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Accolade Wines

OVERALL

Owned
USA
Rating
Criticisms

Alcoholic beverages, especially wine

The largest wine company by volume in Australia and the UK. Previously known as Constellation Brands. CHAMP Private Equity acquired 80 per cent of the business for $290 million in Dec 2010. Acquired by the Carlyle Group in 2018 for $1 billion.

Company Ownership

Accolade Wines Australia Ltd   AUS     website   email      
  The Carlyle Group Management LLC   
   owns 100% of Accolade Wines Australia Ltd  
USA     website         

Private equity firm

Ranked as the largest private equity firm in the world in 2015. Bought Accolade Wines in 2018.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Accolade Wines Australia Ltd
Environment Australian Packaging Covenant signatory
Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation.
Source: Australian Packaging Covenant (2020)
Business Ethics Political donations
According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $70,000 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).
Source: Democracy For Sale (2018)
Environment Product carbon footprint label
This company has products that are certified by the Carbon Trust, signifying that the carbon footprint of selected products has been measured, managed and reduced. A life cycle product carbon footprint is determined by calculating the total greenhouse gas emissions generated by a product, from extraction of raw-materials, to end-of-life.
Source: Carbon Trust (2021)
Social DrinkWise contributor
This company makes voluntary contributions to DrinkWise Australia, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 by the alcohol industry, whose stated goal is to help bring about a healthier and safer drinking culture in Australia.
Source: DrinkWise (2020)
Business Ethics Sedex member
This company is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), a not-for-profit, membership organisation that leads work with buyers and suppliers to deliver improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. Tens of thousands of companies use Sedex to manage their performance around labour rights, health & safety, the environment and business ethics.
Source: Sedex (2018)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2017)
Business Ethics No tax paid in 2016/7
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Dec 2018, this company was one of 2,159 local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2016-17. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO (2018)
The Carlyle Group Management LLC
Social 100% on Corporate Equality Index
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign (2021)
Social Financing cluster munitions producers
The 2017 update to the report entitled "Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions: a Shared Responsibility" identifies 166 banks and other financial institutions with financial links to cluster munitions producers. This bank is listed in the report's Hall of Shame for having investments in one or more of the 6 cluster munitions producers named in the report between 1 June 2013 to 17 March 2017.
Source: Cluster Munition Coalition (2017)
Social Defense & Military
The Carlyle Group has investments in several businesses which provide products and services to the US military.
Source: company website (2018)
Business Ethics Financing nuclear weapons producers
The 2018 update of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons' (ICAN) global report, "Don't Bank on the Bomb" showed that 329 financial institutions from around the world invested into 20 companies involved in the production, maintenance and modernization of nuclear weapons. Since 2014 this financial institution invested over US$5 million into 1 of the 20 nuclear weapons producers named in the report.
Source: ICAN (2018)
Business Ethics 43.1% at JUST Capital
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2022 rankings the public identified 19 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 668th of 954 companies, and 30th of 33 Capital Markets companies.
Source: JUST Capital (2022)
Business Ethics 10.0% in Newsweek Green Rankings 2015
This company received a score of 10/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2015, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2015)
Social Gender equality
This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)
Business Ethics Citizenship claims
This company has citizenship claims on its website in the areas responsible investing, governance, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Source: company website (2018)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary

Contact Details

Address Reynell Road, Reynella, SA, 5161, Australia
Freecall 1800 088 711
Email corporate@accolade-wines.com
Website www.accolade-wines.com

Products / Brands

Accolade Wines
Hardys Brandy
Svedka Vodka


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