As one of Australia’s leading distilleries specialising in gin, Four Pillars continues to lead the charge in embracing sustainable business practices that amplify their presence and strong reputation in the industry.
One of those practices which Four Pillars invests in heavily is reducing its impact on the environment by joining forces with organisations which share similar goals and values.
According to Nicole Poole, Bottling Manager at Four Pillars, the answer is Biogone, who are a leading supplier of landfill-biodegradable plastic products based in Melbourne.
“Sustainability plays a large role within Four Pillars. This is how I initially began looking for environmentally responsible plastic alternatives that would have the strength and quality to be use daily while helping us meet our sustainability goals. We wanted the practical durability with an eco-conscious edge. That’s a combination which had been eluding us until we found Biogone,” Nicole said.
“I was a bit hesitant to start with, as we were worried the quality wouldn’t hold up to what we had used in the past, seeing that each pallet of Four Pillars Gin has a weight of one tonne.
“We needed to keep those pallets wrapped tightly and secured for transporting all around the world. That was a significant ask. The first week using Biogone, which included the landfill-biodegradable machine stretch wrap, pallet strapping and pallet caps, the Four Pillars team couldn’t tell the difference, as it performed to the same high standards as the conventional plastics we had previously used.
“Once we saw the quality of Biogone, we also started using other products in their range, including their landfill-biodegradable packing tape and bin liners. And the whole team love the bin liners as they are really strong and don’t rip, once filled.”
“We fill them, crush them into cubes, then move them with a forklift. The conventional bin liners we previously used would rip easily and create additional mess and we would end up using two liners to hold the rubbish.”
“We can’t fault any of the Biogone landfill-biodegradable plastic products we have been using since June 2022.”
For Michelle Hall, Director of Operations, Biogone plays a pivotal role in Four Pillars’ overall sustainability objectives.
“We attained Carbon Neutral accreditation in 2022 which is for the business and our products. In our mind, this is very much the starting point of our sustainability plan. Having had our carbon emissions audited independently, we now have a better understanding of how we can improve.
“We are also on the cusp of launching our sustainability plan which will hold us to account and encourage continual improvement” Michelle added.
“Being sustainable isn’t just about the larger solar panels, our water-cooling veil or our glass crushing machine. We look at each area of the building to see where we can reduce our environmental impact, and sometimes, it’s the smaller everyday used items that may get overlooked such as bin liners, or our individual sugar sachets which we swapped from plastic wrap to paper wrap.”
Nicole has three tips for organisations to consider when they decide to incorporate sustainable products and practices into their own business.
“It is so much easier to start with sustainability in mind rather than retro fit it into a business.
“Also, look at it as a long-term investment in the business. Costs might be higher but in the long run it will be beneficial.
“And also, engage the team by making the entire team a part of the sustainability plan and have them challenge the business to be better.”
According to Michelle, Four Pillars are loud and proud of their sustainability nous.
“Four Pillars has deliberately taken a leadership approach within the Australian distilling industry. This includes a number of areas from compliance to sustainability. We want others to reset the bar in order to build a brilliant industry.
“Many of the important industry competitions now have categories for sustainability which are also independently judged and it sends a message across the globe that we are being responsible.
“In 2022, we won the Inaugural Green Spirits Trophy at the IWSC and in 2023 the Sustainable Distillery of the Year Trophy at the World Gin Awards – such a great result.
“We also communicate this to our trade customers, as well as consumers and it is incredibly impactful.”