Building on a 200-year legacy: Zwack Unicum Plc. has published its new ESG strategy for the period 2026–2040

Zwack Unicum Plc. has developed its new, long-term ESG strategy, which defines the company’s sustainability goals and focus areas for the period between 2026 and 2040. The target date of 2040 is also an extremely important milestone: the company will celebrate the founding of its first plant and the 200th anniversary of the registration of the Unicum brand name.

For this family-owned company with a history spanning more than two centuries, sustainable and responsible operations are not a new concept, but an integral part of the company’s DNA. József Zwack was already thinking ahead in the 19th century when he established a pension fund for the factory’s workers, thereby supporting their financial security in old age.

“As a family business, I believe that Zwack Unicum has a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to introduce into the wider business world the values that have sustained the family for generations. These include caring for each other, cultivating cooperation and trust, thinking long-term, and prioritizing the collective good over individual interests,” emphasized Izabella Zwack, a member of the Board of Directors. She added that the goal is for their activities to leave a positive mark on society, creating value that goes beyond mere economic results.

The three main focus areas of the 2026–2040 strategy

Building on the 2025 base year, the company has defined its commitments along three pillars, of which responsible corporate governance—which takes ESG considerations into account—serves as the foundation and enables sustainability to be even more deeply integrated into everyday operations:

• ESG-conscious corporate governance and an exemplary business culture (G): The strategy is based on the principle that ESG considerations will henceforth be an integral part of every business decision. An open and inclusive corporate culture, ethical operations throughout the entire value chain, and responsible procurement (for example, taking biodiversity into account) are all part of prudent corporate governance.

Related indicators include, for example, that we audit 3 of our suppliers annually according to ESG aspects, that 100% of our contractual partners declare their acceptance of the content of our Partner Ethics Statement, and that ESG aspects are also integrated into the performance evaluation of managers.

• Environmental Responsibility (E): The company has already taken significant steps to minimize its environmental impact: thanks to investments in geothermal and solar energy, its Scope 1-2 carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by 61% compared to 2016. Future goals include even more efficient resource use and strengthening operations based on the circular economy (renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials).

To this end, we plan to reduce our Scope 1 emissions by 93% by 2030, replace 60% of our company vehicle fleet with electric or hybrid vehicles, and ensure that 100% of the waste generated during production and the extracted herbal plant parts are used for biogas production.

• Positive Social Change (S): Zwack places a strong emphasis on promoting responsible alcohol consumption, which includes consumer education, accurate information, and the development of non-alcoholic alternatives. Additionally, the company remains focused on maintaining a safe, health-conscious, and development-supporting workplace, as well as supporting local communities.

Our short-term goals include providing training on responsible alcohol consumption to 1,000 catering establishments in addition to our own employees, ensuring that 100% of our permanent employees receive performance reviews, and providing all our colleagues with 8 (paid) hours to participate in community initiatives.

Measurability and Transparent Implementation

The strategy, developed with the support of RTG Corporate Responsibility Ltd., aligns with the company’s organizational culture and emphasizes the tracking of results. CEO Csaba Belovai stated: “We assign clear KPIs to the set goals, with baseline and target values, defining the expected impacts, specific deadlines, and the necessary resource requirements as well. Thus, the strategy not only provides direction but also offers a measurable and accountable framework for implementation.”

Zwack Unicum Plc’s complete ESG strategy, as well as further information on sustainability, can be found on the company’s website: zwackunicum.hu/fenntarthatosag.