Diageo

Diageo Logo

'Great people, great brands, holistic performance. That is Diageo.'

'Every day, everywhere, people enjoy our brands. Together we celebrate life responsibly.'

Diageo is a British multinational alcohol company, one of the biggest alcohol companies in the world selling alcohol in 180 countries, with a substantial presence in 30 countries . The company was created in 1997 by the merger of Guinness PLC with Grand Metropolitan PLC (GrandMet). At that stage it was a large multinational with interests in food as well as drink. Today, the company has shed most of its food interests to concentrate on alcohol, acquiring new spirit brands. It projects an image of itself as a clean, friendly and ethically-oriented company with a commitment to 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR). This includes both a professed concern with the harm alcohol can cause, and statements about what a great service the company is providing by producing such well-loved brands. As a result, the company manages to gloss over a number of issues for which it has received criticism, such as:

• undermining small-scale and independent alcohol production, both in the UK and in East Africa (see Diageo: Corporate Crimes)
• assisting a shift towards casualisation of employment terms (see: Diageo: Corporate Crimes)
• specific instances of environmental damage and irresponsible marketing (see Diageo: Corporate Crimes)
• Diageo's 'ethical' image has also allowed it a significant and increasing role in formulating government policy, both individually and through various alcohol industry bodies. Diageo's networks of links with policy-makers should be especially highlighted (see Diageo: Influence)
• Diageo promotes the idea that the major problem of alcohol harm is anti-social behaviour caused by binge-drinking. Many health experts dispute the industry assumption about alcohol harm, suggesting that liver failure caused by sustained drinking, account for the majority of people treated in Accident and Emergency for problems caused by alcohol (see Diageo: Influence) .

Diageo HQ, First Central Business Park, Park Royal, London

Market share, importance

In September 2004, Diageo was the 11th largest publicly quoted company in the UK in terms of market capitalisation . The company's turnover was £8.89 bn in 2004, with a total profit of £1.87 bn after exceptional items and tax . It is the largest spirits company in the world, with many of the leading spirits brands (see section on Products and Projects in this profile). As well as spirits, it is the manufacturer of Guinness, and has a 79% share of the stout sector in Europe.

Number of employees Various figures are available as to the number of Diageo's employees. These all suggest a reduction in number in the early 2000s, in part due to the company selling many of its non-alcohol divisions. YahooBiz suggests 38,955 employees in June 2003 (down from 62,124 in June 2002) . Diageo's own website suggests 32,392 for 2004 while elsewhere its 'Corporate Responsibility Report' suggests 23,720 in 2004 (as opposed to 24,561 in 2003) . Whichever figure is accurate, they are employed in numerous small operations across the 180 countries Diageo works in.

History

Diageo PLC was formed with the merger of Guinness PLC, its primary parent company, with Grand Metropolitan PLC (GrandMet), a hotel chain with brewing interests, in 1997. Guinness had already absorbed a number of other companies, including Distillers PLC . Diageo's parent companies were involved in a number of controversial and high-profile scandals in the second half of the twentieth century, tarnishing their reputations and perhaps providing an impetus to the re-naming and re-imaging the company underwent when the merger took place. In 1958 Distillers PLC marketed and distributed the drug thalidomide as a treatment for morning sickness, which was found to produce severe deformities in babies . In the 1986 'Guinness Affair,' four people including Guinness' former Chief Executive Ernest Saunders were convicted for illegally boosting share prices in a takeover bid . (See Diageo: Corporate Crimes section of this profile for a more detailed account of these incidents)

Perhaps as a result of these incidents, the merger of 1997 brought about a re-branding and re-imaging of the company. The neutral-sounding and fairly meaningless name ‘Diageo PLC’ was chosen. Diageo explains this name as follows: 'the name "Diageo" combines the Latin word for "day" and the Greek word for "earth". Together, the two words mean celebrating life every day, everywhere.’ . This is captured in another of its catchphrases, 'every day, everywhere, people are enjoying our brands.' .

Again in 2000 restructuring was evident. Paul Walsh become Chief Executive Officer as part of a strategic re-alignment of its business, also James Blyth aka Lord Blyth of Rowington succeeded Sir Anthony Greener as Chairman..

Current Strategy

Their current strategy is to grow strong brands, trademark brands to ensure maximum returns and dominate market share, and continuing to invest in emerging and developing markets while maing selective take overs . The company indeed has had much to celebrate in recent years:

• It has become a world leader in spirits production;
• It has transformed its image through a huge PR campaign since 1997 and today is viewed as a clean and ethical company, and an enthusiastic proponent of corporate social responsibility (CSR) (see Influence section for more on this);
• Quite possibly assisted by this PR programme, Diageo has also been successful in building a good relationship with the British government. An ethos of corporate responsibility and self-regulation, and a professed commitment to fighting the harm caused by alcohol, has allowed them, together with other companies and industry-wide organisations, to evade regulation and to be involved in government policy, which has in turn been shaped around the alcohol industry's perception of alcohol and alcohol harm (alcohol as something that helps 'celebrating life every day, everywhere.’)

Board of Directors

• James Blyth Lord Blyth of Rowington
• Laurence Danon
• Clive Hollick Lord Hollick of Notting Hill
• Dr. Franz B. Humer
• Maria Lilja
• Nick Rose
• Philip Scott
• William Shanahan
• Todd Stitzer
• Paul Walker
• Paul Walsh

Connections: Industry, Government and beyond...

Diageo's close ties with government, and strong interests in lobbying it, help make sense of its involvement in the G8 summit of July 2005, took place at Gleneagles, a hotel in Perthshire in Scotland owned by Diageo. Diageo played a prominent role in the 2005 G8 Gleneagles Summit. Not only does it own the Gleneagles Hotel where the Summit will take place, it has made its presence felt in determining the policies of the G8. As one of Africa's largest corporations, the company was part of the Business Contact Group of the Commission for Africa, which has essentially recommended a further opening up of markets in Africa to foreign investment (See Corporate Watch report, 'Bringing the G8 Home: Corporate Involvement in and around the G8 in Scotland 2005). Diageo representatives participate in a wide range of governmental activities including membership on a number of groups and committees including:

Policy Groups

• Partnership Agreement: Scottish Executive and the Alcohol Industry
• European Alcohol and Health Forum

Industry Groups

• The Portman Group
• The Drinkaware Trust
• Scotch Whisky Association
• European Spirits Organisation

Front Groups

• European Transport Safety Council
• ICAP

Products and Projects

Diageo manages 17 of the world’s top 100 premium spirits brands. Recently it has dropped non-alcohol products, selling Pillsbury, a large US firm producing baked foods and snacks, to General Mills in 2001, and selling Burger King, the fast food giant, in 2002, which has allowed the company to escape the current outcry against fast food. Diageo has bought much of the spirits division of Seagram, previously a major spirits company, and other alcohol brands, entrenching its position as a leader in spirits. This reflects a shift to consolidation evident in the spirits sector in general

Diageo's key brands include:

Whisky: Bell’s (UK market leader) Johnnie Walker (global market leader in Scotch whiskey), Johnnie Walker Pure Malt J&B (European market leader in Scotch whiskey), J&B Rare Black and White, Haig, Spey Royal, White Horse, VAT 69, Buchanan’s, Dimple, Old Parr, Windsor Premier, Seagram’s 7 Crown, Seagram’s VO, Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey; Single Malt Scoth Whiskys: Cragganmore, Glenkinchie, Oban, Distillery Malts, Hidden Malts, Cardhu. Vodka: Smirnoff (40% of global market share), Ciroc, Tanqueray Sterling Vodka. Gin: Gordon’s (around 50% of UK market share), Tanqueray (US market leader in imported gin), Gilbey’s Gin. Rum: Captain Morgan (UK market leader in dark rum), Cacique, Brandenburg, Pampero, Myer’s Rum.

Brandy: Bertrams VO Brandy.

Liquers: Bailey’s (UK market leader in liquer), Romana Sambuca, Safari.

Schnapps: Archers, Rumple Minze, Goldschlager, Black Haus.

Tequila: Jose Cuervo (global market leader in Tequila), Don Julio.

Pimms

Ready-to-Drinks (alcopops):Smirnoff Ice (UK alcopop market leader, sharing 50% of market together with Bacardi Breezer), Smirnoff Black Ice, Archer’s Aqua, Bailey's Glide, Ruski, UDL

Beer: Guinness (global stout market leader), Harp, Kilkenny, Tusker, Smithwicks, Red Stripe

Wine: Sterling Vineyards, Piat d’Or, Periquita Wines, Justerini & Brooks Wines, Casillero Wines, Blossom Hill Wines, José de Sousa Wines , Baron Philippe Wines, Barton & Guestier Wines, Beaulieu vineyards

Champagne: Dom Perignon

Aperitif: Picon

Diageo also has two joint ventures with Moet-Hennessey, Hennessey Cognac and Moet Chandon.

Diageo's major competitors include Allied Domecq, Pernod Ricard, and Bacardi.

Resources

• Diageo:Who, where, how much
• Diageo: Influence
• Diageo: Corporate Crimes
• Diageo: Further Resources and Information