A partnership has been announced between RSPB Scotland and three of whisky’s biggest names: Suntory Global Spirits, Diageo, and the Glenmorangie Company. The group has come together for a peat restoration project on Islay.
The announcement follows last week’s news that Diageo has pledged up to £5 million over five years to the restoration of Scotland’s peatlands. To deliver on the pledge, Diageo has partnered with Caledonian Climate. The company will identify and co-found projects that aim to restore depleted peatlands. The RSPB Scotland collaboration is the first project to be announced that will fall under Diageo’s five-year pledge.
The new partnership with RSPB Scotland will see the three distillers collectively contribute £1.6 million to the restoration of approximately 1,000 hectares of peatland at the Oa nature reserve.
RSPB Scotland director Anne McCall described the partnership as “a shining example of how conservation and industry can work hand in hand in restoring Scotland’s incredible and unique habitats.”
She added: “We are extremely encouraged to see businesses collaborating to share the responsibility of environmental restoration and protection. Healthy peatlands also help improve water quality, which should benefit both wildlife and people.”
The project’s focus will include improving the peatlands' resistance to factors such as flooding and fire, as well as securing habitats for many species in a healthy blanket bog. The work is expected to benefit species under threat, including the curlew, snipe, hen harrier, and large heath butterfly.
Peatlands are natural carbon stores, meaning that when healthy, they could play an important role in tackling climate change. The blanket bog on the Oa, however, has been damaged by centuries of domestic peat cutting, impacting carbon absorption.
Alistair Longwell, head of distilling and environment at Suntory Global Spirits, commented: “We’re delighted to be part of this forward-thinking collaboration that combines the expertise of RSPB and industry counterparts to restore peatland on Islay... We look forward to working with our new partners to continue protecting these unique landscapes for generations to come.”
Longwell added that the partnership was the “latest step” in Suntory Global Spirits’ sustainability commitments, which have so far included its Peatland Water Sanctuary programme, launched in 2021, and previous work on the Oa with RSPB Scotland. Longwell said that so far, the company has dedicated US$4 million to peatland conservation and restored more than 370 hectares of peatland in Scotland.
Kristin Hughes, global SVP for sustainability at Diageo, said: “Collective action across industries and with environmental leaders is essential if we are to make a lasting impact in restoring Scottish peatlands. By bringing together diverse expertise, resources, and shared commitment, we can accelerate progress toward real, measurable results. Across our peat work, we will invest in improved scientific understandings of the multiple benefits peatland restoration can bring, such as water management, carbon capture, and biodiversity.”
Caspar MacRae, president and CEO of the Glenmorangie Company, which owns Islay distillery Ardbeg, added: “At Ardbeg, we recognise the vital role peatlands play in Scotland's natural heritage and in securing a sustainable future. We are proud to be part of this partnership at the Oa, working alongside RSPB Scotland and fellow distillers to restore this precious landscape. By investing in the health of our peatlands, we are investing in the resilience of our environment, supporting biodiversity, and safeguarding the legacy for generations to come.”
