Anheuser-Busch and City of Columbus Tackle Harmful Drinking
First-of-its-kind partnership launching in
Columbus, Ohio will combine behavior research and proactive programs to change
harmful behavior
[COLUMBUS,
OH] - Anheuser-Busch
and the City of Columbus are launching the first-ever citywide program in the
U.S. to understand and help reduce the harmful use of alcohol, as part of
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Global Smart Drinking Goals initiative.
Working alongside community leaders and local organizations, Anheuser-Busch,
the City of Columbus and Columbus Public Health will study harmful behaviors,
research community needs, and implement concrete initiatives aimed at reducing
harmful drinking in the local Columbus region.
"I'm
proud that Columbus is leading the charge in finding creative ways to reduce
harmful drinking,” said Michael Stinziano, City of Columbus
Councilmember. “The results of this partnership will save lives here in Ohio
and around the world."
Together,
Anheuser-Busch and the City of Columbus will design and conduct baseline
research to better understand harmful alcohol use in the community and identify
community needs.
“We
are excited to work with Anheuser-Busch to learn more about safe drinking practices,”
said Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “Neighborhoods are our number one
priority, and we strive to make progress for the well-being of our friends and
families throughout the city of Columbus.”
Columbus
joins Leuven (Belgium), Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Brasília (Brazil), Jiangshan
(China) and Zacatecas (Mexico) as cities where dedicated programs are being
implemented with the goal of reducing the harmful use of alcohol by at least 10
percent by the end of 2020.
“We
wanted a city that would be a thoughtful, committed partner focused on
improving outcomes for the community – so Columbus was the perfect choice,”
said Katja Zastrow, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility and Better
World at Anheuser-Busch. “Since Anheuser-Bush opened a brewery in Columbus
almost half a century ago, we have been committed to being involved in the
community and the city has proven to be a great partner. We know Mayor Ginther
and the team at the Public Health Department will work with us closely to
develop innovative programs that will have real impact.”
Based
on the research, the partnership will create actionable initiatives and work
with local organizations and leaders on implementation to help reduce harmful
drinking in the local Columbus region. Following implementation, Anheuser-Busch
and the City of Columbus will work together to measure progress and share the
results so that other cities and regions can use the key learnings from this
program.
This
approach reflects Anheuser-Busch’s belief in developing a proactive mindset in
helping to reduce harmful alcohol use and empowering customers to make smart
drinking choices that can be applied to other cities around the country and the
world.
The
Global Smart Drinking Goals program in Columbus continues Anheuser-Busch’s
long-held commitment to bringing people together for a better world, with more
than $1 billion invested since 1982 by the company and its wholesalers in the
US in efforts to promote responsible drinking and discourage the harmful use of
alcohol.
“Through
our research, we are aiming to truly understand our community needs and provide
evidenced-based programs to have a positive impact on a range of behaviors
including binge drinking, drunk driving, and underage drinking,” said Dr.
Teresa Long, Columbus Health Commissioner.
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