 80% of all marine debris.** (IUCN, 2021). The following markets recreated the Mexico plastic letter with ocean plastic from their local waterways/oceans: Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Germany, Canary Islands, Italy and Puerto Rico.

"World Oceans Day is an opportunity to reflect and understand the human impact on vital natural resources. With Corona's long-standing history of protecting paradise, we needed to send an important message to the world," said Felipe Ambra, Global Corona Vice President. "We created this plastic letter installation to highlight that it's time for action, not just words. We must act urgently to continue to protect our oceans from daily plastic pollution, and we hope this visual inspires others to reevaluate the role and impact they can have."

In addition to the plastic letter, Corona has made significant strides to combat marine plastic pollution in innovative new ways. For Global Recycling Day this year, Corona hosted the first ever Global Fishing Tournament in China, Brazil, Israel, South Africa, Colombia and Mexico that removed nearly 10 tons of plastic debris from the ocean and supported local fishing communities. In Germany, Corona created a clever returnable crate program that utilizes over 90% of recycled plastic to avoid producing virgin plastic. To date, Corona has conducted over 1,400 clean-ups, engaged over 68,000 volunteers, and collected plastic waste from more than 44 million square meters of beach.

"What's important to note is that the plastic we recovered is not local to Mexico. It's plastic that comes from all over the world and ends up on beaches everywhere through ocean currents," said Mercedes Guzman, founder of Lamerced, Corona's beach clean up and recycling partner for the Mexico plastic letter. "Although our work in the field is very difficult, it's fulfilling to send the message that even though it's not my plastic, it's my shared world to protect."

With the plastic beach letter, Corona continues to support its industry-leading position as the first global beverage brand to achieve a net-zero plastic footprint in 2021. This initiative is part of the brand's ongoing efforts to recover more plastic from the environment than it releases. Watch how the World Oceans Day plastic letter came to life through Wieden+Kennedy's short film.

Visit www.protectparadise.com to learn more about Corona's sustainability initiatives around plastic pollution.

*AB InBev's 2021 Environmental, Social & Governance. Report. Retrieved from https://www.ab-inbev.com/assets/pdfs/ABINBEV_ESG_2021_Final.pdf - page 37.

**International Union for Conservation of Nature: IUCN (2021, November). Issues Brief: Marine Plastic Pollution. Retrieved from https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/marine-plastic-pollution.

About Corona Global

Born in Mexico, Corona is the leading beer brand in the country, the most popular Mexican beer worldwide exported to more than 180 countries. Corona Extra was first brewed in 1925 at the Cervecería Modelo in Mexico City. Corona is a pioneer in the beer industry by being the first to use a transparent bottle showcasing its purity and high quality to the world. The artwork found on the bottle is painted, highlighting our commitment to quality in our packaging and our Mexican heritage. No Corona is complete without the lime. Naturally adding character, flavor and refreshment, the lime ritual is an integral part of delivering an experience that is truly unique to Corona. The brand is synonymous with the beach and celebrates time outdoors. It invites people to pause, relax and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Corona has an ongoing commitment to reducing plastics. Since its partnership with Parley for the Oceans in 2017, they have exceeded its mission to protect 100 islands before 2020, and continue to deploy consistent global clean-up efforts.

About Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev is a publicly traded company (Euronext: ABI) based in Leuven, Belgium, with secondary listings on the Mexico (MEXBOL: ANB) and South Africa (JSE: ANH) stock exchanges and with American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUD). As a company, we dream big to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life's moments, move our industry forward and make a meaningful impact in the world. We are committed to building great brands that stand the test of time and to brewing the best beers using the finest ingredients. Our diverse portfolio of well over 500 beer brands includes global brands Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois®; multi-country brands Beck's®, Hoegaarden®, Leffe® and Michelob ULTRA®; and local champions such as Aguila®, Antarctica®, Bud Light®, Brahma®, Cass®, Castle®, Castle Lite®, Cristal®, Harbin®, Jupiler®, Modelo Especial®, Quilmes®, Victoria®, Sedrin®, and Skol®. Our brewing heritage dates back more than 600 years, spanning continents and generations. From our European roots at the Den Hoorn brewery in Leuven, Belgium. To the pioneering spirit of the Anheuser & Co brewery in St. Louis, US. To the creation of the Castle Brewery in South Africa during the Johannesburg gold rush. To Bohemia, the first brewery in Brazil. Geographically diversified with a balanced exposure to developed and developing markets, we leverage the collective strengths of approximately 169,000 colleagues based in nearly 50 countries worldwide. For 2021, AB InBev's reported revenue was 54.3 billion USD (excluding JVs and associates).

For World Oceans Day, Corona unveils installations around the world made from ocean bound plastic to illustrate their net-zero plastic footprint.