CubaPLUS Magazine

Havana Club, Cuba’s iconic rum, is actively engaged in various sustainability projects and initiatives, reinforcing the importance of partnerships—especially with local communities—to drive innovative solutions that deliver tangible results. 

A press release published this Thursday by Havana Club International S.A. highlighted these projects, presented during the 15th International Convention on Environment and Development, taking place at Havana’s Palacio de las Convenciones until this coming Saturday. These initiatives underscore the company’s strong commitment to sustainability. 

Aligned with the company’s corporate social responsibility strategy, HCI has outlined ambitious programs to reduce its carbon footprint, including the following projects: 

- Solar Panels: Promoting the installation of a solar panel park at the San José Distillery, currently providing up to 75% of the facility’s daily energy needs (offsetting 1,800 tCO2/year). 

- CRÉDIT02 Project: Supporting the national “Tarea Vida” initiative, this project focuses on the preservation and restoration of mangroves, which act as greenhouse gas (GHG) sinks, while also reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities in Mayabeque to climate change-related phenomena (offsetting 17,000 tCO2 annually). 

- MICA Project: In collaboration with several Cuban institutions, this initiative centers on reusing vinasse—the liquid waste generated in large volumes during distillation at the San José Distillery—as fertilizer for various crops and as animal feed (reusing 8,000 tons of vinasse annually). Recently, 35 scientific protocols have been implemented to optimize vinasse reuse. 

- Sustainable Packaging: Focused on reducing glass waste and associated emissions, this effort has reduced the weight of the classic bottle by 8% to 16% (offsetting 2,300 tCO2/year). 

- EcoSpirits Project: The first of its kind in Cuba, this project involves the launch of the EcoPlant at the San José Distillery for filling recyclable 4.5L glass containers known as EcoTotes. The initiative is currently active in two Iberostar hotels in Varadero (offsetting 10 tons of waste and 16 tons of CO2 in 2024) and is expanding to private customers in Havana. 

Regarding these efforts, Noelvis Castellano, Director of the San José Distillery, emphasized that sustainability is a fundamental pillar for Havana Club International S.A. For the company, it is a duty to continue promoting environmental preservation and process management by applying circular economy models—all in support of the national “Tarea Vida” program and the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. 

“We are fully aware of the impact that joint effort and action have on the future of our planet,” he stated. 

Through these projects, Havana Club International S.A. once again demonstrates that it is possible to combine excellence, tradition, and environmental respect, reaffirming that sustainability is not just a commitment but a responsibility intrinsically linked to the honor of being The Rum of Cuba.