Do we like them?

Do we like Diageo?

Global spirits and beer maker (Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Don Julio), based in London, UK

Our score: 5 out of 10. Big, established drinks maker with real water and moderation programmes, but alcohol harm is built into the product and the search results show few independent checks on its claims.

Diageo is the company behind Guinness, Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff. It's listed in London. Dave Lewis took over as CEO in January 2026, and his first results in February 2026 were weak.

Those results showed organic net sales down 2.8% in the six months to December 2025. The interim dividend was halved. Lewis said customer service had been 'really very poor' in some cases. He promised a strategy update with the full-year results.

On the green side, Diageo's reported 2020 goals ended with all the water in its final product replenished in water-stressed areas. It fell short on water efficiency, hitting 46% against a 50% target, and has set a new 2030 goal.

There have been legal scraps. A UK court ordered ex-United Spirits chairman Vijay Mallya to pay Diageo US$135 million. That was Diageo as claimant, not wrongdoer. A US judge also threw out a class action over its tequila marketing, per a Just Drinks listing.

We land in the middle. The company has some good environmental efforts, but the product is alcohol, the moderation claims are the firm's own, and we found little independent checking either way.