ABI Foundation, International Breweries train 689, impact 9,667 on responsible beverage service
By Nkiruka Nnorom
International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), in conjunction with ABI Foundation (Anheuser-Busch InBev Foundation) has concluded its one-year Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State with 689 bar owners trained and 9,667 others impacted.
Specifically, the initiative saw 302 proprietors and administrators of alcohol service establishments equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to effectively implement responsible beverage service.
387 servers, bar attendants, and security personnel were also trained on RBS practices, resulting in improved service delivery in the hospitality sector.
The RBS project impacted a total of 9,667 persons directly and an estimated 101,663, amounting to about 5% of the population of the target Local Government Areas.
The pioneering initiative, aimed at promoting responsible drinking and discouraging harmful use of alcohol, was successfully concluded leaving a positive impact on communities and members.
The RBS initiative by International Breweries was conceived by the AB InBev Foundation, the programme’s sponsor. It delivered targeted training to bar owners and managers through comprehensive sessions, simultaneously breathing new life into local communities via initiatives like clean-up exercises.
The intervention programme aimed to mitigate alcohol-related harms attributed to problems such as drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol consumption by pregnant women.
During the exercise, the team engaged in various outreach programmes, including health sensitisation sessions for pregnant women and those of reproductive age at the Model Primary Health Centre in Orogbum. Executive training sessions were also conducted for members of the Association of Hotel Owners and Managers at the Mimi Fish and Lounge, Old Aba Road, Rumuomasi.
The initiative also extended its revitalisation efforts to Ambassador Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumene, amongst other institutions.
Mrs Edna Tekena, a bar manager who attended the training session expressed her gratitude to IBPLC for enlightening her on the dangers inherent in excessive alcohol consumption.
She said: “I appreciate International Breweries Plc for the Responsible Beverage Service training. After the training, I stopped serving pregnant women requesting for alcohol and I have been educating them on the dangers of consuming alcohol while pregnant. I encourage them to abstain for the sake of having healthy babies.”
One of the pregnant women who benefited from the AB InBev-sponsored RBS campaign, Mrs Gladys Onoh, said: “When I was pregnant, my doctor warned me to stay away from alcohol because of the baby but when International Breweries Responsible Beverage Service came to my area in Port Harcourt with the same message I was reminded to take it seriously. Today, anytime I look at my baby I am glad I listened. I am grateful to AB InBev Foundation and International Breweries for this initiative.”
Corporate Communications and Sustainability Manager, International Breweries Plc, Taiye Tunkarimu emphasised the significance of the Responsible Beverage Service programme. ‘’At International Breweries, we believe in promoting responsible consumption, and our commitment goes beyond making great products and profits; it’s also about ensuring our products are consumed responsibly because we thrive when our communities thrive.
“We are satisfied with the outcome of this intervention where we have been able to train 689 people in the two years of running the programme in Lagos and Rivers states. Our training initiatives are evidence-based and backed by an evaluation and monitoring system that helps us to record progress made,” he said.
