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SOUTHERN GLAZER'S AT A GLANCE
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, building brands for moments that matter. The multi-generational, family-owned Company has operations in 47 U.S. markets and Canada, as well as brokerage operations through its export division in the Caribbean, Central, and South America. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, America’s Best Employers for New Grads, and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly.
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EXPERTISE IN THE WINE & SPIRITS INDUSTRY
Southern Glazer’s has more certified wine experts than any other U.S.-based wine and spirits distributor. Its employees have successfully completed more than 17,000 wine, sake, and spirits education programs, from introductory to master-level achievements. This success is driven primarily by Southern Glazer’s first national wine education team, comprised of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, Certified Wine Educators, and WSET Diploma holders, who provide top-quality education and certification across the country. Additionally, Southern Glazer’s Master Mixologists work with bartenders, beverage buyers, and corporate clients, educating them about the latest trends in cocktail culture. Michelin-star chefs, national restaurant chains, international hotels, and top spirits brands rely on Southern Glazer’s expert Mixologists to help them develop world-class beverage programs that raise the bar for today’s demanding consumers. These Mixologists hold multiple certifications from accredited organizations such as the U.S. Bartenders Guild, BarSmarts, Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Society of Wine Educators, and Cicerone Certification Program.
Win With Heart
Master of Wine: 1 WSET Wine Certified Educators: 13 WSET Sake Certified Educators: 10 WSET Spirits Certified Educators: 3 WSET Diploma: 10 WSET Level 3 Wines: 278 WSET Level 3 Sake: 28 WSET Level 3 Spirits: 11 WSET Level 2 Wine & Spirits: 4,789 WSET Level 2 Wines: 2,538 WSET Level 2 Spirits: 4,097 WSET Level 1 Sake: 1,724 WSET Level 1 Wines: 5
Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1: 2,080 CMS Certified Sommeliers: 126 CMS Advanced Sommeliers: 22 Master Sommeliers: 9 Certified Specialists of Wine: 723 SWE Certified Wine Educators: 14 SWE Certified Spirits Educators: 3 Certified Specialists of Spirits: 314 Italian Wine Professionals: 226 French Wine Scholars: 121 Italian Wine Scholars: 18 Spanish Wine Scholars: 47 California Wine Appellation Specialists: 37
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Report
MOMENTS THAT MATTER
SGWS EMPLOYEE CERTIFICATIONS
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report
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We build world-class brands for moments that matter.
To be the hospitality industry's most valued selling, logistics, and insights provider.
OUR PURPOSE
OUR 2030 VISION
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Southern Glazer's CSR Pillars
At Southern Glazer’s, success is about more than just results—it’s about the heart we put into everything we do. Our Company HEART Values—which stand for Honesty, Excellence, Agility, Respect, and Teamwork—launched in 2024 and anchor the way we operate and engage with our customers, suppliers, and communities. With this as the foundation, our CSR report theme, “Win with HEART,” defines our efforts to uplift our coworkers, communities, and planet with passion, dedication, and purpose. Our commitment to community service, environmental sustainability, responsible consumption, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continues to be the foundation of our company culture.
“Ensuring everyone's voice is heard and valued.”
This year, our employees demonstrated unparalleled dedication, logging thousands of hours in volunteer efforts that spanned a wide range of causes close to their hearts. From local initiatives that directly impacted our neighborhoods to national programs aimed at driving lasting change, Southern Glazer’s team members went above and beyond. Our collective impact grew significantly which shows the deep commitment our people have to giving back and strengthening the communities where we live and work.
Responsible consumption remains a priority, and we are proud to support initiatives like Alcohol Edu for High School, developed by EVERFI®, which continues to educate thousands of students, empowering them to make safer, healthier decisions about alcohol. As we look back on 2024, we are proud of the collective strides we’ve made and look forward to continuing this momentum. Together, we’re not just winning—we aim to Win with HEART, making a lasting impact that extends beyond our business and into the communities we cherish. Cheers to creating even more moments that matter! Sincerely, Lee Brian Schrager (Chief Communications Officer) Cindy Haas Bruce (Vice President, Communications & CSR) Sofia Monaco (Senior Manager, External Communications & CSR) Anna Gomez (Specialist, External Communications & CSR) Myles Griffith (Specialist, External Communications & CSR)
A Message From The Corporate Social Responsibility Team
Responsible Consumption & Prevention of Underage Drinking
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Supporting Education
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Empowering Local Market Giving
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WIN WITH HEART
We also advanced our DEI programming, collaborating with partners to create inclusive opportunities for all, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard and valued. On the sustainability front, our Green Teams continued to
“It's about the heart we put into everything we do.”
expand their reach, while our investment in eco-friendly initiatives like electric vehicles took another step forward, reinforcing our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint.
WINNING WITH HEART
VolunCheers Update
Community
Year after year, Southern Glazer’s employees prove that making a difference is at the heart of everything we do. Whether they’re mobilizing support for their favorite causes or rushing to provide aid after a disaster, they consistently rise to the occasion, changing lives both in their local communities and across the nation. Their compassion knows no boundaries. With VolunCheers Online, employees have a powerful platform to organize, track, and amplify their charitable efforts—all in one place. This tool allows us to capture the full depth of Southern Glazer’s dedication as one team, showcasing the time, resources, and passion poured into creating a lasting, global impact. In addition to the inspiring, personal efforts of Southern Glazer’s employees, our Company-wide corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns, network of VolunCheers Ambassadors, and employee recognition programs all contributed to the meaningful difference we made this year.
Southern Glazer’s established the Youth Alcohol Awareness and Education Foundation, Inc., to fund programs that support alcohol safety and underage drinking prevention, including the AlcoholEdu for High School online curriculum. Program courses are available at no cost to all public and private high schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in Florida, Dallas and Collin counties in Texas, and Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, and Richmond counties in New York. The program, which is part of a multi-year commitment, was available in these three markets throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Alcohol Edu for High School, developed by leading education technology company EVERFI®, is a 90-minute, interactive course that engages students in high school with science-based alcohol education and interactive exercises, providing an individualized experience that changes perceptions, motivates behavior change, and supports healthier decisions regarding alcohol. The course focuses on five main pillars: Knowing the Basics, Knowing Your Influences, Brain and Body, Smart Decisions, and Future Ready. Through this scalable online program, which has been proven to reduce negative consequences associated with underage drinking, schools can reach all students with a consistent message and empower them to make safer and healthier decisions about alcohol. For the most recent 2023-2024 school year, the program saw significant increases in reach and impact. After completing the Southern Glazer’s-sponsored course, students achieved 25% knowledge gain by increasing their average assessment scores from 64% to 89%. Since the kickoff of Southern Glazer’s program in 2017, the initiative has impacted:
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The Month of Kindness program was created by Southern Glazer's employees in 2022 to address the impact the pandemic had on local communities by completing random "acts of kindness" to earn ACT points. In 2024, employees participated in the fourth year of Month of Kindness from April 15 to May 10. Random acts of kindness performed during the month ranged from donating blood, clothing, and pet supplies to participating in professional development and networking opportunities. For each activity completed, an employee received ACT points.
Following the success of the inaugural VolunCheers conference in 2022 and virtual event in the 2023, the CSR team was proud to host the two-and-a-half-day event in person again at the SGWS Wynwood facility in 2024. Southern Glazer’s passionate VolunCheers Ambassadors and valued supplier partners came together to share best practices, connect over their shared passion, and (most importantly) volunteer!
Month of Kindness
VolunCheers Highlights from 2024:
VolunCheers Unleashed
CONTINUE
Southern Glazer’s teams came together to achieve and surpass their combined goal of nearly three million ACT points, resulting in over 65,000 donated items to communities in need and a $25,000 donation to the Restaurant Worker’s Community Foundation, an organization that seeks to improve the working conditions and lives of restaurant workers across the U.S. by advocating for employees’ rights, providing grants, investing, community building, and crisis relief.
BACK
As part of Southern Glazer’s summer internship program, interns receive first-hand experience on the power of community service and just how much it’s valued at this Company. The yearly Intern VolunCheers Week engages and welcomes hundreds of new interns every year. Our summer interns were invited to work with local VolunCheers Ambassadors to find and lead a volunteer project. Intern VolunCheers Week project teams are assigned per location and are led or co-led by a self-selected Intern VolunCheers Leader. This year, 136 passionate interns focused on a variety of projects within their local communities, recording an incredible 375 volunteer hours in support of diverse charities. Projects included distributing food, garden and park cleanups, clothing drives, and more. Some of the meaningful organizations that benefited were Dublin Food Pantry, Gleaners National Food Bank, SPCA Animal Shelter, Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, Falcon’s Nest Program at Cerritos College with partnership with LA Food Bank, Feed My Starving Children, COCO San Sustainable Farm, Lotus House, Mustard Seed of Central FL, Beckley Creek Park, Frisco Fastpacks, City Square Food Pantry, and Family Compass.
Blackbaud Miami Social Impact Meetup
The Southern Glazer’s CSR team was honored to host the Blackbaud Miami Social Impact Meetup at SGWS Wynwood, designed to unite corporate social impact professionals for a half-day of networking, idea sharing, and engaging discussions. Speakers included Nandika Madgavkar, Chief Growth Officer, CECP, who spoke on the topic of “Trends in Employee Engagement” and Douglas Stockham, President, Emergency Assistance Foundation, who spoke on the topic of “Mastering Disaster Resilience.”
Our CSR team was proud to present on the topic of “Engaging Employee Volunteers” and showcase the charitable impact Southern Glazer’s employees are leading through the VolunCheers program. Through meaningful networking and breakout sessions, participants from participating companies and nonprofits gained insights from fellow experts in the social impact space and discovered how to elevate giving and volunteering programs.
Intern VolunCheers Week
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In 2024, Southern Glazer’s celebrated its 23rd consecutive year as the exclusive wine and spirits sponsor of The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®). We collaborated with our world-class supplier partners to secure more than 10,000 cases of top wine and spirits brands for the Festival’s 105+ curated events with 500 experts, all to benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU). Approximately 65,000 people attended the Festival, with 1,500 FIU student volunteers who helped produce the Festival. Scholarships are also funded by proceeds from SOBEWFF® and awarded to standout students annually. To date, the Festival has raised more than $40 million for the School.
Southern Glazer’s is proud to have supported the world’s most well-known wine and food festivals for more than four decades. We plan to continue supporting local educational, arts, and hunger-relief programs in our communities by founding, hosting, and sponsoring a variety of signature charitable events.
Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One
Southern Glazer’s is also proud to serve as the exclusive wine and spirits provider for The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (NYCWFF), supporting God’s Love We Deliver®, New York’s leading provider of life-sustaining meals and nutrition counseling for individuals living with severe illness. More than 47,000 guests safely attended the 16th annual NYCWFF in October. With 80 live events, the Festival remained steadfast in its commitment to celebrate the robust and resilient New York hospitality industry. To date, the Festival has raised more than $14.8 million to support New Yorkers in need.
Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ
The annual Chicago Gourmet festival is a celebration of food and drinks with Southern Glazer’s as its proud presenting sponsor. Participating chefs and restaurants prepared events throughout the weekend, championing Chicago’s diverse culinary landscape while connecting food and drink enthusiasts with their favorite chefs, fellow foodies, and memorable experiences. Chicago Gourmet benefits the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (IRAEF), which offers life-changing opportunities for students and provides direction for potential culinary and hospitality career paths. The IRAEF scholarships initiative has provided more than $3.4 million in scholarships to qualified students to date. Since October 2020, the IRAEF Employee Relief Fund has also provided $295,000 in cash relief grants to hospitality employees facing financial crisis due to unanticipated hardship.
Chicago Gourmet
UNLVino Presents is an epicurean food and beverage series presented by the world-class UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. Designed to indulge the Las Vegas community while creating new opportunities for university students, UNLVino Presents continues to bring together the best chefs, winemakers, brew masters, and distillers in the world. This year, UNLVino presented a twist on the iconic festival by returning as Sake Fever, a beloved fan-favorite event. Guests immersed themselves in an evening of Asian-inspired cuisine from renowned restaurants and premium sake, spirits, beer, and Asian-inspired cocktails. UNLV students showcased their innovative creations throughout the event. Proceeds from ticket sales directly contributed to scholarships for the next generation of hospitality leaders. Inspired by university alumni in 1974, millions of dollars have been raised to fund scholarships for the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hospitality students. The festival is organized jointly by UNLV and Southern Glazer’s Wine, Spirits & Beer of Nevada and remains the longest tradition at the University and one of the college’s largest fundraisers.
UNLVino Presents
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The SGWS Maryland and Washington, D.C. teams assisted Rise Above Animal Rescue & Sanctuary and Rock Cats Rescue with their Amazing Acro-Cats show, a fun-filled, cat-centric performance that benefits both rescues. The team volunteered by cleaning, setting up the stage, guiding the audience, and selling merchandise.
Maryland AND WASHINGTON, D.C.
The SGWS Tennessee team spent a Saturday morning cleaning up the Soulsville area of South Memphis, benefitting local nonprofit, One Family Memphis. The nonprofit brings rehabilitation, healing, and a renewed sense of hope to challenged communities by providing programs that foster relationships across cultural, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.
Tennessee
The SGWS Arkansas team assisted with their local Special Olympics Ribbon Lunch. The team assembled over 5,000 ribbons, served lunch, and provided cross-functional mentor opportunities.
ARKANSAS
The SGWS North Dakota team sponsored a toiletries drive at one of their general sales meetings, benefitting the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center in Fargo, ND. The team gathered a full carload of supplies for those in need.
NORTH DAKOTA
The SGWS Kentucky team facilitated a neighborhood garbage pickup around some of their local roadways, picking up 13 garbage bags worth of trash and spare car parts.
Kentucky
The SGWS Bolingbrook team supported Will County Habitat for Humanity by volunteering at multiple Team Builds throughout the year. Through the team’s support, Will County Habitat for Humanity accomplished their goal of completing 16 new residential homes for local families.
Illinois
The SGWS North Carolina team hosted a charity golf tournament at the Tega Cay Golf Club benefitting Tunnel to Towers. The organization provides affordable housing to the families of veterans and first responders.
North CArolina
SGWS Kansas volunteers assisted Harvesters, a community food bank focused on addressing local food insecurity. The team helped to sort and pack fresh produce to be delivered to families in need.
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The SGWS Missouri team participated in the Kansas City Heart & Stroke Walk, raising money for the American Heart Association. The team walked nearly 30 miles and raised over $500 for the association.
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SGWS Minnesota team members participated in a Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Minnesota. The team raised over $7,200 to help support local athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Minnesota
The SGWS Delaware team raised over $1,700 to build a memorial bench in memory of Chris Coyle, a longtime SGWS employee who passed away from suicide in April 2024. The remainder of the funds were donated to Unlocke the Light Foundation, a suicide prevention foundation.
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The SGWS Jacksonville team volunteered with the Jacksonville Humane Society and walked 60 dogs over two hours, giving the shelter dogs some much-needed love, attention, and exercise.
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The SGWS Idaho team hosted a Corvette car show fundraiser benefitting the UGMN Women & Children’s Center. The team raised over $3,400 and facilitated a guest speaker to discuss domestic violence and the need to help the vulnerable.
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The SGWS Washington team partnered with the Salvation Army and participated in a backpack and school supply drive. The team collected 251 backpacks, gathered many school supplies, and raised over $2,500 to benefit the drive.
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Volunteers from the SGWS Alberta team volunteered in three-hour shifts at a local Tim Horton’s restaurant to decorate smile cookies and create take-out packages for customers. All proceeds from the event were donated to a local charity.
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The SGWS Ontario team prepared and delivered 130 containers of hearty vegetable soup to the Bloor West Food Bank. The food bank works to support the 1-in-4 Toronto households affected by food insecurity.
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SGWS Washington hosted an annual golf tournament, benefitting The College Success Foundation. In partnership with many supplier partners, the event raised $192,291 for The College Success Foundation. In total, SGWS of WA has raised $731,608 over the four years this event has been held.
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The SGWS Virginia team partnered with Bacardi, Campari, and Jägermeister to fill backpacks for children in need during the Back to School season.
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SGWS Texas assisted the Community Partners of Dallas with a Back to School Drive by purchasing supplies and delivering them.
Texas - National Transatlantic
The Craft Food and Wine Festival is a community event with various activities that benefits Church Health, a faith-based, nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive health services to working uninsured, individuals with little or no access to healthcare. A team of 10 SGWS Tennessee volunteers assisted with organizing and orchestrating this year’s festival, raising approximately $10,000 for Church Health with the help of many of our supplier partners.
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The SGWS Oregon team partnered with their local Beam Suntory team in Portland, Oregon to put toy bins up from November through December in local liquor stores to raise thousands of toys for children in need during the holiday season.
Oklahoma
The SGWS Oklahoma team hosted an event benefitting Food on the Move, a nonprofit with the mission of mobilizing healthy and quality food into hard to reach and economically challenged areas. Employee volunteers helped over 200 community members facing food insecurity register as Food on the Move recipients and provided them with reusable grocery bags to shop for their fresh produce and a ticket for a hot meal from one of the food trucks.
The SGWS Ohio team participated in the annual National Youth Advocate Wish List program and created magic by purchasing gifts from the wish lists of foster children who would’ve otherwise had no presents to open on Christmas Day.
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SGWS Brokerage Ohio employees collected pajamas to donate to children in hospitals through the Kami’s Jammies Program. The Kami’s Jammies Program was founded in 2008 in memory of Kamryn, a Casey Cares child who passed away from leukemia and felt special when she wore a new pair of pajamas in place of hospital gowns.
ohio Brokerage
The SGWS North Dakota team partnered with Jim Beam and Hope Blooms, an organization that repurposes donated flowers and rearranges them into beautiful bedside bouquets so that those who are in need most in our community feel this sense of inclusion. The team worked to put together 120 bouquets for a local nursing home.
North DAkota
The SGWS North Carolina team partnered with Beam Suntory to host a “Makers and Pups” fundraising event at Bear's Smokehouse benefitting the Asheville Humane Society. With every Maker’s Mark drink ordered, the guest received a raffle ticket to put them in the running of winning a special prize. All proceeds went to the Asheville Humane Society.
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The SGWS Upstate New York team hosted a golf tournament at Pine Grove Golf Course benefiting Ronald McDonald House. The SGWS NY team hoped to take some stress off of RMH visitors with this fun golfing event and also made a meal for the visitors.
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Montana
The SGWS Montana team volunteered as bartenders at the Chinook Horses Kentucky Derby Family Fun Day where guests could participate in a silent auction and watch the Kentucky Derby. All of the proceeds from the bar were donated to Chinook Horses, a foundation that allows individuals to thrive in therapeutic environments by practicing equine-facilitated activities and psychotherapy, regardless of their ability to pay.
In May, 60 Missouri team members worked together to assemble 45 bikes across two separate hour-long build shifts with the mission of putting students on a path of healthy habits at a young age. After completing assembly, the team loaded the 45 bikes into two POS vans and delivered them to a local Title-1 2nd grade class.
The SGWS Minnesota team participated in a Polar Plunge to benefit the Special Olympics. Through their efforts and donations from supplier partners, they generated $10,340.03 with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Minnesota Matching that for a grand total of $20,680.06.
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In honor of a fellow employee who lost their life to blood cancer, the SGWS Maryland team worked with There Goes My Hero for a bone marrow collection drive. In September, 38 employees from Maryland and D.C. had their cheeks swabbed for DNA and then placed into a national registry as potential donors of bone marrow; they could be a match with someone with life-threatening blood cancer and be able to save a life.
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In partnership with Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Campari, Casamigos, Constellation, Diageo, Heaven Hill, Jägermeister, Moët Hennessy, Pernod Ricard, Proximo Spirits, and The Wine Group, SGWS Kentucky employees submitted recipes to create a cookbook that was then sold to employees to raise funds for Eastern Kentucky flood relief.
Kansas
Eight SGWS Kansas employees donated their time to build homes for single mothers in Kansas City through Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps people around the world build or improve a place they can call home.
The SGWS Idaho team helped raise $3,600 in cash donations to support the Union Gospel Women’s and Children’s Mission, an organization with the mission of providing a safe, healing home for women and women with children to transform their lives. The team hosted a VolunCheers Baseball, Hotdogs, and Corvette event in partnership with the North Idaho Corvette Club and Makers’ Mark.
Thirty-six SGWS Indiana employees along with their families and friends worked to fill 680 backpacks with school supplies. Preliminary numbers indicate that over 4,500 community members were in attendance and 1,838 backpacks were distributed to children in need.
INDIANA
The SGWS C.H.E.E.R.S. to Women committee hosted a social fundraiser during October to support breast cancer and an SGWS Illinois employee who is a breast cancer survivor. Nearly 100 SGWS Illinois employees gathered at the Cress Creek Country Club, all dressed in pink to raise awareness and money for The Wellness House. The fundraising continued throughout the month of October and the total raised was over $15,000.
The SGWS Hawaii team hosted a Dress for Success clothing and accessories drive to support women trying to enter the workforce and break the cycle of poverty.
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The SGWS Orlando team worked together to plant a local garden for an urban gardening project with fleet farming, a nonprofit Urban Agriculture Program that transforms underutilized urban lawn spaces into abundant micro-farms and gardens.
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The SGWS Florida (East Transatlantic) team supported Hurricane Ian relief efforts in partnership with Bacardi by feeding hundreds of people, setting up ice trucks around communities, providing t-shirts for those in need of clothing, and hosting a Christmas party for an account that couldn’t afford it because of the damage.
The SGWS Arizona team partnered with Packages from Home to pack 200 boxes with notes in support of deployed American military members stationed in active duty theaters around the world.
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SGWS Delaware members volunteered at the Foodbank of Delaware where they were able to pack over 60 donation boxes for local families.
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To support their local community, the SGWS Arkansas team assembled bags containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other tooth care products for the Ronald McDonald House mobile dental van (500 packets) as well as stickered over 1,000 books for ARKidsRead.
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The SGWS Ontario team made 9 blood donations to Canadian Blood Services out of the Toronto office. Canadian Blood Services is nationally responsible for a secure system of life essentials for transfusion and transplantation that's reliable, accessible, and sustainable.
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SGWS Alberta volunteers partnered with Dress for Success and raised $500 for clothing to dress newcomers into the workforce, as well as donated four boxes of gently used office clothing.
Click on each state or providence/territory to read about different VolunCheers events
Arizona Arkansas Colorado Delaware Florida Florida (transatlantic) Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas
North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Ohio (Brokerage) Oklahoma Oregon Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington
Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Mexico New York
British Columbia Ontario Alberta Manitoba Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada
Delaware
Southern Glazer’s VolunCheers Ambassador Program is comprised of more than 90 employees across 46 U.S. markets, plus the District of Columbia and Canada. These charitable champions were hand-selected by local leaders for their passion and experience in leading volunteer activities. Ambassadors help drive local participation and leverage VolunCheers Online to organize and promote their volunteer events. The program celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2024 and continues to expand across markets and divisions. VolunCheers Ambassadors participate in monthly calls where Company-wide campaigns are announced, participating employees share updates on local volunteer activities, and guidance is provided for upcoming initiatives or ideas. Each month, the call is kicked off by a guest speaker from a national nonprofit. During 2024, speakers from Food on the Move, Susan G. Komen, Posse Foundation, Movemeant, Homes for Our Troops, and Operation Gratitude took the time to join these monthly discussions. Participating charities were selected based on Ambassador feedback and upcoming observances, providing the group with relevant volunteer opportunities for their teams. Since the platform was launched in July 2018, Southern Glazer’s employees across the United States and parts of Canada have created more than 4,419 volunteer events, logged over 86,072 volunteer hours, and given $587,483.89 in donations. Additionally, 34% of employees, consisting of more than 8,132 of our team members, are active on VolunCheers Online. A majority of events created throughout the year supported the following categories: Community, Social Services, and Health & Wellness.
Responsible Consumption
Select a province highlighted in gold to read about VolunCheers events.
The SGWS South Dakota team organized a highway clean up in Spearfish, SD, hauling away over 15 bags of trash from ditches within a four-mile radius.
South DAKOTA
The SGWS Tampa team donated supplies to the Tampa Bay Humane Society, which shelters at-risk animals and provides adoption, hospital, and TNVR services to the general public.
The SGWS Missouri team partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Stream Team to help clean up Crossroads Creek in Wentzville, MO, and improve water quality in the region.
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The SGWS Illinois team volunteered at Refuge Ranch, an organization focused on empowering at-risk youth, women, and families through equine-assisted activities, mentoring, ranch life, and a Christ-centered community. The team helped Refuge Ranch prepare for a kindergarten field trip to a local elementary school.
The SGWS Ohio Brokerage team donated pajamas, movie gift cards, and pizza gift cards to Casey Cares, a foundation focused on supporting families with critically ill children.
The SGWS Ohio team partnered with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective to package over 800 boxes of nonperishable food items for senior citizens within the central Ohio area.
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Southern Glazer’s continued its long-standing partnership with Florida International University’s (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management through various impactful programs in 2024. Southern Glazer’s sponsored The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) for a 23rd consecutive year, which has now raised more than $40 million to date for the Chaplin School. In addition to support for the 2024 Festival, Southern Glazer’s leaders participated in various panel and podcast discussions for students, alumni, and members of the hospitality community. The Company also maintained its partnership with the School to research AI and data visualization as it relates to wine quality.
Supporting Secondary Education
NEW WORLDS READING INITIATIVE
Southern Glazer's is also proud to continue its commitment to the University of Florida (UF) Lastinger Center for Learning New Worlds Reading Initiative (NWRI), a program dedicated to improving literacy among Florida's students by providing families with the tools to read and grow at home. Since 2022, Southern Glazer's has made more than $20 million in contributions to NWRI through a Florida state tax redirection program. Since the program's launch in 2021, more than 350,000 students and about 276,000 households have been served, and over 7 million books have been distributed. NWRI provides eligible students in VPK through 5th grade with one free book and reading activity per month during the year, for a total of nine books per year!
"The most valuable part of the JA Job Shadow was learning about different parts of hospitality and the speakers talking about their experiences." - Student
Southern Glazer’s is proud to partner with Junior Achievement of Greater Miami, an organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. During the spring, Southern Glazer’s sponsored and hosted a "JA Job Shadow," a comprehensive experience designed to help students create an individualized career path. During the event, 30 Hospitality and Tourism Academy students from Miami Edison Senior High School participated in this program with an average of 10 instructional contact hours per student. The experience took place at our SGWS Wynwood facility, where students enjoyed a panelist discussion with local hospitality leaders, presented their own concepts for pop-up restaurants, engaged in an exciting cooking demonstration, and received an informative presentation from our Early Careers team.
MENTORING YOUNG PEOPLE
Education
Empowering young readers one book at a time!
VISIT INSTAGRAM
The SGWS Utah team partnered with OneHope to volunteer at the Utah Food Bank. The team donated both food and supplies to the food bank, as well as helped repackage food for food bank members.
UTAH
The SGWS Pennsylvania team put together 200 family toiletry kits for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia Region. The organization supports families with children who are critically ill.
PENNSYLVANIA
Volunteers from the SGWS South Carolina team partnered with Congaree Riverkeep to pick up litter surrounding the Broad River. The team picked up hundreds of pounds of trash by the end of the event.
SOUTH CAROLINA
The SGWS Alabama team hosted a chili cook-off benefiting The Exceptional Foundation. The foundation provides social and recreational activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. All proceeds from the event supported the daily activities of the foundation.
ALABAMA
The SGWS Iowa team raised funds for the Central Iowa Center for Independent Living, which empowers individuals with disabilities to take control of their lives and integrate in their community.
IOWA
As part of Southern Glazer’s summer internship program, interns receive first-hand experience on the power of community service and just how much it’s valued at this Company. The yearly Intern VolunCheers Week engages and welcomes hundreds of new interns every year. Our summer interns were invited to work with local VolunCheers Ambassadors to find and lead a volunteer project. Intern VolunCheers Week project teams are assigned per location and are led or co-led by a self-selected Intern VolunCheers Leader.
This year, 136 passionate interns focused on a variety of projects within their local communities, recording an incredible 375 volunteer hours in support of diverse charities. Projects included distributing food, garden and park cleanups, clothing drives, and more. Some of the meaningful organizations that benefited were Dublin Food Pantry, Gleaners National Food Bank, SPCA Animal Shelter, Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, Falcon’s Nest Program at Cerritos College with partnership with LA Food Bank, Feed My Starving Children, COCO San Sustainable Farm, Lotus House, Mustard Seed of Central FL, Beckley Creek Park, Frisco Fastpacks, City Square Food Pantry, and Family Compass.
The SGWS Arizona team partnered with Good Soles to provide new shoes to children in need ahead of the new school year. The team collected 1,254 pairs of new shoes and delivered them to Child Crisis Arizona.
ARIZONA
The SGWS California team partnered with Gott for Good and the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano to collect food for families in need. The team packaged over 11,200 pounds of produce, creating 9,300 meals.
CALIFORNIA
The SGWS Colorado team hosted their annual ALS barbecue, raising $6,240 to benefit ALS United Rocky Mountain. The organization supports families battling ALS, raises awareness about the disease, and provides funding towards research.
COLORADO
The SGWS Nevada team partnered with the Salvation Army to collect and bag school supplies for Las Vegas Valley students. The team was able to package about 800 bags of school supplies for the students.
NEVADA
The SGWS New Mexico team partnered with Vitalant to host a blood drive to benefit local hospital patients in need.
NEW MEXICO
The SGWS Oklahoma team partnered with Food On The Move to provide fresh produce and hot meals to local community members facing food insecurity. The team helped set up the event and register participants.
OKLAHOMA
The SGWS Atlantic Division South Texas team donated seasonings, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce to local firefighters and first responders. The team collected three boxes of condiments and seasonings and delivered them to the first responders ahead of their lunch shift.
TEXAS
The SGWS Alabama team hosted a chili cook off, benefiting The Exceptional Foundation. The foundation provides social and recreational activities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. All proceeds from the event supported the daily activities of the foundation.
Employees logged a remarkable 844 volunteer hours to support diverse causes and uplift their local communities, resulting in a total donation of $21,100 to support the campaign’s benefiting charities that are actively working to rebuild and uplift communities impacted by natural disasters.
Southern Glazer’s employees showcase their generosity and passion year-round, but they always take it a step further during the holiday season with the greatest gift of all—volunteerism. Every year, Southern Glazer's launches its Holiday Giving Campaign to help amplify these employee efforts. During the 2024 campaign, the Company matched every single volunteer hour logged on VolunCheers Online from December 1 to December 31 with a $25 donation to benefit the American Red Cross, United Way, and Water Mission.
Holiday Giving Campaign
C.H.E.E.R.S. Groups Drive Organizational Change
Southern Glazer’s celebrated the fourth year of its “EmpowHER” program, founded by Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, Vice President of Commercial Sales, Campari Sales Execution. EmpowHER is designed to develop leaders across the Company. This program addresses the many priorities leaders must balance and allows time to relate, reflect, and reinvigorate. Southern Glazer’s recognizes empowered leaders are able to be more innovative, collaborative, and motivated. During 2024, the program recognized over 100 total EmpowHER leaders. This includes graduates across four cohorts from different functions within the organization. Over the course of two-and-a-half days, participants, which included both women and men, met in-person and were given the opportunity to take personal inventory and improve their executive brand while practicing BOLD leadership. They were also encouraged to discuss challenges, propose solutions, and provide insights into their experience in the program and with the BOLD curriculum.
People & Diversity
Southern Glazer’s C.H.E.E.R.S. (Connecting, Hard-Working, Empowering, Educating, Respecting, Serving) Business Resource Groups are open to all employees and operate locally, but connect with each other nationally. They provide a safe space for employees to discuss important issues, celebrate diverse perspectives, and advocate for ongoing improvements. Our C.H.E.E.R.S. Groups are part of what makes Southern Glazer’s a great place to work.
Served up Podcast
Southern Glazer’s Served Up - The Podcast highlights conversations on topics like advocacy, entrepreneurship, and belonging with food and beverage industry and social justice thought leaders representing our diverse hospitality community. The podcast is a place for beverage professionals to advance their skills, customer experiences, and work environments–all with diversity and inclusion at the center of the discussion. Served Up is hosted by Bridget Albert, Senior Director of External Communications and CSR. The podcast releases episodes weekly and has welcomed more than 220 guests so far. In 2024, Served Up was named a Top 10 Nominee for Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s 2024 Spirited Awards® in the category of Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series. This recognition highlights the podcast’s contributions to the spirits and cocktail community, acknowledging its role in sharing valuable industry insights and stories.
INVESTING IN OUR TALENT
EMPOWHER
Women in Leadership
Promoting Equality at Work
Southern Glazer's was pleased to acknowledge and congratulate this year's annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Women in Leadership (WIL) Executive Education Program Class of 2024 graduates. Fifteen women leaders from Southern Glazer's completed this year's annual WIL program in partnership with Columbia University Business School. The annual program, originally launched in 2019, consists of an intensive curriculum designed to accelerate the advancement of women leaders in the wine and spirits industry, enabling them to navigate the business landscape, develop, and leverage their talents, and step into roles of greater influence and leadership.
Women from 10 WSWA member companies successfully completed the WIL curriculum in a hybrid model utilizing a virtual classroom format with an in-person, two-day capstone session in Washington, D.C. The program consisted of an intensive three-week, fully live, and virtual curriculum designed to empower participating women. The curriculum for the WIL program was designed exclusively for WSWA by facilitating Professor Adam Galinsky, the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics, and Vice Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Columbia Business School. Course topics included soft and tactical business skills like Inspiring Negotiation Excellence, Inspiring Difficult Conversations: Apologies and Feedback, Inspiring Innovation, and Inspiring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Cultures. Galinsky was joined by: Professor Modupe Akinola, Director of Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics, and Barbara and David Zalaznick, Professors of Business at Columbia Dr. Sandra Matz and David W. Zalaznick, Associate Professor of Business and Co-Director of the Leadership Lab at Columbia Business School
Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity
Promoting Equality in our Communities
Southern Glazer’s is proud to sponsor the Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity (AHED) to help pave the way for a brighter and more inclusive future in the hospitality industry. The AHED is focused on transforming the hospitality industry by uplifting and amplifying a culture representative of untapped talent. The AHED envisions a hospitality workforce where diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) are not just ideals but inherent qualities of leadership. The Alliance’s strategy is focused on catalyzing Hospitality DEI action through a multifaceted approach. Through recruitment, scholarship, advocacy, mentorship, and partnership, AHED is committed to elevating measurable belonging and fostering accountability. The Alliance believes that by strategically implementing these initiatives, they can contribute to creating a vibrant and inclusive hospitality sector with leaders who embody diversity and equality.
Available to listen on all your favorite podcast platforms, Served Up has dropped over 210 episodes that have garnered more than 123,350 listens across 61 countries and is ranked in the top five percent of podcasts globally.
Promoting Equality with our partners
C.h.e.e.r.s. Groups at Southern Glazer's
Moderated by Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Jennifer Chaplin-Tolkin, Vice President of Commercial Sales, Campari Division, the panel featured Melanie Batchelor, Managing Director, Campari America; Bertha Gonzalez Nieves, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Tequila Casa Dragones; and Jessica Spense, President, North America, Beam Suntory.
The Women in Leadership Conference, hosted by Jennifer Chaplin Tolkin, Vice President of Commercial Sales, Campari Division, and Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer at Southern Glazer's, was a gathering focused on advancing careers in the wine and spirits industry. Following the success of previous years' events in New York and San Francisco, the team returned for its third year in New York City. Attendees gathered to focus on overcoming obstacles in the wine and spirits industry, creating success despite those obstacles, and uplifting women to help them achieve their full potential.
Advancing women in leadership
The conference highlighted the importance of career growth and development, featuring a panel of accomplished women in top leadership roles within the industry. The presence of such accomplished women in leadership positions underscored the progress made in promoting diversity in the wine and spirits industry. Chaplin Tolkin also shared Southern Glazer's commitment to initiatives aimed at fostering the careers of diverse women in the industry, from supporting organizations like Women of the Vine & Spirits to launching the EmpowHER women's leadership program. The conference aimed to explore how the panelists are driving change within their organizations and advancing opportunities for women and minorities in the business world. The event also celebrated the collaboration between suppliers and companies like Southern Glazer's in making a positive impact on the industry and inspiring future leaders. The Women in Leadership 2024 Conference exemplified the collective effort to create more inclusive leadership in the wine and spirits industry.
In line with our commitment to fostering diversity, Southern Glazer’s also announced four recipients of the Southern Glazer’s Against Social Injustice and Racial Inequality Endowed Scholarship Fund at Florida A&M University (FAMU). The Fund was established in 2020 as part of Southern Glazer's efforts to support racial equality and will grant four $2,500 scholarships a year for five years to deserving candidates who have an unmet financial need.
Southern Glazer’s Against Social Injustice and Racial Inequality Endowed Scholarship Fund
In 2020, Southern Glazer's signed a $1-million agreement with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)–the pre-eminent national organization dedicated to promoting educational excellence among students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). The agreement established a partnership that gives Southern Glazer's access to TMCF's diverse talent pipeline, connects Southern Glazer's employees with HBCU students for mentoring and professional development, and provides student leaders with opportunities to pursue future careers with the Company. Since then, Southern Glazer's has continued to engage with students in the organization through professional development and career opportunities. More than 2,000 student interactions have taken place, and of those, over 50 job offers and internships with Southern Glazer's have been extended. In addition, Southern Glazer’s has hired TMCF scholars to participate in the Next Gen Leadership Program, a two-year leadership program providing future leaders with broa d experience through rotational assignments across multiple functions with Southern Glazer’s. The Company has also impacted thousands of students by hosting more than 10 workshops spanning a variety of topics, including Personal Operating Guidelines, Lean Six Sigma, Leadership Brand, and Building Your Board of Directors. We look forward to continuing our commitment to this partnership and fulfilling our mission of cultivating a diverse employee talent base to support our Company's growth.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund Partnership
In 2023, Southern Glazer’s announced the launch of its Incubator Academy, a virtual platform to provide diverse- and women-owned brands in the wine, spirits, and non-alcohol beverage industry unprecedented free access to foundational business learning to increase their potential for commercial success. The proprietary eLearning modules offer small businesses and diverse- and women-owned brands and their employees educational coursework in critical topics, starting with creating a sales pitch and the fundamentals of on- and off-premise math. As we look toward the future in 2025, two additional courses will be available, providing information on the importance of consumer-driven data and insights to drive brand strategy. These courses utilize the expertise of research partners such as Nielsen and Numerator and are set to launch in Q1. Diverse-owned distillers and wine producers are underrepresented in the industry because of historically lacking access to networks, representation, and industry tools and resources. With the launch of Incubator Academy, Southern Glazer’s continues to put action behind its commitment to increase distribution opportunities for a more diverse group of beverage brands. This is the first and only beverage alcohol distributor-led education program targeted at delivering important industry business learning to small businesses and diverse- and women-owned brands.
Incubator Academy
Southern Glazer’s Vendor Inclusion Program (VIP) is in its second year since being introduced as a corporate initiative. VIP’s mission is to create an inclusive and sustainable vendor base that reflects the diversity of our marketplace, strengthens our communities, and creates lasting value for Southern Glazer’s and our partners. The program is committed to working with the highest quality vendors, regardless of race, sex, gender, or any other socioeconomic status. Our Vendor Inclusion Program ensures that all qualifying businesses, including those that identify as diverse, have an opportunity to engage in our sourcing and procurement activities.
Vender Inclusion Program
The Exceptional Leaders Program (ELP) is Southern Glazer's flagship leadership development program designed to prepare, train, and educate the Company's future leaders for success and growth within the organization. ELP delivers a multifaceted curriculum, including executive-level education from Florida International University and the University of North Carolina. Additionally, the cohort works together on Southern Glazer's strategic projects, networks with Company senior executives, and amplifies their self-awareness through leadership assessments, mentoring, and coaching. The four-month-long ELP selection process requires applicants to submit written essays, build and present a strategic presentation, and participate in panel interviews. The selected finalists presented their strategy and interviewed with Southern Glazer's senior executives. The 2024 ELP cohort consists of 19 members who were selected this year from across the enterprise.
DEVELOPING EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS
Enriching Our Workplace Culture
Next Gen is a strategic initiative designed to appeal to recent college graduates and develop them into future leaders at Southern Glazer's. The Talent Management Team collaborates with the Early Career Team, offering participants rotational assignments, continuous training, leadership development, mentoring, and networking to meet business needs. This accelerated training aims to cultivate and retain high-potential individuals. This program is one example of Southern Glazer’s commitment to investing in the next generation of leaders.
NEXT GEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
CLASS OF 2024
Toast is the Company’s employee recognition program, and one of the meaningful ways Southern Glazer’s expresses its gratitude for all the hard work and commitment employees bring to the workplace every day. The Toast program includes a “Years of Service” award experience to celebrate employee milestone anniversaries beginning with the first year, then the fifth, and every five years up to 50 years of service. Managers and colleagues are prompted via email notification prior to their team member's anniversary date to add a personal message to the recipient's anniversary award. Once the anniversary date arrives, the recipient receives an email notification linking to their award, where they can view all congratulatory messages through the Toast website. In addition to receiving personal sentiments, employees who reach their five-year anniversary milestone (and beyond) have the opportunity to select a gift from a curated assortment of merchandise, which is customized by years of service completed. This program is truly Southern Glazer’s special toast to its employees!
A TOAST TO OUR EMPLOYEES
Excellence in Health & Safety
Environmental, Health, & Safety
Excellence in Environmental Sustainability
EXCELLENCE IN sustainability, HEALTH, & SAFETY
Southern Glazer’s remains unwavering in our commitment to the well-being of our employees—the heart of this organization. We continue to proudly invest time, resources, and capital in developing and enhancing our health and safety programs to protect our people and protect our best-in-class, sustainable business operations.
Southern Glazer’s has always been dedicated to doing the right thing and reducing its impact on the natural environment. This year, we took meaningful strides to enhance and expand our sustainability efforts and lead the way toward a greener future.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PROGRAM
Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to maintaining a safe workplace, free from any threatening or intimidating conduct. The Company has implemented measures to mitigate the risk of workplace violence, including notifying law enforcement when necessary. Recently, Southern Glazer’s established a Workplace Violence Prevention Program, reinforcing our zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence. Our Company will not tolerate any form of violence or threats of violence, whether in the workplace, at work-related functions, or outside of work affecting the workplace. All workplace violence incidents are taken seriously. Reports of workplace violence, including threats of workplace violence, are thoroughly investigated and documented. In accordance with our Work Rules Policy, employees are expected to be truthful and cooperative throughout the investigation process. Any employee who believes they have been the victim of a violent act or threat should report the incident details to their Supervisor, Human Resources, or the Speak Up Employee Hotline, which operates 24/7.
COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE PROGRAM
The Company regularly conducts comprehensive audits of our worksites to assess compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, as well as with our internal health and safety standards. This year, the Compliance Assurance Program focused on identifying areas for improvement and developing responsible action plans for our distribution centers. These audits are a cornerstone of good governance, operational excellence, and business resiliency, ensuring that our organization remains transparent and accountable in health and safety.
Southern Glazer’s Ergonomics Program was designed to help create a work environment that minimizes physical strain, enhances productivity, and promotes overall well-being. In addition to annual back safety training and daily stretching routines, each division has established an Ergonomics Team trained to identify potential ergonomic risks and implement control measures, such as adjusting workstations, tools, and processes to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Our proactive approach to workplace ergonomics is paving the way to healthier and more efficient work habits across the organization.
ERGONOMICS PROGRAM
Last year, the Company upgraded its Return-To-Work Program to help minimize the uncertainty that often accompanies an injury, illness, or disability for the Company and its employees. The intent of this program is to bring employees back to work in a temporary transitional duty assignment as soon as they are physically able to perform work without aggravating their injury, illness, or disability. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s Nurse Hotline at 786-582-9338 was launched to assist in the event of an illness, accident, or disability in the workplace. The hotline is available to answer injured employees', company representatives', or healthcare providers' questions concerning medical treatment and recommendations for work-related injuries. The Company will continue to expand this program to provide timely and effective support for the health and safety of our workforce.
Return-to-Work Program
Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to continuously enhancing its driver safety programs and exploring innovative strategies to uphold the highest standards of road safety excellence. In response to the growing demand for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators nationwide, the Company piloted an Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Trainer Certification Program designed by JJ Keller in Las Vegas. This program aims to provide an agile solution for our markets by preparing trainer candidates to deliver ELDT content for Class A and B Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), encompassing both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. ELDT trainers are equipped with the training and resources to instruct any employee interested in obtaining a CDL license, supporting the success of our operations, and opening doors to employees for professional driving positions and career growth within the transportation industry. In 2023, the pilot program in Las Vegas successfully produced new CDL drivers who meet the required legal and safety standards to perform their duties effectively and safely. Building upon this success, Las Vegas hosted a larger ELDT Trainer Program to train additional ELDT instructors and new instructors from Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The Southern Glazer’s team looks forward to expanding this program to more markets, ensuring consistent safety standards and practices across the organization. Employees trained by a Southern Glazer’s ELDT instructor are expected to operate a CDL vehicle as business needs dictate. Upon successfully obtaining a CDL license, employees must maintain an active CDL license and drive for the Company for at least 24 months.
ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM
Organic products entering the United States require National Organic Import Certificates. As the distributor of choice for our valued suppliers, Southern Glazer’s is pursuing the designation as an approved importer of record for organic certified products. In 2024, the USDA approved 22 of the 24 applications submitted for our distribution centers. For the remaining two sites, one has been inspected and is awaiting approval, and one is scheduled for facility inspection in January 2025. The Company has developed an organic system plan to comply with the USDA requirements and has every intent to achieve certification to meet our supplier and customer needs.
Organic Certification
In 2024, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits evaluated available technology advancements with its health and safety training programs, specifically using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Southern Glazer’s has partnered with Axonify, an AI-powered tool with a proven microlearning platform, to pilot training with a subset of employees who rely on Company-issued devices. In 2025, the Company will explore the opportunity of scaling this technology across the enterprise.
ENHANCED SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAMS
Southern Glazer's Nurse Hotline 786-582-9338
At Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, recognizing and appreciating the hard work of our employees is a cornerstone of our Company culture. Each year, the Company dedicates special weeks to honor our warehouse employees and drivers, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork that extends beyond the workplace. Warehouse Appreciation Week takes place during the second week of August, while Driver Appreciation Week is celebrated during the second week of September, coinciding with National Driver Appreciation Week. These events honor the dedication and hard work of our driver and warehouse associates—the backbone of our operations. Each site hosts various family-friendly activities featuring special lunches, raffles, custom-designed apparel, and recognition ceremonies to demonstrate how much Company leaders and colleagues value their commitment to safety and operational excellence.
WAREHOUSE & DRIVER RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
Our Elite Safe Driver Recognition Program recognizes exceptional safe driving performance of our CDL drivers. This program is built on two key elements: 1) defensive driving–the ability to avoid preventable collisions despite the wrong actions of other drivers and adverse driving conditions and 2) compliance–the ability to avoid behaviors that may lead to violations of the US DOT’s CSA program. Eligibility is limited to CDL drivers who regularly operate vehicles for which Southern Glazer’s maintains an active Driver Qualification (DQ) file in JJ Keller. After five consecutive years of safe driving without a preventable collision, a CDL driver is awarded a gold ring featuring a black onyx center. For each additional year of safe driving, a diamond is added to the ring, up to a maximum of 12 diamonds. Additional rewards may include lapel pins, celebratory dinner events, and monetary bonuses.
ELITE SAFE DRIVER RECOGNITION PROGRAM
Since 2013, Southern Glazer’s has recognized more than 5,000 drivers who exemplify the highest standards of safety, skill, and professionalism on the road and contribute to our culture of fleet safety excellence within our organization.
Each year, Southern Glazer’s hosts truck and forklift rodeos across the nation. Rodeos allow drivers and warehouse associates to showcase their impressive skills and precision behind the wheel. These events emphasize best safety practices, collaboration, engagement, and efficiency in our daily operations and strengthen our Company’s community spirit. Next year, outstanding truck and forklift drivers will be eligible to compete in the first-ever National Truck & Forklift Rodeo, where excellence meets excitement. This premier event is designed to challenge participants with obstacles that highlight their safe driving expertise and professionalism. The national rodeo will take place in October 2025, when we will recognize the best-in-class operators of trucks and forklifts at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.
TRUCK & FORKLIFT RODEO COMPETITIONS
STRATEGIC PILLARS To reduce our organization’s environmental impact, we are concentrating on areas where we can make the most immediate difference—energy/climate, waste, and water—within our facility and fleet operations. This focus is part of our ongoing pursuit of best-in-class, sustainable business practices. SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS & FACILITIES Vehicle idle time reduction is a critical lever to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Southern Glazer’s committed to tracking and reducing idle time by 5% each year over five years starting in 2022 for a significant 25% reduction by 2027–a meaningful contribution toward lessening our GHG footprint. As of March 2024, we have successfully achieved a 17.8% reduction in idle time. As part of Southern Glazer’s 10-year Supply Chain Transformation, logistics and operations teams are investing in new facilities, routing, and forecasting technologies, leveraging artificial intelligence and automation, and launching new innovative solutions for customers. Route optimization is a tangible sustainability benefit that this transformation will achieve. There’s early evidence that these efforts are already showing significant reductions in the GHG intensity of our fleet operations. Our organization is continuing to invest in upgrading the infrastructure of our offices, warehouses, and distribution centers to become more energy-efficient. Facilities have begun integrating best practices in construction, operations, and maintenance at strategic building sites, such as LED lighting upgrades in Santa Fe Springs, California, and Puyallup, Washington, HVAC upgrades in Katy, Fort Worth and Farmer’s Branch, Texas, and general equipment overhaul in Kansas City, Missouri. Since completion and commissioning, LED upgrades from 3 sites have yielded cumulative savings of over $1.3 million and 10.9 million kWh and over 5,200 tons of CO2 removed from our emissions profile.
EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS CONTINUITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Southern Glazer’s is committed to expanding our business continuity and emergency management programs— which are critical to our organizational resiliency and excellence. We effectively mitigate any occurrence that could jeopardize the health and safety of employees, harm the company's reputation, or cause revenue losses, distribution failure, or supply chain disruption.
Sustainability Innovation Southern Glazer’s also continues to explore innovative opportunities to effect positive change in support of sustainability efforts. In partnership with the Rockwell Group and Amorim, Southern Glazer’s has supported the Cork Collective, which is dedicated to transforming cork closures from wine and spirits into valuable, renewable resources for our local communities. Beginning with a pilot in New York City, the Cork Collective collects and recycles corks from restaurants and hospitality venues, to be utilized in eco-friendly projects such as playground revitalizations and sustainable design solutions. Another innovative partnership is with ecoSPIRITS, a company that has developed the world’s first low-carbon, low-waste distribution technology for premium wine and spirits. Their patent-pending system nearly eliminates all packaging waste in the supply chain, dramatically reducing packaging and transport, which provides a significant opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint. Together with their partners, they are eliminating hundreds of tons of single-use glass waste, planting tens of thousands of trees, and inspiring others to lead change.
As a proactive approach to emergency management, the Company has continued maturing its emergency preparedness capabilities by providing employees and management teams with more training and exercise opportunities throughout 2024. Southern Glazer’s has completed more than 400 emergency drills and exercises, which include evacuation and fire drills, lockdowns, shelter-in-place, equipment shutdowns, medical emergencies, active assailant, and Company Alert Network (CAN) testing.
Emergency management
In 2023, Southern Glazer’s unveiled the Joint Response Operations Center (JROC) as its new state-of-the-art incident command center, located near the Company’s headquarters in South Florida. The JROC is where situational intelligence is gathered, impact assessments are performed, response plans are developed, support resources are coordinated, and executive decisions are made to manage any type of business interruption impacting the organization. On an average day, the JROC will receive over 300 threat alerts, each of which are assessed for their impact on the business. The operational infrastructure of our command center represents the best-in-class technology available today, including weather monitors, incident management, mass communications, and advanced situational intelligence platforms, that enable us to adopt a proactive approach to risk management. Its extensive capabilities connect us to our facilities, vehicles, information technology infrastructures, supply chains, and people nationwide in real-time, allowing our organization to quickly respond to potential business threats, effectively maintain essential functions, and safely resume normal operations.
JOINT RESPONSE OPERATIONS CENTER
Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to continuously enhancing its driver safety programs and exploring innovative strategies to uphold the highest standards of road safety excellence. In response to the growing demand for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators nationwide, the Company piloted an Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Trainer Certification Program designed by JJ Keller in Las Vegas. This program aims to provide an agile solution for our markets by preparing trainer candidates to deliver ELDT content for Class A and B Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), encompassing both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. ELDT trainers are equipped with the training and resources to instruct any employee interested in obtaining a CDL license, supporting the success of our operations and opening doors to employees for professional driving positions and career growth within the transportation industry. In 2023, the pilot program in Las Vegas successfully produced new CDL drivers who meet the required legal and safety standards to perform their duties effectively and safely. Building upon this success, Las Vegas hosted a larger ELDT Trainer Program to train additional ELDT instructors and new instructors from Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The Southern Glazer’s team looks forward to expanding this program to more markets, ensuring consistent safety standards and practices across the organization. Employees trained by a Southern Glazer’s ELDT instructor are expected to operate a CDL vehicle as business needs dictate. Upon successfully obtaining a CDL license, employees must maintain an active CDL license and drive for the Company for at least 24 months.
Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to continuously enhancing its driver safety programs and exploring innovative strategies to uphold the highest standards of road safety excellence. In response to the growing demand for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators nationwide, the Company piloted an Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Trainer Certification Program designed by JJ Keller in Las Vegas. This program aims to provide an agile solution for our markets by preparing trainer candidates to deliver ELDT content for Class A and B Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), encompassing both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction. ELDT trainers are equipped with the training and resources to instruct any employee interested in obtaining a CDL license, supporting the success of our operations and opening doors to employees for professional driving positions and career growth within the transportation industry.
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GREEN TEAMS & COLLABORATORS
Also, in an industry-first sustainability initiative, we’ve invested in new insulated, electric vehicles retrofitted with electric refrigeration units that not only deliver temperature-controlled fine wine but do so with less impact on the environment. Further benefits include improved product quality and customer satisfaction, as well as reduced waste.
Southern Glazer’s Green Teams are employee-led groups who activate environmental sustainability initiatives on a local level. Green Teams continue making remarkable contributions towards a more sustainable and purposeful Southern Glazer’s. Since its inception in 2022, Southern Glazer’s has 43 active Green Teams across the United States. While their focus is largely centered around a variety of single-stream recycling efforts for pallets, cardboard, and paper, teams made additional strides with LED lighting upgrades and large-scale tree planting projects. Southern Glazer’s partnered with Sutter Home for the Earth Day Oak Tree Giveaway, donating 190 oak trees to Bernheim Forest for planting in their nature preserve. Associates were also encouraged to take trees home for planting. Also, Schneider Electric, a Southern Glazer’s sustainability vendor, collaborated with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization dedicated to global reforestation, to plant 50 trees on our behalf. In one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it a crucial strategy to combat climate change. All these collective initiatives resulted in the planting of 334 trees and 224 plants representing a 351% increase in trees planted when compared to prior year. Thirteen divisions hosted Earth Day activities that contributed to this increase in trees planted as well as SGWS’s continued work with our partners and suppliers. Together, our efforts resulted in reducing approximately 16,000 pounds of GHG emissions this year. During Earth Month, the National Device Recycling program, managed through our Enterprise Technology Partners, was highlighted internally to selected staff and green teams. This IT Asset Management Program creates value capture and efficiency for our business operations while also ensuring we are respecting our environment and protecting our data. The program began in 2020, and YTD 2024, we have collected more than 41,000 assets for recycling. These efforts have resulted in equivalent resources saved and greenhouse gas emissions prevented from 5,134,141 miles driven by an average passenger vehicle or 132,523,951 smartphones charged.
STRATEGIC PILLARS To reduce our organization’s environmental impact, we are concentrating on areas where we can make the most immediate difference—energy/climate, waste, and water—within our facility and fleet operations. This focus is part of our ongoing pursuit of best-in-class, sustainable business practices. SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS & FACILITIES Vehicle idle time reduction is a critical lever to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Southern Glazer’s committed to tracking and reducing idle time by 5% each year over five years starting in 2022 for a significant 25% reduction by 2027–a meaningful contribution toward lessening our GHG footprint. As of March 2024, we have successfully achieved a 17.8% reduction in idle time. As part of Southern Glazer’s 10-year Supply Chain Transformation, logistics and operations teams are investing in new facilities, routing, and forecasting technologies, leveraging artificial intelligence and automation, and launching new innovative solutions for customers. Route optimization is a tangible sustainability benefit that this transformation will achieve. There’s early evidence that these efforts are already showing significant reductions in the GHG intensity of our fleet operations. Our organization is continuing to invest in upgrading the infrastructure of our offices, warehouses, and distribution centers to become more energy-efficient. Facilities have begun integrating best practices in construction, operations, and maintenance at strategic building sites, such as LED lighting upgrades in Santa Fe Springs, California, and Puyallup, Washington, HVAC upgrades [KO3] in Katy, Fort Worth and Farmer’s Branch, Texas, and general equipment overhaul in Kansas City, Missouri. Since completion and commissioning, LED upgrades from three sites have yielded cumulative savings of over $1.3 million and 10.9 million kWh and over 5,200 tons of CO2 removed from our emissions profile. Also, in an industry-first sustainability initiative, we’ve invested in new insulated, electric vehicles retrofitted with electric refrigeration units that not only deliver temperature-controlled fine wine but do so with less impact on the environment. Further benefits include improved product quality and customer satisfaction, as well as reduced waste. GREEN TEAMS & COLLABORATORS Southern Glazer’s Green Teams are employee-led groups that activate environmental sustainability initiatives on a local level. Green Teams continue making remarkable contributions toward a more sustainable and purposeful [KO5] Southern Glazer’s. Since its inception in 2022, Southern Glazer’s has 43 active Green Teams across the U.S. While their focus is largely centered around a variety of single-stream recycling efforts for pallets, cardboard, and paper, teams made additional strides with LED lighting upgrades and large-scale tree planting projects. Southern Glazer’s partnered with Sutter Home for the Earth Day Oak Tree Giveaway, donating 190 oak trees to Bernheim Forest for planting in their nature preserve. Associates were also encouraged to take trees home for planting. Also, Schneider Electric, a Southern Glazer’s sustainability vendor, collaborated with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization dedicated to global reforestation, to plant 50 trees on our behalf. In one year, a mature tree will absorb more than 48 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making it a crucial strategy to combat climate change. All these collective initiatives resulted in the planting of 284 trees and 224 plants, representing a 284% increase in trees planted when compared to the prior year. Thirteen divisions hosted Earth Day activities that contributed to this increase in trees planted, as well as SGWS’s continued work with our partners and suppliers. Together, our efforts resulted in reducing approximately 12,000 pounds of GHG [KO6] emissions this year. During Earth Month, the National Device Recycling program managed through our Enterprise Technology Partners, was highlighted internally to selected staff and green teams.[KO7]. This IT Asset Management Program creates value capture and efficiency for our business operations while also ensuring we are respecting our environment and protecting our data. The program began in 2020, and YTD 2024, we have collected more than 41,000 assets for recycling. These efforts have resulted in XXXX.
Governance & Ethics
commitTed to our employees
Southern Glazer’s continues to enhance the Legal-Compliance & Ethics team structure and resources. In 2023, the Compliance function was combined with the Legal Department under a Chief Legal & Compliance Officer and added a Senior Vice-President of Compliance & Ethics to lead the function. In 2024, additional resources were allocated. The Company appointed senior-level Regional Vice-Presidents of Compliance & Ethics to support the Company’s five Regions (west, central, east, control states, and Canada) and critical home office-based functions such as our Dedicated Divisions and National Accounts teams. These additional resources assigned to key business units embed Compliance & Ethics into our business operations. Also, new dedicated enterprise-wide “Compliance Capabilities” resources serve as the “engine room” of the function, focusing on enterprise-wide priorities, such as third-party management, controls and monitoring (auditing), and training and awareness across the organization. With a new “Compliance Champions Program” launched in 2024, Southern Glazer’s is leveraging employees across the business to serve as local resources, help implement compliance programs, and provide valuable feedback from the frontline.
“We must always uphold the highest standards of compliance to protect our reputation and trust that our partners place in us. It is about doing things the right way.” - President and CEO Wayne E. Chaplin
“Our industry is highly regulated, and maintaining the highest standards of compliance and ethics is critical to our success,” said Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We must consistently act with honesty, transparency, and fairness. Compliance Distilled ensures our employees have the resources they need to stay informed and act with integrity, upholding the core values that drive our business forward.”
TECHNOLOGY & "COMPLIANCE DISTILLED" In 2024, the Company made significant investments in tools and technologies to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the Legal-Compliance & Ethics function. Compliance Distilled is a new internal online platform designed to deliver impactful and user-focused digital content to the entire organization. Newly developed computer-based learning modules (CBLs) were sent to approximately 13,000 commercial employees across the Company. Every corporate cardholder, approximately 6,000, completed a required compliance CBL. The teams developed and deployed compelling digital content across the enterprise through an internal portal called Compliance Distilled, accessible to all employees through the corporate homepage or by the home screen icon on all company devices.
The Compliance Distilled platform offers employees a wide variety of resources, including an interactive map with state-specific regulatory guidelines, quick access to company policies, and essential resources such as detailed training materials, protocol for regulator visits, and an Ethics Hotline. The site also includes links to federal and state regulatory bodies, along with training videos and reference guides covering the unique regulations of each state where Southern Glazer’s operates. Employees can easily find contact information for their Legal-Compliance & Ethics team on the platform, ensuring they know where to turn for guidance. “Compliance Distilled represents a milestone in our efforts to create a culture of compliance,” said Alan Greenspan, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Southern Glazer’s. “By centralizing all the essential legal and regulatory information, we are making it easier for our employees to access the knowledge they need to uphold the standards that have made Southern Glazer’s a leader in the industry.”
Through a partnership with Southern Glazer’s Internal Audit function, the Legal-Compliance & Ethics team enhanced controls and monitoring of trade spending and vendor invoicing. Toward this end, the Company implemented compliance audit procedures to ensure that Southern Glazer’s properly reviews spending by its employees and other transactions, focusing on marketing and promotional spending. Through a partnership with Finance, Controllership, and Transformation, Legal-Compliance & Ethics launched a third-party management program to detect and prevent unlawful conduct, conflicts of interest, fraud, waste, and abuse in our procurement of goods and services. Through this program, the Company will conduct due diligence and obtain contractual assurances around compliance from our hundreds of business partners in the marketing/promotional trade, as well as heighten requirements around invoicing and record keeping. Southern Glazer’s is proud of what has been accomplished in 2024 and has momentum going into 2025 as we continue to enhance our programs to meet the ever-changing needs of the organization.
The toll-free number and website operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
1-866-898-2725 sgws.ethicspoint.com
SOUTHERN GLAZER'S SPEAK UP HOTLINE
Southern Glazer’s is proud to be an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer committed to providing equal opportunities in all of our employment practices, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, treatment during employment, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, layoff or discharge, and recruitment or solicitation of employment. All decisions made with respect to recruiting, hiring, and promotions for all job classifications are based solely on an individual’s qualifications related to the requirements of the position. Likewise, all other employee matters such as compensation, benefits, training, reduction in force, and social and recreational programs are administered free from any illegal discriminatory or retaliatory practices. Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to maintaining a work environment where all individuals are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. We are an EEO employer committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including selection, hiring, assignment, re-assignment, promotion, transfer, compensation, discipline, and termination. This policy prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, ethnicity, disability, ancestry, color, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy or medical condition, veteran or uniform service status, genetic information (“Protected Classifications”), or on any other classifications protected by applicable state or local law. Our Non-Discrimination Policy applies to all company employees, agents, vendors, customers, independent contractors, and any other third party doing business with the Company. The Company is committed to providing resources available to all employees to report allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation to the Southern Glazer’s Speak Up hotline at 1-866-898-2725 or online at sgws.ethicspoint.com. The toll-free number and website operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week so employees can call without fear of retaliation. A third-party administrator responds to all employee complaints and will then provide the Company with a report of the complaint.
Compliance, ethics, and integrity have always been foundational to the Company’s culture and critical to our operations, but never more so than today. In 2023, with new resources, structure, and leadership, the Company laid the foundation for an industry-leading, world-class Compliance and Ethics organization, and in 2024, the Company made major progress toward this objective. With the new Company HEART Values, Southern Glazer’s reinforced its commitment to ethics and integrity. The “H” in HEART stands for “Honesty”–defined as “demonstrating strong ethics and integrity.” The Company’s value statement goes hand in hand with the tone at the top, demonstrated by our leaders. President and CEO Wayne E. Chaplin said, “We must always uphold the highest standards of compliance to protect our reputation and trust that our partners place in us… It is about doing things the right way.”
POLICIES AGAINST HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION
MONITORING & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
PEOPLE
VISION
