Bacardí earns 2nd Wildlife Habitat Council Certification by doubling down on habitats
Bacardí’s plant in Cataño recently earned a second Wildlife Habitat Council Certification for its newly expanded pollinator garden to attract increased numbers of butterflies, bees and bats, which are synonymous with its brand.
In 2018, Bacardí received the first WHC certification ever presented to an organization in Puerto Rico. As of today, Bacardí remains the only organization to receive a WHC certification on the island, company officials said.
In 2019, the Puerto Rico team launched an ongoing restoration of the natural grounds near the front of the complex, which is now home to four of the eight bat houses on the property.
The efforts resulted in the addition of six pollinator gardens covering 38,535 square feet, or twice the original size.
The pollinator garden serves as a year-round food source to monarch butterflies, honeybees, native bees, and seven species of bats, including the Antillean fruit bat, minor red bat, red fruit bat, and Mexican free-tailed bat, the company said in a statement.
“The all-employee volunteer team is committed to this landscape-level conservation by diversifying the flowering plants while also encouraging the growth of native species to the island, creating an abundance of access to the nectar, pollen, cover, and larval host plants needed by pollinators to feed and reproduce,” it stated.
“As a family-owned company, Bacardí, we take great pride in our efforts to build a sustainable future that will continue for generations to come” said Edwin Zayas, Bacardí Corporation’s vice president of operations.
“At Bacardí Corporation in Puerto Rico, we’re making a positive impact in our work environment and getting our teams involved in learning more about their role in protecting the environment — at home and at work,” he said. “As leaders in the spirits industry, we feel a tremendous responsibility to protect natural resources and reduce our environmental footprint with the hope to inspire others to do the same.”
While visits are currently limited to the facility, those on site are being encouraged to explore the pollinator garden as an effort to raise awareness about the importance of pollinator habitats. Housed in between the operations site and Casa Bacardí, the garden is visible to employees and tourists alike.
Before the lockdowns to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Bacardí hosted its annual community event and focused part of the programming on educating guests about the role of pollinators in island’s ecosystem, it stated.
