10.02.2003 ET

(CSRwire) STAMFORD, CT – As the world's largest recycler of aluminum beverage containers, Anheuser-Busch Recycling Corporation recycles more than 100 percent of the aluminum cans sold domestically by Anheuser-Busch. Considering it takes the same amount of energy to make one aluminum beverage can from scratch as it does to produce 20 cans from recycled materials, this represents the type of environmental stewardship that has garnered it a prestigious corporate social responsibility award.

In recognition of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.’s long commitment to environmental causes, and its innovations in conservation, recycling, and animal rescue and rehabilitation, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. has selected Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. to receive the 2003 Vision for America Award. The Vision for America Award will be presented at an awards event at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on October 28, 2003. Accepting will be August A. Busch III, Chairman of the Board of Anheuser-Busch.

Anheuser-Busch’s environmental record has earned the respect of its corporate peers. “Anheuser-Busch has demonstrated a very clear commitment to finding innovative ways to abide by Keep America Beautiful’s tenets of ‘reduce, reuse and recycle,’” said Steve Reinemund, chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, Inc. and chairman of the Vision for America Award Dinner Committee.

“Aluminum cans used by the beverage industry have undergone dramatic improvements in design over the years, in large part because of Anheuser-Busch’s support,” Reinemund added. “In fact, Anheuser-Busch’s corporate leadership has been instrumental in minimizing the beverage industry’s contribution to solid waste in our country over the past 30 years. Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and environmental education and to direct involvement in community improvement efforts is a model for other corporations to emulate.”

Serving with Reinemund on the Vision for America Award Dinner Committee are: R. David Hoover, Chairman of the Board, President & CEO, Ball Corporation; Charles F. Knight, Chairman, Emerson Electric Co.; Joseph H. Lemieux, Chairman, President & CEO, Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Robert Scarpelli, Chairman, DDB Chicago Inc./DDB U.S. Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide; Andrew Taylor, Chairman & CEO, Enterprise Rent-a-Car; Edward E. Whitacre, Chairman & CEO, SBC Communications, Inc.

Anheuser-Busch is the 18th recipient of the prestigious Vision for America Award. Since 1986, Keep America Beautiful has presented this award annually to corporations that have significantly enhanced civic, environmental and social stewardship throughout the United States.

“We are pleased to focus the spotlight on the accomplishments of Anheuser-Busch by conferring Keep America Beautiful’s highest honor upon it,” said G. Raymond Empson, president of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. “It is our hope that Anheuser-Busch’s proud example of more than 100 years of corporate and environmental responsibility will inspire other corporations to follow a similar path.”

About Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch's operations and resources are focused on beer, adventure park entertainment and packaging. Anheuser-Busch also has interests in aluminum beverage container recycling, malt production, rice milling, real estate development, turf farming, metalized paper label printing and transportation services. For more than 150 years, protecting the environment has been a core corporate value. As part of this commitment, Anheuser-Busch was one of the first corporations to nationally address the problems of litter and proper waste disposal. Today, Anheuser-Busch is the world’s largest recycler of aluminum beverage cans, recycling more than 100 percent of the cans it sells domestically. In addition, the company’s SeaWorld Adventure Parks rescue, rehabilitate and release to the wild more marine animals than anyone. For more information on Anheuser-Busch’s environmental efforts, visit: www.abenvironment.com.
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About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc. is a national nonprofit public education and community improvement organization whose network of more than 530 city/county, statewide and international affiliates engages individuals in programs that prevent litter and reduce, reuse, recycle and properly manage waste materials. Through partnerships and strategic alliances with citizens, businesses and government, Keep America Beautiful’s programs motivate millions of volunteers annually to clean up, beautify and improve their neighborhoods, creating safer and more livable community environments. It celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2003. To learn more about the Vision for America Award program or view a list of previous winners, please go to www.kab.org.

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