Diageo donates ethyl alcohol to combat COVID-19

Diageo Southeast Asia will donate 60, 000 litres of neutral spirit and make it available at no cost to governments and local manufacturers

Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, has pledged to donate neutral spirit – a 96% strength ethyl alcohol used primarily in production of alcohol beverages, in support of efforts in Southeast Asia to tackle the challenge of COVID-19.

Governments and communities in Southeast Asia, like the rest of the world, are racing against time to stop the spread of COVID-19. As these efforts enter a critical phase, medical supplies and equipment continue to be in short supply in public institutions like healthcare facilities and schools.

Diageo Southeast Asia will donate 60, 000 litres of neutral spirit and make it available at no cost to governments and local manufacturers in the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar, to help overcome shortages in their healthcare systems. This initiative is estimated to support the cleaning and disinfection needs of public healthcare institutions, catering to vulnerable and at-risk groups in local communities.

This latest effort follows Diageo’s earlier global announcement on 23 March 2020 regarding its pledge to donate Grain Neutral Spirit to the UK, Ireland, Italy, the USA, Brazil, Kenya, India and Australia, enabling the creation of eight million hand sanitisers for frontline medical workers in countries where Diageo has major distilling operations.

Apurvi Sheth, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, Diageo said: “As Southeast Asia steps up its efforts to stop the tide of infections, Diageo hopes to do what we can to help communities here and assist in the disinfection of hospitals and other environments to help keep our invaluable front-line workers safe across Southeast Asia.”