TequilaDon Julio Sustainability
Tequila Don Julio leads the way in honoring Mexico’s land and people, making every pour a celebration of our planet’s future and the heritage of our craft. Inspired by our founder, Don Julio González Estrada, we do it Por Amor – out of love for the land, its people and the agave that sustains us. We’re shaping our work around water restoration and reuse in the Jalisco region, while continuing to support and uplift our surrounding communities.
Sustainability is in Our Roots
Tequila Don Julio was founded more than 80 years ago by Don Julio González, a man deeply devoted to his craft who believed in fostering prosperity within communities by cultivating collaboration, respect, and care for the land that gives us so much in return. This philosophy lives on today, evolving into meaningful actions that protect natural resources and strengthen our approach to sustainability.
Our platform: Tequila Don Julio and its work in water, community and restoration
Tequila Don Julio’s dedication to environment, community and innovation is demonstrated through ongoing efforts to protect natural resources and support local communities around our sites. Water sits at the heart of this story. From pioneering more sustainable water practices in Jalisco to community initiatives in the region, Tequila Don Julio continues to shape a thoughtful approach to water stewardship that gives back and empowers those who help carry the brand forward.
Environmental stewardship across Diageo and Tequila Don Julio
Inspired by the land we call home, Tequila Don Julio supports environmental stewardship through targeted efforts that celebrate the places and communities that make our work possible. As part of Diageo’s portfolio of tequila brands, Tequila Don Julio’s approach is grounded in respect for tradition while scaling responsible practices for the future. We respect the traditional way of producing tequila that Don Julio González left us and continue to honor these methods, while bringing our craft to more people around the world. At Diageo, our goal is to be more efficient with water and reduce our carbon emissions, while delivering best-in-class water management across sites and operations. We aim to reach net zero across our direct operations by 2040 and across our total value chain by 2050. In 2023, Diageo and its tequila brands invested 100 million Mexican pesos in water access, conservation, and sustainability initiatives in Jalisco, supporting four water replenishment projects and one reforestation project described below. More than 50 percent of this investment was directed to Atotonilco El Alto, the birthplace of Tequila Don Julio. At Diageo, we are proud to play a leading role in advancing practices that unite science, tradition, and collaboration. Together, we are working to ensure the land continues to gives back, honoring the spirit of the Highlands that has given life to tequila for generations.
Wetlands
In the township of San Diego de Alejandria, Tequila Don Julio has supported the creation of artificial wetlands as part of a nature-based water solution, where plants and soil help clean and filter water for reuse. These wetlands now enable the treatment of the municipality’s wastewater — about 268 thousand cubic meters a year, or more than 24,000 water trucks — helping restore local biodiversity, including migratory bird species, and supporting farmers in managing drought through the irrigation of forage crops.
Taretan water conduit
Tequila Don Julio has helped strengthen local water access in its home of Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco by supporting key upgrades to the Taretan spring, one of the community’s primary water sources. In 2024, these improvements helped recover more than 60 percent of its water supply—around 5 million liters per day—improving access for thousands of residents. Rooted in our founder Don Julio González’s belief in giving back, this work in Atotonilco strengthens the water access local families rely on every day.
Water reuse and cogeneration at Ocotlan
Tequila Don Julio has supported the reuse of water from the Ocotlan Wastewater Treatment Public Plant, helping reduce pressure on groundwater resources. The water reuse line now supports agricultural irrigation, helping reuse 470 thousand cubic meters of water each year—about 188 Olympic-sized pools—and irrigating 120 hectares of corn, sorghum, barley, wheat, oats and safflower, or roughly 100 baseball fields of farmland. Tequila Don Julio has also helped fund a cogeneration system that lowers carbon emissions and operating costs, supporting the plant’s long-term operation.
Las Margaritas wastewater treatment plant
In Atotonilco El Alto, home of our distilleries where Don Julio González started his tequila making journey in 1942, Tequila Don Julio has supported the construction of the Las Margaritas Wastewater Treatment Plant to meet the needs of a growing residential area. Designed with a capacity of 20 liters per second, the plant uses first-of-its-kind technology in the Americas and operates entirely on renewable energy. It treats wastewater, helps reduce pollution and meets environmental regulations, ensuring the treated water is safe for agricultural irrigation. This project supports cleaner, safer water for the community and farmers closely tied to our story.
Reforestation
Tequila Don Julio is helping restore local ecosystems through ongoing reforestation efforts. More than 50,000 trees have already been planted toward the 100,000 planned by 2028, covering the equivalent of 48 football fields. The brand has also helped establish and donate two municipal nurseries: one in San Diego de Alejandria with capacity for more than 10 thousand endemic plants, and another in Atotonilco El Alto designed to produce more than 15 thousand endemic plants. Their purpose is to continue supplying future reforestation efforts across the region. Together, these trees and nurseries support healthier soils, richer biodiversity and improved water absorption in reforested areas, helping rebuild natural systems that sustain cleaner air, reliable water and fertile land for surrounding communities.
Tequila Don Julio remains devoted to uplifting and supporting our communities and the restoration of our land, helping sustain the soil and the people that have made a lasting impact on the world. Through our environment, community, and innovative sustainability efforts, the brand will continue to support organizations, initiatives, and causes that embody our Por Amor mantra.