Bury St Edmunds brewery giant, Greene King, reiterates anti-racism stance after two Caribbean islands ‘demand slavery reparations’

The chief executive of brewery giant, Greene King, has responded to reports two Caribbean islands are ‘demanding’ slavery reparations’.

According to The Sunday Telegraph, the dual island nation of St Kitts and Nevis is seeking compensation from the Bury St Edmunds-based brewery and pub chain - and talks have been arranged.

It follows Greene King’s 2020 admission of historical links to the slave trade in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, with the company vowing to become a ‘truly anti-racist organisation’.

Benjamin Greene, who started the company in 1799, owned 231 enslaved people in St Kitts, according to The Telegraph.

Carla Astaphan, chairman of the St Kitts and Nevis reparations committee, told the newspaper that reparations ‘should be made’, and that 'discussions are planned to look at some form of reparatory justice for St Kitts and Nevis' – possibly in the form of compensation or investment in education.

The Telegraph recently reported that Caribbean nations had become increasingly frustrated with requests for payments from European governments, and were now seeking restitution directly from institutions once involved in the slave trade.

Greene King has vowed to become a ‘truly anti-racist organisation’; with its leadership team ‘fully embracing anti-racism in philosophy and practice’.

Since 2020, it has also introduced a number of other initiatives including ‘establishing and embedding a sustainable culture of inclusion, celebration of difference and courage across the business’.

It also intends to enhance the customer experience and leverage the Greene King brand and assets to promote racial inclusion and drive entrepreneurial opportunities for those who experience racism, as well as ensuring community activity reflects the diversity as ‘driver for change on race diversity locally’.

In response to the newspaper report Nick Mackenzie, chief executive officer at Greene King, reiterated the company’s anti-racism message.

He said: “It is inexcusable that one of our founders profited from slavery and argued against its abolition in the 1800s.

“In 2020, we took decisive action, publishing an action plan for how we can play our part in Calling Time on Racism.

“Since then we have been working hard to become a truly anti-racist organisation and have invested, and continue to invest, in supporting race diversity in our business, the pubs sector and our wider communities.

“But we know we still have more to do on this agenda. Our focus will continue to be on listening to our teams’ priorities and acting to ensure racism and discrimination have no place within our company or broader society.”

The company would neither confirm nor deny a meeting had been arranged with officials from St Kitts and Nevis.