Pernod Ricard’s Scotch whisky business Chivas Brothers has teamed up with a number of eco charities in a bid to protect and restore Scotland’s waterways.
Named ‘The River Within’, the partnership is a collaboration between Chivas Brothers – the maker of global Scotch whisky brands including The Glenlivet – and three North-East Scotland river trusts.
The investment is aimed at helping protect and restore the waterways within the trusts’ combined catchment areas, some of which flow through land owned by Chivas Brothers.
With a focus on enhancing biodiversity, the initiative also aims to limit rises to water temperature from climate change and strengthen the longer-term resilience of the rivers
Chivas Brothers’ head of sustainability and responsibility Julie Gallacher said: “Scotland’s waterways are the lifeblood of whisky production, so while we use this precious resource responsibly, returning 96% of what we use to its source, we like to think there’s a ‘river within’ each bottle.”
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“Many of our distilleries are built on the banks of treasured Scottish rivers and it’s from these waters that our renowned whiskies are endowed with their unique spirit, essence and even their names,” she added.
“Just as we rely on the rivers, the rivers rely on us. The art of whisky making is a delicate balance, so too is the Scottish landscape in which we craft it. That is why we are proud to launch this partnership with the three river trusts to protect and build a resilient network of Scottish rivers and riverbanks that support biodiversity for generations to come.”
Richard Miller, director at The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, said the trust was “delighted” to be a partner in ‘The River Within’ programme, which will “provide essential resources to ensure Deveron fish stocks have free access to cold, clean, water”.
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