CRT, producers and the Mario Molina Center strengthen environmental, social and economic measures across the Agave-Tequila production chain
Guadalajara, Jalisco.- Mexico’s tequila industry is moving forward with a new update to its Sustainability Strategy for the Agave-Tequila Production Chain, a roadmap designed to measure progress and reinforce environmental and social commitments through 2030.
The initiative is being led by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), together with the Centro Mario Molina, and includes participation from agave growers and tequila producers. The strategy, first implemented more than a decade ago and revised every five years, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Focus on emissions, water use and sustainable agriculture
According to Eduardo Ibarra, Sustainability Projects coordinator at the CRT, the updated plan aims to strengthen key indicators used to evaluate sustainability performance across the industry.
“The sustainability strategy provides a clear roadmap toward more sustainable tequila production,” Ibarra said. “For more than 10 years, the industry has worked to identify indicators that help monitor and improve sustainability throughout the production process.”
The strategy is structured around seven priority areas, including industry decarbonization, efficient water use, sustainable agricultural practices, zero-deforestation tequila production, waste treatment, regional economic development and social programs.
Industry workshops involving tequila companies and agave producers began several weeks ago to review the new indicators and incorporate a broader social component into the strategy.
New measurements for carbon and water footprints
As part of the update, the industry will conduct a new assessment of its carbon and water footprints, considering both agricultural activities and distillation processes.
Nancy Hernández, specialist in Climate Change Adaptation and Vulnerability at the Mario Molina Center, explained that the analysis will require detailed information from producers regarding agricultural inputs and operational processes.
“We will quantify the main field activities and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with them,” Hernández said.
The updated framework also includes the development of a digital platform that will allow producers to track sustainability indicators and consult industry data.
Gender inclusion and sustainable finance added to the strategy
Another component incorporated into the revised strategy is alignment with Mexico’s Sustainable Taxonomy, introduced by the Finance Ministry in 2023. The framework classifies economic activities with positive environmental and social impacts and includes gender equity criteria.
Saira Vilchis, from the Mario Molina Center’s Social Analysis and Gender Perspective department, said the instrument encourages companies to strengthen workplace inclusion, decent work conditions and responsible supplier relationships.
“It is a financial instrument that, for the first time, includes a gender component,” Vilchis said.
More than $128 million invested in environmental projects
In recent years, the tequila industry has invested more than $128 million in environmental infrastructure and sustainability projects, including:
- Vinasse treatment plants (bioreactors)
- Biomass boilers
- Solar energy systems
- Replacement of fuel oil with natural gas
- Energy efficiency initiatives
The sector’s sustainability targets for 2030 include:
- Reducing direct carbon emissions by 25%
- Increasing renewable energy consumption by 12%
- Increasing renewable electricity use by 5%
- Reducing water consumption per production unit by 15%
- Increasing treated water usage by 80%
The CRT stated that the updated strategy seeks to strengthen the tequila industry’s environmental commitments while reinforcing its role as an international benchmark in sustainable production.
