Ole Smoky Distillery – Madison Parrish – 2022

Goals

As the world’s leading distiller of premium moonshine, Ole Smoky Distillery is committed to its Appalachian heritage and to protecting the environment in which it resides, the Great Smoky Mountains. Eager to understand the size and impact of their environmental footprint, Ole Smoky Distillery enlisted Madison (Maddie) Parrish to oversee its first ever Greenhouse Gas (GHG) baseline inventory and to identify decarbonization strategies, thus building the corporate foundation to reach Net Zero.

Solutions

• Calculate the GHG baseline inventory for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. By leading a company-wide data collection process, consulting internal stakeholders, completing data quality checks, synthesis, calculations, and inputs, Maddie quantified Ole Smoky’s GHG footprint for 2021. In search of significant emissions areas, Maddie identified the largest contributors across Ole Smoky’s operations and value chain.

• Develop decarbonization tactics for reducing or offsetting emissions. Using her analytical skills, company knowledge, and sustainability expertise, Maddie researched and identified a diverse range of decarbonization strategies that fit Ole Smoky’s strategic goals. These include the reduction of diesel usage across the company, energy audits at all facilities, extensive supplier education and engagement, and renewable energy solutions such as the use of solar arrays.

Potential Impact

By completing the GHG inventory, Maddie brought a clear awareness of Ole Smoky’s environmental footprint to key stakeholders and employees across the company, sparking an internal culture shift and moving forward the quest for sustainability. She also recommended strategic decarbonization tactics that would reduce Ole Smoky’s overall emissions and provided the quantitative and qualitative tools needed to complete future inventories. Her contributions built the foundational platform for developing a Net Zero strategy, making this strategic goal a true possibility for Ole Smoky Distillery in the coming years.