Leading beverage company joins global movement using business as a force for good
August 8, 2025: Lion, one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading beverage companies, today announced it has become a Certified B Corporation (B Corp), supporting the company’s long-standing commitment to be a force for good.
While individual Lion brands like Stone & Wood have previously been B Corp certified, this is a significant new achievement that extends to Lion’s entire business.
Lion Group CEO, Sam Fischer said: “We are delighted to be recognised as a Certified B Corporation across Lion as a whole.”
“Being a force for good has always been part of Lion’s DNA, but B Corp Certification has given us a framework to go even further. For almost two centuries, we’ve believed in making a strong contribution to our communities and managing Lion for the long-term, and this certification supports that commitment for the years to come.”
“B Corp Certification provides independent verification of Lion’s commitment to measuring success not just in profit, but in the positive impact we create together with our partners.” said Sam.
Each Lion brand will be able to share that it is produced by a Certified B Corp, and drinkers across Australia and New Zealand can raise a glass of any Lion beverage knowing the company behind it meets rigorous standards across five impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.
B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand CEO, Andrew Davies said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Lion to the B Corp community. Stone & Wood was one of the earliest businesses in the region to become B Corp Certified, and it’s exciting to see the broader Lion business take this next step.
“Our Theory of Change has always been grounded in the idea that early adopters would pave the way for larger, more complex businesses to follow, and Lion’s certification is that theory in action.”
“When a large business like Lion uses B Corp Certification to measure and improve its impact, it sends a powerful message to the broader business community that it is possible to prioritise people and planet, alongside profit.”
Raising the bar in the beverages industry
Lion joins a community of over 10,000 Certified B Corps globally, and an even smaller group of high-scale businesses which have successfully met B Lab’s comprehensive standards.
The certification process required Lion to score a minimum of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment. Lion scored 80.6, which is above the 50.9 median score for ordinary businesses. Lion has also amended its constitution to codify its directors’ duties to consider the long-term impacts of decisions on employees, suppliers, customers, communities, and the environment.
“When our trade partners choose to work with Lion, our B Corp Certification is further evidence that they’re partnering with a business that places people, planet, purpose, and profit on equal footing,” added Sam.
Lion’s B Corp Certification follows several sustainability achievements for the Australasian beverages’ leader, including:
- Being the first major brewer to source 100% renewable electricity for all its Australian operations.
- Achieving its 2030 science-based carbon reduction targets in 2023, 7 years early.
- Running its major breweries at XXXX and Tooheys with world-class water efficiency.
- Creating industry-leading packaging with 72% recycled content.
- Leading people, diversity and inclusion practices.
- A strong commitment to First Nations reconciliation and engagement.
Lion’s B Impact Assessment score and detailed impact report are publicly available on the B Corp directory at bcorporation.net
For further information, contact:
James Tait – 0400 304 147 [email protected]
About B Corp
Certified B Corporations are companies verified by B Lab for achieving high standards of environmental and social performance, accountability and transparency. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a minimum of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment (BIA), recognising positive impact in five areas: governance, workers, customers, community and the environment. They also change their corporate governance to be accountable to all stakeholders, and exhibit transparency by publishing their impact profile on B Lab’s global directory. B Corps must recertify every three years, supporting continuous improvement of impact over time.
About Lion
Lion is a leading beverage company headquartered in Sydney, Australia. With origins dating back more than 180 years, Lion is known for its commitment to quality, craftsmanship, community, and sustainability, and recently became Australasia’s first large-scale carbon neutral brewer. Lion is a pioneer in brewing and continues to innovate across a range of adult beverages. Its core beer portfolio includes many locally loved brands in Australia and New Zealand such as XXXX, Little Creatures, James Squire, Stone & Wood, Emerson’s, Speights and Panhead, and a growing craft beer presence in the US, having brought New Belgium and Bell’s Brewery into the fold. Lion also has an enviable portfolio of NZ wine brands, a premium fine wine business in North America, a craft spirits distribution arm in Australia in Vanguard Luxury Brands and Yarra Valley-based Four Pillars Gin. Lion employs close to 4,000 people across its markets and in 2025 has been B Corporation Certified.
