SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
WESTLAND DISTILLERY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Sustainability in whiskey is a complicated matter, certainly more so today than it was a decade ago. It can be elusive while at the same time becoming more pressing as each day passes. In many ways, sustainability is easy to prioritize in words, but harder to realize in action. Of us it requires both broad, holistic planning and smaller, more immediate choices in our daily work. For a distillery that touts its connection to the land and champions its whiskey as a reflection of provenance, it’s imperative that we be good stewards of that place. We do so in process, in sourcing, and in a commitment to restoration.
The following report outlines Westland's Sustainability Report, first drafted in Spring 2021. This is a living document. As we improve our practices and continually seek new ways to steward the region that gives us so much, we will update and renew our commitment here. We will also be diligent in the task of sharing all of our environmental performance information—both the good and the bad—and will always be transparent about identifying opportunities to improve.
2022 HIGHLIGHTS
2022 was marked by another year of maneuvering through the other side of a global pandemic, and the ever changing economics of the whiskey business. As we collectively tried to understand the “new normal,” we also wanted to align with our core goals as a whiskey distillery. Three things stand out in the last year: an award of Sustainable Distillery of the Year, a new partnership with the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, and a 7,000 barrel move to our new Skagit Valley based rackhouses.
Westland was awarded 2022 Sustainable Distillery of the Year by the Icons of Whisky. This is no small feat, and Westland is proud to stand out on the global stage as an environmentally conscious and forward-thinking organization. We have ambitious goals to keep pushing forward, and the award was a byproduct of our dedication to this cause.
Our newest and perhaps most notable partnership is with the Seattle Kraken Hockey Team. Westland has taken the opportunity to become the Official Local Whiskey Sponsor for the NHL’s newest team, which plays at the Climate Pledge Arena. This new facility was created with ambitious low-environmental-impact goals; the Climate Pledge Arena was named 2022 Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal. Additionally, this NHL team and arena are the first to announce their goal of being completely free of single use plastic by 2024. Each partner of the Seattle Kraken or the Climate Pledge Arena must meet certain criteria of low-carbon and environmentally friendly efforts.
In the summer, Westland moved over 7,000 barrels from our former rackhouses in Hoquiam, Washington to Skagit Valley, Washington. Our decision to move our second site to Skagit and put down both figurative and literal roots in this region was an easy one. For nearly a decade we have been working closely with stakeholders in malting, grain breeding, and farming. Together, we’ve created something that we believe is really special, a new way of imagining whiskey’s relationship with agriculture. We believe that we benefit from having close relationships with the agricultural system that supplies our raw ingredients, arguably the opposite of the prevailing wisdom in the whiskey industry today. Being directly connected and in physical proximity to our other stakeholders helps us to learn new perspectives and make sure we and our partners are holistically successful. This move also reduces our weekly truck drive’s distance from 110 each way to 70 miles. This means each year, we will be driving 8,320 fewer miles than previous years. And in Skagit Valley, the Westland farm is beginnign to take shape. Last fall, we were able to harvest over 29,000 pounds from our first seeding of estate barley. In the days to come, we will continue to rotate through different livestock and crops to ensure soil health and, of course, flavorful barleys of the future.
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
Continued.
WHISKEY PRODUCTION
It is in whiskey-making that we can have the greatest impact on our community and our environment. Westland has worked to improve our impact at every stage of the process, from sourcing to facilities and operations to distribution. The following is a summary of key projects and initiatives:
SUSTAINABLE BARLEY SOURCING
Westland has made a significant commitment to sourcing barley that not only reduces the impact on our environment, but in many cases works to improve it.
NEW BARLEY VARIETIES DEVELOPMENT
Our approach to whiskey making has always been to highlight the flavors of our raw ingredients. But when we began in 2010, the commodity system was the only option available to us for sourcing barley. Within that system, flavor wasn’t at all considered and environmental impact was barely considered. Commodity grain breeding programs are pressured to select for varieties that can adapt to a broad geographic range and produce high yields. This put pressure on farmers both financially and environmentally.
In partnership with WSU’s Bread Lab, Skagit Valley Malting, Linc Malting, Mainstem Malts, and a collection of growers across Washington, Westland is helping to bring new varieties that are designed to thrive in the Pacific Northwest ecosystem and also improve it. To-date, Westland has mashed and distilled over 20 varieties of barley bred outside the commodity system as in 2021 will dedicate over 40% of our annual production to these grains that have a positive impact on our region’s agricultural system.
Westland Barley Fellowship
In 2021, Westland continued fully-funding a full-time PhD student at WSU’s Bread Lab in Skagit Valley to develop new varieties of barley specifically for the whiskey industry. The charter of the Westland Barley Fellowship is to research and breed barleys that fall outside the commodity system and achieve three primary objectives:
First, the barley must work for the farmer. For too long, growers in this country have been left behind, squeezed by the cruel machinations of industrialization and commodification. We don’t view ourselves as simply end users for barley. We see Westland as an integral part of a community and an agricultural system that betters the land and its people. Our role in that community is not to drive people down, as is the capitalistic norm, but to help build everyone up. We must create value for each and every person in the system, starting with the farmer. This means that the varieties we develop must be grown in an economically viable way that provides meaningful income for the grower. That means both yield and value (read: novelty and flavor). Equally as important, the varieties must be suitable to a role in farming, not just whiskey. Each new variety must help sustain complete crop rotations so growers can improve their soil and perpetuate a healthy agricultural system.
Second, the barley must work for the changing environment. In just the past decade the rate of change in our climate and ecosystems has accelerated to the point of outright unpredictability. We are not spared from these forces, even in the relatively isolated and idyllic Pacific Northwest. The preservation of healthy farmland requires both economic and ecological alacrity. In addition to aiding in rotational farming, the varieties we develop in the fellowship program must be suited to certified organic, regenerative-organic, Salmon-safe, or other low-impact cultivation methods. But beyond stewardship of the land as it exists, we must also be prepared for what it might become. We breed with the unknown in mind, bringing back genetic diversity to barley, and judging the success of a variety partly on its ability to withstand (or tolerate) changes wrought by global climate change.
Finally, the barley must work for the end consumer. This should be obvious. Even if it checks each and every other box, if it isn’t good, it’s not worth pursuing. In fact, we take it one step further. It isn’t good and isn’t unique, it’s not worth pursuing. Uniqueness and novelty are not things to be feared, but rather embraced. We breed varieties for these qualities because, in the end, if it tastes like everything else, what’s the point?
EnviroStars Certification
Westland has been certified as an official EnviroStars Partner. EnviroStars is a Washington State program that recognizes Washington-based green businesses by demonstrating a commitment to energy and water use reduction, waste reduction, and pollution prevention.
Current Energy Metrics:
Explanation of “Per Proof Gallon” Metric
In addition to reporting our total consumption numbers, we opted to include consumption “per proof gallon”. Consumption numbers can fluctuate based on a variety of factors – number of days in a month, days of production, and daily production output. Our consumption amounts for this year independently look great. In context, our production was shut down for an extended period of time. We do not deserve the atta boy for our low consumption numbers this year, just as next year’s (hopefully) increased consumption will not necessarily mean we have dropped the ball for our environmental goals. By looking at our consumption per proof gallon produced, we can identify specifically how many resources we use in order to make each proof gallon of our incredible whiskey. This will help us look at true usage and performance as we strive to continuously improve our environmental performance.
Waste Reduction Projects
Westland has established an Operations Sanitation and Cleanliness Advocate and Representative (OSCAR) position. The role of OSCAR is to provide educational material and promote positive behavioral changes related to waste management and recycling among staff. Key accomplishments have included the introduction of additional waste, recycling, and compost bins throughout the facility, providing visual postings of best practices, and creating an all-staff channel on our internal messaging platform regarding environmental and sustainability practices. Westland has made progress by composting all paper material, taking our bulk plastic wrap to a specialty recycler in the city, transitioning to compostable cups for our Tasting Room, and purchasing LED lights for the Cask Room & Tasting Room. Westland has converted a significant portion of the lights at the distillery to LED’s, reducing our annual energy demand by more than 27,000 kWh. Our total annual carbon emissions savings for this project is equivalent to 17 tons. The new lights in our cask room, mash house, and parking lot are set on automatic timers with dimming functions that provide a bright and efficient use of energy. Westland has also implemented a regular waste audit to better track our waste and recycling impact as a company. In addition, Westland has begun recycling super sacks, plastic films/bags, and shipment packaging. In this past year, Westland began to purchase biodegradable nitrile gloves for general cleaning and maintenance around the distillery. Over 125 supersacks (720lbs) were diverted from landfill and recycled in the past year. This is the equivalent of preventing 3,300 water bottles from going to landfill! Finally, Westland continues to remain committed to eliminating contributions to local landfills, and has instituted a waste stream monitoring program.
Skagit Valley Farm
In 2020, Westland purchased an 80-acre property in the Skagit Valley which maintains 12 acres of farmable land. This acreage zoned for agricultural is certified Salmon Safe and we are in the process of an organic certification as well. In May 2021 Westland planted its first crop of barley on five acres that will serve as a testing and proving growers in the valley interested in planting sustainable varieties of barley on a larger scale in the year to come. In addition to the farming grains, Westland will implement rotational farming in the years to come, cycling in other crops and maintaining pasture land for an organic dairy operation.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
It is in whiskey-making that we can have the greatest impact on our community and our environment. Westland has worked to improve our impact at every stage of the process, from sourcing to facilities and operations to distribution. The following is a summary of key projects and initiatives:
Garry Oak Restoration
For our Garryana single malt whiskey we use casks made from a species of oak (Quercus garryana) that is native to the Pacific Northwest. We only source oak that is blown down by storm or designated hazard wood. That said, today Quercus garryana stands at less than 5% of its former habitat across the Pacific Northwest. Westland is helping to restore these oaks and the ecosystems they support by planting new Quercus garryana trees in partnership with local preservation organization Forterra. To-date, the team at Westland has planted over 600 saplings at the Shibig Nature Preserve outside Tacoma, WA and has committed to a stewardship program for these oaks that has our team on the preserve several times each year.
Local Business Support
Westland seeks to support the businesses that drive our local economy though events, whiskey collaborations partnerships, and Tasting Room product development.
Whiskey Collaborations:
A number of our whiskeys support local businesses through collaborations in whiskey-making. While leading to great single malt whiskeys, these programs also help bring increased visibility to our partners and also benefit their bottom line.
Our newest and perhaps most notable partnership is with the Seattle Kraken Hockey Team. Westland has taken the opportunity to become the Official Local Whiskey Sponsor for the NHL’s newest team. Westland Whiskey is available for purchase in cocktails or neat pours at the arena, and Westland also produced a commemorative bottling of the Westland American Single Malt specifically for the Seattle Kraken inaugural season, which was available throughout Washington State markets.
The Westland Cask Exchange program works with local producers of other beverages to create 3-4 unique bottlings per year. Currently we are working with 30 breweries, two cider makers, five Washington wineries as part of the program. Our wood program also regularly leverages an increasing stock of ex-Washington wine casks which are used for a varietal of bottlings, including single cask releases. Our Cask 5410 release won Best American Single Cask at the 2021 World Whiskey Awards. We purchase each of these casks directly from the winery without using brokers so all of the money goes to the winery. In 2021, Westland purchased over 50 Washington Wine casks to continue our relationship with Washington-focused producers. Wine producers we’ve developed relationships include Guardian Cellars, Betz Family Winery, William Church Winery (now Tinte Cellars), Love That Red Winery, Patterson Cellars, Kitzke Cellars, and Pepper Bridge Winery. Purchasing casks from local and wineries and breweries also helps extend the life of the casks and gain more use from them in the stream of production. Additionally, we have significantly reduced our carbon footprint by choosing to use more Washington Wine casks over imported Sherry and fortified wine casks.
Events:
Westland has partnered with local brands to host collaborative events that reach expand the reach and improve the fortunes of valuable locally-based businesses. Westland partnered with Theo Chocolate, Coro Salami, Girl Meets Dirt, and other forward-thinking food purveyors in order to share in the terroir of our region and care for the land in which we reside. Traditionally, each winter we host our Winter Market, where we host local companies in our facility to present pop-up tables for their work. Special collaborative bottling releases have included local partnerships and have given us the opportunity to share our space with these vendors and tell the story of doing business in the Pacific Northwest. Our Garryana bottle release day at the distillery is one example that features local businesses and long-time partners Hard Mill, Forterra, and the Oak Harbor Garry Oak Society. In April 2021 we hosted an online auction of rare whiskeys from which 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Seattle chapter of Big Table which aids hospitality workers in need.
Tasting Room Product Development:
In designing ancillary products for our Tasting Room, we seek to support local business in any way possible. This immediately affects the cocktail program. In 2020, the passing of Bill 5549 by the Washington State legislature allowed Westland to feature locally-based spirits and sparkling wines on our cocktail menu. The ongoing development of the cocktails program at Westland has worked to support local businesses by making sure that over 51% of the cocktail (at times up to 100%) ingredients are from locally based products, including garnishes. In 2021, the cocktail program offered multiple cocktail classes to the public which were held in the distillery’s tasting room. The classes showcased not only Westland Whiskey, but other spirits and liqueurs from partnering Washington State based distilleries. Several cocktails featured products from Washington-based food & beverage companies that are B-Corp certified, including Seattle based Frankie & Jo’s and Olympia Coffee. Supporting local vendors also presents in the form of sourcing merchandise for the tasting room and online stores. All of the merchandise sourced at Westland comes from local screen-printers, and custom embroidery projects come from Spacecraft Design in Bellingham, Washington. Westland has been a collaborator with Miir, a certified B Corporation, who created custom drinkware for Westland and featured Westland cocktail recipes in their online content. Retail blankets sold in the Tasting Room are cut and sewn by a woman-owned organization in Portland, Oregon.
Westland has made a commitment to increasingly use more local vendors to produce merchandise for the Tasting Room and online store. The food available in the Tasting Room has also become more focused in highlighting Washington State food purveyors, including but not limited to Girl Meets Dirt, Salt Blade Meats, and Beecher’s Cheese. Westland seeks to create a working list and make strides forward to care for the region in which we find ourselves, and much of this would not be possible if not for our local partners.
PERSONNEL
Westland has made a commitment to prioritizing and cultivating a culture of sustainability through two primary company initiatives.
WEST Program
Westland has acknowledged that environmental and sustainability is not one person’s responsibility—nor should it be. We recognized that if we want to be serious about meeting our environmental goals, it requires a dedicated team that is responsible for assessing our environmental risks and performance, identifying opportunities for improvement, setting meaningful goals, and establishing a vision for achieving those goals. In 2020, we created WEST (Westland Environmental & Sustainability Team), a volunteer cross-functional committee tasked with leading our environmental program. During its inaugural year, WEST has conducted an extensive environmental risk assessment, implemented sustainability practices, earned the distillery’s first environmental certification, and dedicated specific resources for meeting environmental objectives. WEST has also been integral in the development and publication of this sustainability report.
Westland Warriors Moveathon
The health and wellbeing of our team and their immediate community is a critical, but often overlooked, aspect of a sustainable workplace. Including charitable donations (local and otherwise). The Westland Warriors Moveathon was conceived to encourage physical wellbeing and support charitable causes important to our staff. By challenging and incentivizing our employees to be physically active, our team tallied 8,477 miles resulting in $2,119.25 donated by Westland to charities including Northwest Harvest, Trevor Project, UNICEF, Evergreen MTB, and more.
In-Kind Donations
Westland chooses to engage with the community by donating distillery tour/tasting experiences to helps local organizations and nonprofits. This program introduces the community to Westland’s philosophy, goals, and of course, the whiskey. Westland seeks to promote a positive experience that will leave a wonderful impression and lead to long lasting customers. Recent recipients have included Forterra, the Girls & Boys Club, and many of our neighborhood schools.