Global spirits and wines producer Bacardi has partnered with Lonely Whale to remove one billion single-use plastic straws from the drinks market by 2020.

The beverage brand is also planning to review its global supply chain to remove non-essential, non-recyclable single-use plastic waste.

By conducting a series of events and taking part in corporate and brand collaborations worldwide, the company intends to encourage its customers and partners to join the #TheFutureDoesntSuck campaign.

Bacardi’s corporate responsibility senior vice-president Rick Wilson said: “Engaging our accounts and our consumers in the reduction of single-use plastic is a critical next step in helping to put an end to plastic pollution.

“Single-use plastic items are among the most collected pieces of trash in our oceans.”

“Single-use plastic items are among the most collected pieces of trash in our oceans, and we are urging our consumers to add a ‘No plastic straw, please’ note to every drink order so together we can make impactful change.”

Lonely Whale executive director Dune Ives said: “In 2016, Bacardi led the drinks industry with the first #NoStraws campaign focusing on eliminating single-use plastic straw from its cocktails.

“In 2017, Lonely Whale amplified this early leadership, creating one of the most celebrated global movements around the single-use plastic straw with our Strawless Ocean initiative to remove 500 million plastic straws from the US waste stream.”

In addition, the rum brand plans to stop the use of plastic straws at all its branded events and campaigns. It also plans to use biodegradable paper cups across the UK.

In support of the collaboration, Bacardi has launched a new training programme at its global headquarters in Bermuda for distributor partners and on-premise locations to offer alternatives to plastic straws.

Going forward, Bacardi and Lonely Whale plan to expand the programme in China.