United Spirits Limited Releases Sustainability Report Detailing ESG Performance Metrics for FY 2025-26

United Spirits Limited Releases Sustainability Report Detailing ESG Performance Metrics for FY 2025-26​

United Spirits Limited (USL), part of Diageo, has released its Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report for the financial year ending March 31, 2026. The report details the company's performance across various Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) parameters, with independent assurance obtained on key sustainability indicators.

The annual review covers corporate governance, employee welfare metrics, and environmental stewardship across USL’s owned manufacturing sites and owned and leased offices and warehouses.

ESG Performance Highlights​

The report highlights the company's commitment to responsible business conduct through several core strategies:

• Environmental Stewardship: Initiatives focus on resource efficiency, specifically water conservation and decarbonization efforts, with USL aiming for net zero carbon in direct operations by 2040.
• Social Responsibility: The company emphasizes employee well-being, safe working conditions, and promoting inclusive practices across its workforce.
• Consumer Engagement (Principle 9): Over 100% of USL's products carry the warning message that "Consumption of alcohol is injurious to health," reflecting a commitment to responsible consumption awareness.

Key Operational and Financial Indicators​

The management analysis on key sustainability indicators for FY 2025-26 shows trends in energy, water, and waste management:

Water and Energy Management​

Regarding environmental impact, the company's commitment to resource efficiency is detailed below:

• Water Consumption: Total volume of water consumption in FY 2025-26 was 6,07,786 kilolitres. The company reported a 13% improvement in water intensity per rupee of turnover compared to the previous fiscal year, driven by process optimization and higher condensate recovery.
• Water Discharge: Total water discharged stood at 4,860 kilolitres, marking a reduction of approximately 27% compared to FY 2024-25 (6,657 KL).
• Energy: Total energy consumption across owned sites was 10,76,854. The company reported that 94.23% of total energy consumed came from renewable sources in FY 2025-26.

Waste Management and Circularity​

USL emphasizes a 'zero waste to landfill' commitment, which it claims has been achieved across all sites. Key performance indicators for the period are as follows:

Employee Welfare and Safety Metrics​

The report provided detailed metrics on labor practices:

• Safety: The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) for employees stood at 0.49 per one million-person hours worked in FY 2025-26, down from 0.44 in FY 2024-25.
• Labour practices: 100% of all permanent employees and workers were reported as being covered by both Provident Fund (PF) and gratuity benefits for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.

Stakeholder Relations and Governance​

USL has structured processes for managing diverse stakeholder groups:

• Stakeholder Mapping: The company conducts a robust stakeholder mapping process, engaging with consumers, employees, communities, investors, and supply chain partners throughout the year.
• Supplier Management: A risk-based approach is used to assess value chain partners, with 66% of the relevant suppliers assessed based on Health & Safety and Working Conditions using the SEDEX SMETA Four Pillar Audit framework.

Research and Innovation in Products​

The company has actively conducted Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for select key products. Specifically, LCA was conducted for Neutral Spirits (Cradle to Gate) and Vodka and Indian Single Malt Whisky (Cradle to Grave), with results communicated internally for opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint as part of the Scope 3 climate action plan.

Financial Governance and Compliance​

The company maintains a zero-tolerance policy against bribery or corruption, supported by an internal code of conduct available online. Furthermore, USL reported that there were no instances of data breaches involving personally identifiable information of customers during FY 2025-26.

UNITDSPR Stock Price Movement​

On Friday, United Spirits Limited shares edged higher, closing at ₹1385.7 after gaining 0.28%. The stock traded within an intraday range of ₹1375.7 to ₹1391.8, with a total volume of 568,746 shares transacted.