When InchDairnie distillery was built, energy and water efficiency were a top priority alongside flavour. Ten years after the first spirit flowed from the stills, InchDairnie’s commitment to energy and water efficiency has been formally acknowledged with B Corporation™ certification.

Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified as meeting standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. 

Why we did it

Our decision to pursue B Corp certification was driven by a desire for a structured, credible framework to support us to be a better, more responsible business. It ensures that sustainability is embedded into how the business is governed, measured, and managed, rather than treated as a standalone initiative.

“The B Corp process challenged us to measure and formalise processes across many areas of the business. That rigour has been worth it, because we have learned a huge amount, and it reinforced that you can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Scott Sneddon, Managing Director (Distilling)

“This isn’t about claiming to be ‘the most sustainable’. It’s about being accountable. For us, this is about having a solid framework in place, being honest about where we’re doing well and where we still need to improve.”

Jessica Stewart, Sustainability Manager

What criteria have we been certified on?

While B Corp evaluates the entire business, our strongest performance lies within our distillery’s environmentally innovative manufacturing process, which was built in from the outset to include the following key features:

  • Integrated energy and water transfer between distillation and mashing 
  • Extensive heat recovery systems, including thermal vapour recompression, reusing approximately 35% of energy on the stills
  • Double condensers, increasing flavour and heat re-use from the stills
  • A hammer mill and mash filter, maximising extraction from the grain, increasing ABV by 1-2% 
  • A deaerator increasing the temperature of the feed water, thereby reducing the energy needed for steam generation
  • An evaporative cooling tower, which efficiently cools and recirculates water

How we did it

The certification process took 2 years and required detailed data, evidence and cross-business input, covering governance, people, community, environment and supply chain practices. This included:

  • Reviewing and formalising governance structures so sustainability is everyone’s responsibility
  • Measuring environmental performance, including across energy, water and waste
  • Documenting people, training and development practices
  • Strengthening community engagement and supplier relationships

The certification reflects our desire to adapt and improve over time. It is not a finish line for us, but a starting point for continuous improvement.

Why this matters to us

We are proud to be recognised for the data-led, innovative approach we have taken since the distillery was established. The B Corp certification process encouraged us to step back and assess how the business operates as a whole, helping us put clearer structures in place to support our continued growth. Beyond the technical and operational aspects, the process also helped us reflect on how we can continue to develop and strengthen the business in ways that extend beyond production performance.

Why this matters to Scotch whisky

We believe that a stronger, more resilient Scotch whisky industry benefits everyone. To achieve this resilience, Scotch whisky businesses must continuously evolve to meet environmental and social challenges. B Corp offers us a credible mechanism for doing this, with accountability and transparency, while allowing our business to remain focused on producing flavour-led, high-quality spirit. We are not alone in adopting the B Corp framework in our industry; we are proud to be part of a small but growing number of B Corp certified Scotch whisky distilleries.

Please get in touch if you’d like to learn more, or if you’re currently going through B Corp certification and would like to discuss this with our team