Guinness

Is Guinness an ethical beer, lager and cider brand?

Produced by Diageo, Guinness is a well-known brand of beer. However, due to its low score within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Beer, Lager and Cider sector, Guinness is a below-benchmark brand.

Even though it has not yet met our benchmark, we still encourage Guinness to apply for Ethical Accreditation. The Good Shopping Guide would be able to provide it with an assessment and some tips on how to make a few ethical improvements.

To see how other popular beer brands within the Ethical Beer, Lager and Cider sector compare against Guinness, you can visit the Beer, Lager and Cider Ethical Ratings Table. Our Ratings Table can teach you more about the criteria that a brand has to meet to achieve reaching our minimum ethical benchmark.

All below benchmark brands are encouraged by The Good Shopping Guide to follow the example set by our top-rated brands and introduce more ethical policies before applying for Ethical Accreditation.

What does Guinness receive a bottom rating for?

Unfortunately, Guinness receives a bottom rating for Political Donations as Diageo has donated significant sums in recent U.S. election cycles, which goes against our criteria.

Guinness also receives a bottom rating for Public Record Criticisms, due to issues with Diageo’s social and environmental practices.

What can Guinness do to improve its score? 

Guinness’ below benchmark rating within The Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Beer, Lager and Cider sector is the result of a calculation of multiple ethical criteria. As a below-benchmark brand of beer, we recommend that Guinness get in touch and apply for Ethical Accreditation.

By applying, The Good Shopping Guide would give Guinness a detailed evaluation and some advice on how to improve upon its bottom scores. As a result, Guinness may see its position rise on the Beer, Lager and Cider Ethical Ratings Table.

Your Beer, Lager and Cider brand could benefit from Ethical Accreditation as it would become easily recognised by consumers as an ethical company to shop with. The Good Shopping Guide’s Ratings Tables can show you which other brands within the Ethical Beer, Lager and Cider sector have achieved our ethics and sustainability certification. For more details on what applying for Ethical Accreditation involves, contact us or fill out a rapid initial sustainability assessment form.