Whisky brand Glenmorangie will restore the oyster population and reefs in Scotland’s Dornoch Firth bay. As part of its ongoing DEEP environmental program, the distillery is introducing 20,000 oysters into the sea next to its factory, where the reefs were overfished and are now extinct. Glenmorangie, along with its partners Heriot Watt University and the Marine Conservation Society, have also used 20 tons of discarded mussel and scallop shells to reconstruct the reef; making this the first time an entire reef has been restored in Europe. The initiative will be funded partially through sales of a special-edition whisky, Glenmorangie Dornoch, with DEEP receiving a portion of the sales.

We’re not going to pick holes in any initiative that has a positive impact. But Glenmorangie’s is especially worth celebrating. Here are three reasons why it stands out:

- Authentically aligned. Restoring the oyster beds and increasing biodiversity is a worthy cause. But it’s also deeply embedded into Glenmorangie’s operations: the oysters help clean the 5% of the distillery’s waste water that isn’t purified by its Anaerobic Digestion plant. Before you pick an environmental cause to support, are there any novel sustainable solutions that fit as well into your existing operations?

- Hyper-local legacy. Glenmorangie’s product is intimately tied to its Scottish heritage and ‘terroir’. This makes its efforts to restore and promote the local ecosystem feel extra authentic. If your brand has a similar perspective, then why not dive into the history books and find a powerful local story from years gone by that you can (re)tell today?

- One vision; many paths. Glenmorangie has long focused its sustainability efforts around water. Hardly surprising given its role in producing whisky! But this anchors (pun intended ;) the brand’s narrative. For example, a previous initiative saw it repurpose the wood from its casks into luxury surfboards. Can you pick an issue that’s as deeply relevant yet equally flexible?