Sustainable Drinking Bars in China: Evidence, Initiatives, and Guidelines Based on the 2030 Agenda

Abstract

China is a fascinating market in terms of alcohol consumption. Although drinking bars originated in the West, economic and societal developments have spread the concept throughout China. In 2017, there were approximately 59,600 drinking bars in China, with a 44.06 billion RMB market size. Given societal development, the Chinese bar industry has gradually paid attention to environmental protection and sustainable development. A sustainable bar adopts a management model that reduces and recycles waste and saves energy. The social responsibility of bars is reflected in sustainable consumption. The concept of sustainable bars has been well-received worldwide. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) provides direction on sustainable development to relevant stakeholders. The 2030 Agenda contains 17 interactive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the SDG12. Thus, it is important to explore the development of Chinese sustainable bars under the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs. Hence, the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals (TUSDG) of Tsinghua University, Pernod Ricard China, and Kantar China organized one tripartite research group and conducted investigations on drinking bars from three megacities (Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing) to explore the situation, recognition, perspectives, and actions of sustainable bars in China. The results have significant implications. Moreover, the three parties jointly released the “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” and the “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines” for the bar industry in China.

1. Introduction

Sustainable development refers to a combination of the sustainability of economic and societal development, as well as sustainable resources and the environment on which the economic society depends. To summarize the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from 2000 to 2015, in September 2015, state leaders adopted the document “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (The 2030 agenda) at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, as well as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [1]. Currently, there is a worldwide consensus on the Post-2015 development agenda regarding sustainable development. The international community and China attach great importance to the 2030 Agenda, which contains 17 interrelated SDGs. SDGs include 17 goals as follows. SDG1: No poverty. SDG2: Zero Hunger. SDG3: Good health and well-being. SDG4: Quality education. SDG5: Gender equality. SDG6: Clean water and sanitation. SDG7: Affordable and clean energy. SDG8: Decent work and economic growth. SDG9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure. SDG10: Reduced inequalities. SDG11: Sustainable cities and communities. SDG12: Responsible consumption and production. SDG13: Climate action. SDG14: Life below water. SDG15: Life on land. SDG16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. SDG17: Partnerships for the goals. Overall, the SDGs have 169 targets and 232 indicators [2]. It is worth noting that the 17 SDGs are interrelated and indispensable, combining three factors of sustainable development (economic, social, and environmental) and five dimensions (people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership) [3].

The sustainability of services and consumption is also part of the 2030 Agenda, mainly reflected in the Goal 12 “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. The first use of the term “sustainable consumption and production” was by the Oslo Symposium in 1994, where sustainable consumption and production (SCP) is posed as “the use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as the emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of further generations” [4]. The revised UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection in 2015, based on the first adopted version in 1985 and the expanded version in 1999, encourage Member States, relevant organizations, groups, business, and civil society to promote sustainable consumption, which has been listed in the objectives of guidelines [5]. In 2012, during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), it adopted a global framework for SCP- the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP) for transforming consumption into SCP in both developing and developed countries [6]. SCP became the cornerstone of the SDG12 in 2015 and one driving norm for both production and consumption globally [7]. For SCP in the 2030 Agenda since 2015, current SDG12 in 2019 contains 11 targets and 13 indicators [8]. Target 12.3 of SDG12 states that “By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses”. Its corresponding indicator, 12.3.1, is the “(a) Food Loss Index and (b) food waste index”. Target 12.5 states that “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse”. Its corresponding indicator, 12.5.1, is the “national recycling rate [and] tons of material recycled”. Target 12.6 states that “Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle”. Its corresponding indicator, 12.6.1, is the “Number of companies publishing sustainability reports”. Moreover, SDG12 is closely related to the other SDGs [3]. SCP is also important for China, which is the largest developing country in terms of territory, population, economy and market size. China has achieved great progress in economic and social development during the past three decades with expanding market size and attractive market opportunities for companies. After achieving world-renowned economic achievements, China begins to reflect on environmental issues and costs. For SCP at the national level, on one hand for sustainable production, there is the adjustment of industry structure, promotion of a circular economy and cleaner production, energy conservation and emission reduction. On the other hand, for sustainable consumption, there are eco-labelling, green procurement, and the promotion of waste management in China [9]. For sustainable consumption and the circular economy in China, recently, various research papers related to green economy and consumption and low-carbon consumption have been published [10]. However, approaches from government system in China for SCP are thought to be insufficient while significant changes in consumption patterns occur for large and rapid urbanization [11]. Challenges or barriers for SCP in China may include the extensive growth model, regional development inequality, technology and innovation capacity, underdevelopment of NGOs, poor regulation and practices, financial mechanisms, markets, culture, and information [9,10].

The participation of private enterprises and consumers is also crucial to sustainable development and SDGs, which includes SDG12 and SCP, in the world and in China. There are already several existing studies in China for SCP at national and macro-level. Hence, this study begins at a micro and new aspect, taking the drinking bar industry as one example to explore sustainable development and SDGs in China. Given the rapid development of China’s drinking bar industry and the environment-protection awareness of consumers, the development of sustainable bars is trending both abroad and inside China. To understand the development of Chinese sustainable bars and the response of Chinese bars to sustainable development and SDGs, from March to May 2019, the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals (TUSDG) of Tsinghua University, the Pernod Ricard China, a French world-class alcoholic beverages company, and the Kantar China, an UK world-class consulting company, jointly completed a qualitative and quantitative survey and a workshop on the development of Chinese sustainable bars based on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Thus, this study has four main goals:

• To understand the current situation of the drinking bar industry in China and sustainable bars worldwide.
• To understand how Chinese drinking bar operators manage their bars with respect to sustainable development, what specific actions and measures are in place, and what can be done in the future.
• To investigate how Chinese drinking bar practitioners and operators view the UN 2030 agenda and the 17 SDGs, as well as how sustainable bars in China can contribute to achieving such agenda and goals.
• To evaluate the opinions of practitioners and operators of drinking bars in China regarding the results obtained and draft operational guidelines for sustainable bars in China in the context of the 2030 Agenda based on the results and analyses.

2. Materials and Methods

To achieve these goals, the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals (TUSDG) of Tsinghua University, Pernod Ricard China, and Kantar China co-organized one tripartite research group and conducted several investigations as follows. First, desk research for the development of drinking bars in China and the development of sustainable bars worldwide was initiated. Second, a qualitative survey involving 15 face-to-face interviews of drinking bar owners or managers in three big Chinese cities (Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing; five drinking bars each city) was conducted. Third, based on the results and analysis of the surveys and qualitative interviews, a quantitative research by 321 questionnaires of drinking bar practitioners and operators in Shanghai (114), Shenzhen (105), and Beijing (102) has been finished on-line. The qualitative and quantitative survey mainly consists of three parts: first, how Chinese bar owners can manage bars towards sustainable development and what specific actions and measures they have; second, what criteria Chinese bar owners think sustainable bars can have; third, how Chinese bar owners view the 2030 Agenda, the 17 SDGs, and their relationship with the sustainable development of Chinese bars. Fourth, based on the results, drafts are prepared for initiatives and guidelines for sustainable bars in China, and a workshop for discussion by invited practitioners and operators of drinking bars in China has been conducted. Finally, the three aforementioned organizations jointly released the “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” and the “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines” for the bar industry in China.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Drinking Bar Industry in China and Sustainable Bars Worldwide

Currently, China is a super attractive market for alcohol consumption, and this is improving with social and economic living conditions. Drinking plays a significant role in social and daily activities, such as festivals, ceremonies, parties, networking, and business in China [12]. In 2018, the volume of alcoholic drinks in China is estimated to be 42,662 million liters of beer, 13,627 million liters of spirits, 1,667 million liters of wine, and 2,748 million liters of cider, perry, and rice wine, thereby making China the second-largest market for alcohol in the world after the USA [13]. Considering wine consumption, traditional alcohol, such as Baijiu (liquor from cereals), occupies the traditional alcohol market in China; however, Chinese people began to learn more about grape wines in the past decade [14]. Regarding wine consumption, China has been one of the largest wine markets with 17.6 million hectoliters of consumption and 6.9 million hectoliters of imports in 2018, making China the 5^th largest consumer in the world [15]. This situation is due to economic growth and consumers’ interests in Western wine and wine culture [16]. Growing wine consumption also contributes to domestic wine production. The majority of wines consumed in China are produced domestically, and China has the world’s second-largest vineyard, among which only 10% is used for grape wine, with potential for growth in the future [17].

Given the rapidly growing demand for alcohol consumption and drinking bars, numerous distinctive drinking bars have emerged throughout China. The drinking bar originated in Europe and America; it was introduced into China in 1980 after the Reform and Opening Up. With the development of the economy, society, and culture, bars have become ubiquitous in China. In 2017, China had about 59,600 bars, and the market size of the Chinese bar industry was about 44.06 billion yuan [18]. In terms of quantity and distribution, Chinese bars are mainly distributed in economically developed and densely populated areas or tourism cities. Bars are mainly distributed around the Bohai region of Beijing and Tianjin, the Yangtze River Delta region (represented by Shanghai and Zhejiang), the Pearl River Delta region (represented by Shenzhen and Guangzhou), and the southwest region (represented by Chengdu, Kunming, and Chongqing), as well as some tourism cities like Lijiang and Yangshuo. Concerning consumers, regular consumers are white-collar workers, businessmen, and young people. A bar is a place of business, social activities, and leisure, which can be divided into different types of bar cultures due to the differences in factors, such as consumer groups, locations, positioning, themes, and types of catering.

With the development of society and the improvement of the quality of consumers, especially among young consumers, the concept of corporate social responsibility, such as environmental protection and sustainable development, has gradually found its way into the bar industry. The sustainable bar has a bar management mode that reduces waste emissions, saves energy, advocates recycling, and focuses on harmonious coexistence with the community in which it is located. It can include actions such as avoiding the use of plastic products, making full use of food materials to reduce waste, and reducing energy consumption, thus reflecting the bar’s corporate social responsibility in areas such as sustainable operation and sustainable consumption. From a broad practical point of view, the practice of sustainable bars includes bars that are decorated with recycled materials and bartending materials that are mostly local, organic, and seasonal materials, thus reducing transportation costs and energy consumption. The practice also allows local people to think about the relationship between humans and nature; save water for consumption, ice, and electricity during bartending; replace plastic products, such as straws and coasters, with recyclable materials, such as glass and paper; prolong the probation period of raw materials; and recycle waste materials. This situation enables customers to understand the importance of the bartending process and the sustainability behind it and to pay attention to the evolution of food materials from “fields to tables” and the environmental impact of the evolution, thus avoiding wasting raw materials and reducing excessive consumption. The concept of sustainable bars has received worldwide attention. Many bars have created different sustainable management methods relative to their local characteristics. Several bars on the 10th World’s 50 Best Bars published in 2018, as well as the 2018 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, combine the concept of sustainable development with the management of bars [19].

3.2. Qualitative Interviews and Results

This qualitative survey of the tripartite research group was conducted in three big cities -Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, which are three megacities with a large population and economic scale and numerous bars in mainland China. In each city, with the aid of the social and business networks of Pernod Ricard China, we selected five bars (in total 15 bars in three cities) to conduct 15 face-to-face interviews with bar owners or managers (one person interviewed per bar) and surveys on Chinese bars and sustainable development, especially regarding the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. The 15 bars include two whiskey bars, two restaurant bars, four cocktail bars/speakeasy/hidden bars, a big scale high energy bar, three lounge/hotel lounges, a pub/dive bar, a whiskey cocktail bar, and a wine bar to ensure its variety, as shown in Table 1. The 15 interviewees (owner or manager) interviewed from 15 bars must have at least six years of experience in the bar industry, must have worked in the bar they currently work in for at least two years and be responsible for the operation and management of the bar, and must have some knowledge and behaviors related to sustainable development in bar operations. During the interviews, the interviewers from the tripartite research group firstly presented the background and goals of research and conducted interviews through dialogue and questions. The interview conversations were conducted in Chinese if the owner or manager can speak it or in English. The main content and questions of the interviews to 15 interviewees were divided into three parts: First, how do 15 interviewees manage their bars sustainably, and what specific actions and measures have they taken? Second, what criteria do 15 interviewees think that sustainable bars in China should have? Third, how do 15 interviewees view the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs, and what can be done in Chinese drinking bars based on this agenda and sustainable development goals? The whole conversations of 15 interviews were noted and recorded as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. 15 surveyed drinking bars in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing.

City	Code	Type of Bar	Recording Duration	Interview Language
Shanghai	A1	whiskey bar	1:16:09	Chinese
	A2	restaurant bar	1:22:30	Chinese
	A3	cocktail bar/speakeasy/hidden bar	33:37	Chinese
	A4	big scale high energy bars	1:11:34	English
	A5	lounge/hotel lounge	1:16:44	English
Shenzhen	B1	lounge/hotel lounge	1:28:17	Chinese
	B2	cocktail bar/speakeasy/hidden bar	1:30:30	English
	B3	pub/dive bar	1:19:44	Chinese
	B4	restaurant bar	1:35:22	Chinese
	B5	whiskey bar	1:28:00	Chinese
Beijing	C1	cocktail bar/speakeasy/hidden bar	1:19:22	Chinese
	C2	whiskey cocktail bar	43:54	Chinese
	C3	cocktail bar/speakeasy/hidden bar	58:35	English
	C4	lounge/hotel lounge	1:33:23	English
	C5	wine bar	47:27	Chinese

For the previous three questions in qualitative interviews, the results of the qualitative interviews show that first the concept and practice of sustainable development and SCP have also been recognized and reflected in the management of many bars. Second, different bars have their own practice of sustainable development and SCP. Bar operators express recognition on the importance of sustainable development of bars and are willing to make efforts and suggest sustainable development practices for their own bars and the bar industry in China. Third, the qualitative interview results show that, although the bar operators’ knowledge on the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs is limited, they are taking and will take many concrete sustainable actions in bar operation, which are closely connected with the 2030 Agenda and 17 SDGs. After conducting 15 interviews and collecting the information and data from notes and records, the tripartite research group analyzed and classified 15 interviewees’ perception, specific actions and future suggestions for their bars, sustainable drinking bars in China and the 2030 Agenda into 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as in Table 2. In total, the tripartite research group produced 32 items about bar operators’ perception, 49 items about specific actions of bars, and 35 items about future suggestions for sustainable bars in China, as presented in Table 2. According to the results of interviews of 15 bar owners or managers and the analyses of interviewers, the degrees of correlation between 17 SDGs and the drinking bar industry in China are divided into three groups (high-level, medium level, and low-level). Seven SDGs have a “high-level” correlation with the bar industry: SDG3, SDG4, SDG6, SDG8, SDG12, SDG14, and SDG15. Those with a “medium-level” correlation include SDG5, SDG7, SDG9, SDG11, and SDG17. The remaining five SDGs are SDG1, SDG2, SDG10, SDG13, and SDG16; they have a “low-level” correlation with bars, as shown in Figure 1.

Table 2. Qualitative Interviews on SDGs with 15 Bars.

SDGs	Bar Operators’ Perception	Specific Actions of Bars	Future Suggestions
SDG1 No Poverty	1. The topic is too big. Bar owners in first-tier cities and catering and entertainment industries think they can do little in this area. 2. It mainly depends on relevant government policies to improve it, such as regulating the wage level and basic welfare.	1. The rise and prosperity of the bar industry have created more job opportunities for society to some extent.	1. Make donations for the poor. 2. Provide good welfare and protection for employees. 3. Ensure employees’ legitimate income and rights and interests.
SDG2 Zero Hunger	1. Save food.	1. Put an end to or reduce food wastage at restaurants: promote the concept of “empty plate” on the tableware and tabletop at restaurants; Specialized personnel are designated to supervise food wastage and take photos for warning.	1. Let consumers understand the process “from raw materials to dining tables” and arouse awareness of conservation and environmental protection.
SDG3 Good Health and Well-being	1. The benefits of moderate drinking to mental health. 2. Protect consumers’ diet health. 3. Pay attention to employees’ health and basic welfare.	1. Advocate a healthy lifestyle and moderate drinking in bars in fast-paced cities: in communication with guests and employees, advocate moderate drinking to relax the body and mind after busy work. Cut down on the supply of high-concentration alcohol products, and convert high-concentration alcohol into auxiliary materials for blending through self-made methods such as soaking. 2. Strictly control the quality and safety of food materials: supply food materials that have passed safety certification. Regulate the length of food loss reporting. 3. Remind and require employees to pay attention to work and rest arrangements and avoid the inversion of day and night caused by the bar’s business hours for good health. 4. Provide basic accommodation for employees based on legal protection to ensure a certain number of vacation days and free medical examinations.	1. Organize a comprehensive physical examination in addition to that for the health certificate yearly. 2. Organize team sports and fitness activities.
SDG4 Quality Education	1. Improve professional skills and knowledge level. 2. Pay attention to the long-term development of employees. 3. There is a close link with SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. Only after people in the industry receive high-quality education can they have a better chance to have decent work, and then decent work provides a foundation for subsequent high-quality education, which complement each other.	1. Improve professional skills and knowledge level through various forms of training: ensure regular training of service knowledge, liquor knowledge, and blending skills through team sharing or workshop sharing. Create a foreign language learning atmosphere through English corners and incentive mechanisms for enhancing foreign language proficiency. Encourage employees to persist in reading and learning and share opinions with the team and guests. Provide staff with resources and financial support for professional certification (such as WSET) and additional courses (such as online management courses). 2. Provide opportunities and support for employees’ career development: in the form of group or chain, provide opportunities for employees’ career development by distributing stores and regions. In the form of communication, understand the expectation of employees regarding their posts and the fields they wish to learn, and try to satisfy them as much as possible through job rotation or functional adjustment.	1. Establish a bartender learning community to share wine knowledge and formulas. 2. Provide opportunities for overseas training and exchange for employees.
SDG5 Gender Equality	1. Respect and encourage female employees. 2. Ensure gender equality.	1. The results of recruitment are not determined by gender. 2. Understand and respect the advantages and disadvantages of each gender on the objective conditions on the basis of equal treatment, and properly distribute the functions: work results are not preset due to gender and female employees will not be directly given special treatment due to the relative disadvantages of their physical strength, but assistance will be given when they request support. Find the advantages of women in work; for example, women will pay more attention to details.	1. At present, there is no problem with this matter for most bar operators in the bar industry. On the contrary, female employees are receiving more and more preferential treatment, which may be unfair for male employees. 2. Therefore, while encouraging female employees, it is also necessary to pay due attention to the physical and mental development of male employees and give them some care.
SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation	1. Ensure water safety. 2. Save water. 3. Sanitary bar environment.	1. Ensure the safety and sanitation of water used to clean food materials and drinking water. Use a professional water purification system to carry out regular inspection and maintenance of filtering devices. At the bar counter, separate the sinks for washing hands and for cleaning food materials. 2. Ensure the sanitation and tidiness of the bar environment: organize personnel to carry out the thorough cleaning of the bar regularly (e.g., weekly). Regularly assign specialized personnel to inspect the health environment of each sector of the bar, and communicate the feedback of the results to each sector for reference and correction. In the service process, clean up the used paper towel and other garbage on the guest’s desktop in time.	1. Since this is the basic standard for business, every bar will follow it accordingly. 2. There is a considerable need for the government’s water treatment measures. For example, all water used in Singapore is recycled water, but drinking water comes directly out of taps, which proves that the government has done a lot regarding recycled water.
SDG7 Affordable and Clean Energy	1. Save energy consumption. 2. Use clean energy.	1. Consider low energy consumption while purchasing electrical appliances: use more energy-efficient electrical appliances, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and ice makers. Use LED lights. For electrical appliances of high-energy consumption, such as ice makers in the bar industry, purchase one with a power-saving function to reduce the use and cost of electric energy in the long run. 2. Go easy on electrical appliances of high-energy consumption: In the blending formula, reduce the materials that need electric mixers and egg crackers, such as reducing the use of high-foaming egg white in blending, and use a more efficient manual mixer bar after iterative improvement. Squeeze lemon juice manually. 3. Use clean energy: For bars with roofs or outdoor venues, the use of solar umbrellas, on the one hand, meets the needs of customers for outdoor electricity and, on the other hand, is also a more convenient option for bars (no external wiring board is required).	1. Consider the whole running line in the design of the bar. By using the assembly line, water and energy can be saved in each step, such as turning on the tap once or twice.
SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth	1. Enhance the image of the service industry. 2. Good welfare system.	1. Cultivate self-confidence from inside to outside: enhance professional skills through training. Encourage employees to visit and observe other bars and learn from them. Encourage employees to enrich their knowledge and experience by reading and traveling. Implement uniform clothing and etiquette standards. 2. Promote the recognition of the bar industry among the staff’s relatives and friends: organize activities for the staff’s families and let them visit the bar’s internal working environment. 3. Guarantee a certain level of welfare benefits: provide basic accommodation, bonus, and vacation. Organize regular professional training. Provide opportunities and support for employees’ career development. 4. Help bar owners to provide relevant training on sustainable development for the staff.	1. Raise the bar’s image in people’s minds by raising the awareness level of the whole industry. 2. Through more platforms (such as variety shows), introduce the professional skills required for bartending and the ability to grasp the knowledge of food materials, so that the public can have a more comprehensive understanding of the profession.
SDG9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure	1. Optimize and innovate bartending formulas and tools. 2. Develop new products in the field of cocktail wine.	1. Explore the possibilities of food materials by using new instruments such as centrifuges, distillers, acidification, and other chemical reactions. While obtaining innovative forms of bartending raw materials, make the best use of everything: transparent syrup is obtained by acidifying and decoloring milk, and cheese obtained after acidification is used for other edible purposes. Pu’er tea is decolored after distillation to obtain transparent liquid with tea flavor for bartending. Air-dry the residue obtained after juicing tomatoes to obtain the decoration for bartending. 2. Try different bartending formulas and continuously develop cocktails according to the market demand. Try to use chamomile and Chinese herbal medicine to make brewed wine and obtain more refreshing and unique taste. Develop more mojito formulas to meet the current demand for low alcohol and refreshing taste. 3. Develop new cocktail products: for example, establish an innovation laboratory to develop finished cocktails for use in bars and household bartending. 4. Use iterative bartending tools to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption: improve the mixing head of manual mixing rod by using the principle of propelling turbine, from wood material to stainless steel material, making mixing more efficient and easy to clean and store. Use a measuring cup made with an improved manufacturing mold which has a longer service life because the upper part and the lower part are connected instead of being welded singly.	1. Encourage technological innovation through competitions and other forms and support the implementation of innovative schemes. 2. As bars are in more need of external forces, cooperate with relevant agencies/manufacturers, such as converting coffee grounds into barbecue fuel.
SDG10 Reduced Inequalities	1. China’s bar industry has been developing rapidly. To some extent, the gap between China’s bar industry and that in developed countries is narrowing.	1. Hire more foreign employees and bring more advanced foreign concepts and technologies into Chinese bars. 2. Invite well-known foreign bar operators to come to China as guest lecturers.	1. Some foreign employees say that the Chinese government has more restrictions on foreign employees, especially in the bar industry. For example, they must have a junior college degree or above. They hope that the policy of introducing foreign employees to bars can be relaxed in the future to attract more advanced techniques and expertise to Chinese bars.
SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities	1. Minimize the impact on the neighborhood community. 2. Repay the neighborhood community.	1. Reduce the impact of noise and customer smoking on the surrounding residents through bar decoration and regional planning: use sound insulation glass extensively. Limit smoking areas to non-main streets or indoors. When organizing outdoor activities, control the end time of the activities, such as before 20:00. 2. Jointly safeguard the environment and interpersonal harmony of the community with the surrounding residents and dealers. Join organizations such as chambers of commerce and jointly organize comprehensive activities benefiting the community, such as organizing free tasting activities at festivals and holding flea markets on a regular basis. Realize smooth communication and mutual assistance with community residents, such as helping to clean streets and neighborhoods in the process of cleaning bars. Through simple garbage classification, plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and other recyclable waste products are given to those who collect garbage and waste products in the community. 3. Benefit the community residents: provide the community residents with benefits, such as discounts at shops and preferential experience of new products. Sharing bartending knowledge and industry information with surrounding bars through guest or master courses.	1. Create a community of shared space for information sharing and cross-border communication among dealers in bars or other business formats around the community and share simple family bartending knowledge with community residents.
SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production	1. Suppliers use more environment-friendly methods in the production, packaging, and transportation of products. 2. Bar operators choose more environment-friendly products. 3. Classify the garbage.	1. Use degradable and recyclable bar articles: straw material, macaroni, bagasse, bamboo, wheat straw, and apple pomace pressed together. Cup mat material, cloth such as old denim, sawdust pressing, rattan, metal. Cup material, coconut shell (old coconut shell can even be used as fuel), ceramic, metal, wood, PLA polylactic acid. 2. Reduce the use of coasters and straws: Some bars do not offer coasters and straws now. For example, using a cup with feet may not require a coaster. 3. Some wine merchants will reuse the wooden cases when delivering goods to homes. 4. Large hotel groups such as Shangri-La will require every department to weigh the garbage every day to evaluate and improve the quantity and quality of food supplied.	1. Garbage classification is considered to be one of the ways to minimize pollution, which is commonly agreed by many bar operators, but for now, there is a consensus that mandatory measures by the government are needed. For example, after the mandatory requirement on garbage classification in Taiwan, people began to develop such habit gradually. 2. Foreign countries can choose the quality grade of their products. For example, strawberries with a less attractive appearance can also be purchased as raw materials instead of being discarded. 3. Consider the impact of raw materials on areas such as the environment and carbon emissions at the production site. 4. Garbage classification can be classified according to recycling purposes and treatment methods.
SDG13 Climate Action	1. Use more energy-saving equipment.	1. Use more energy-efficient equipment, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, ice makers, and LED lights.	1. Launch relevant initiatives and activities to raise awareness within the industry. Exchange and learn from international peers. Respond actively to the Paris Climate Agreement.
SDG 14 Life Below Water	1. Save water 2. Reduce water pollution.	1. Reduce waste of water resources: use professional, high-pressure cup washers to wash more efficiently. Recycle water resources, such as watering flowers with fish tanks. Advocate pure whiskey to reduce ice consumption. 2. Reduce the pollution of glass products: use empty wine bottles to decorate the bar, especially some high-grade wine bottles which can be used to decorate background walls. Use empty wine bottles to make candlesticks used in bars. Use empty wine bottles to contain homemade syrup, distilled liquor or raw materials. 3. Reduce the use of essence and spice: in the process of making cocktails, reduce or avoid chemical additives. 4. Use a more environment-friendly cleaner or natural product as a cleaner: use natural grease in peels as a natural cleaner. 5. Use a more environment-friendly and energy-saving dishwasher and wait until the dishwasher is full of tableware before starting the cleaning. 6. Use a more advanced ice maker with a power-saving mode so that the produced ice cubes are not easy to melt, and the ice cubes do not need to be repeatedly made. 7. Regarding raw material production, reduce the use of chemicals, such as pesticides. 8. The cork of the red wine bottle can be reused for things, such as decoration, floor mat, hook.	1. Wine dealers should make plans for recycling empty bottles. 2. With the “Ling Kao” method, wine dealers should use imported cans calculated in tons, and bars with which they have long-term cooperation can use old empty bottles. 3. It is expected that government departments will issue regulations on mandatory classification and recycling of glass and plastic products. 4. Consider the classification and recycling of garbage, and classify the garbage according to different treatment methods (such as natural degradation, incineration, and landfills).
SDG15 Life on Land	1. Reduce the waste in the production process of alcoholic products and make more rational use of raw materials.	1. Make the best use of every fruit: the pulp can be juiced and the peel can be used for cocktail decoration. The oil in the peel can be used to make natural dishwashing essence (such as lemon essential oil soaked in lemon and alcohol, and foaming agent to obtain natural dishwashing essence) or natural dishwashing essence, and the peel and pomace can also be dried to make cookies. The squeezed fruit residue can be used for making a fruit pie, porridge, fruit wine, or natural syrup after soaking. 2. For a bar, the kitchen and the bar can share resources and make full use of raw materials: the beef can be trimmed in the kitchen and used to extract flavor from the bar to make Gin Tonic soup with the fresh flavor of beef. Basil leaves rosemary, which is not fresh enough, cannot be used as a bartender material and can then be sent to the kitchen to decorate the plate or used as spices for fried food. 3. Self-grow and self-make raw materials for bartending: Use roof balcony or small culture dish to plant rosemary and basil leaves, which are often used for bartending. Milk is used as syrup, and the remaining residue is cheese, which can be used as a milk cover. 4. Categorization of kitchen waste: For example, salmon skins are distributed as food for stray animals.	1. Encourage bars to use the remaining peel to make natural detergent for cleaning bowls, chopsticks, and cups, which is low in cost and environmentally friendly. 2. Garbage shall be classified according to recycling purposes and treatment methods.
SDG16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	1. Maintain public order in the bar during operation.	1. Prevent the occurrence of affrays and fights in bars. For example, remind friends nearby appropriately on whether there is a need to take them home after drinking too much, stop serving more drinks, and help find a driving service.	1. As a consensus among bar operators, maintaining public order in bars is a necessary norm, so there are no further suggestions for the time being.
SDG17 Partnerships for the Goals	1. In response to government or organization calls, strictly implement the relevant regulations.	1. In some upscale communities in Shenzhen, Property Management will require all catering dealers in the community to classify the garbage. 2. In Beijing, bar owners in the Sanlitun area said that starting from April 1, 2019, all catering dealers are required to make simple sorting and packaging of garbage. 3. Share industry knowledge and basic formulas with fellow practitioners to create an atmosphere of common exchange and learning.	1. Establish relevant industry organizations and associations. 2. Work with government and non-governmental organizations. 3. Communicate with, learn from and work with international counterparts and organizations. 4. Actively respond to and participate in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs.

Figure 1. Qualitative Interview on the Correlation between China’s Sustainable Bars and 17 SDGs.

3.3. Quantitative Questionnaires and Results

Based on the results and analysis of the preliminary desk research and qualitative interviews with 15 bars, a quantitative on-line questionnaire survey, which may take 10 min to complete with single choice or multiple choice, was conducted among a total of 321 bar practitioners (such as bar managers, bar waiters, bartender, bar operators, and bar sales) in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing. Based on the 32 items about bar operators’ perception, 49 items about specific actions of bars, and 35 items about future ideas and suggestions from the qualitative interviews, the questionnaires concluded basic information (such as working experience, working years, age, gender, type of work, bar type etc.), basic questions about sustainable development and questions about 105 specific items of bars’ actions towards 17 SDGs as shown in Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5. Before completing questions of on-line questionnaire about sustainable development, the conception of sustainable development is introduced on-line in Chinese as “Sustainable development is the consensus reached by all mankind. It is a way for development that not only meets the needs of current generation, but also does not harm the needs of future generations. Human society not only achieves the goal of economic development, but also protects the natural resources and environment such as the atmosphere, freshwater, oceans, land and forests that are important for the living and development of future generations. It is also included in national development strategies. In order to achieve sustainable development, all people in our society no matter what kind of job he has should work together”. Before completing the on-line questionnaire about the 2030 Agenda and 17 SDGs, its conception is introduced on-line in Chinese as: “In 2015, on the basis of the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the United Nations adopted the document of Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and 17 Sustainable Development Goals, integrating economic, social and environmental aspects, five dimensions of people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, and 169 targets and 232 indicators.”

Table 3. Basic information and data of quantitative questionnaire.

Basic Information and Data.
	In Number (N)				In Percentage (%) of Valid Total
	Total (%)	Shanghai	Shenzhen	Beijing	Shanghai	Shenzhen	Beijing
Base	321	114	105	102	35.5%	32.7%	31.8%
Years of experience in alcohol industry (single choice)
1 year and below	99 (32.6%)	36	30	33	11.8%	9.9%	10.9%
2 years	77 (25.3%)	24	29	24	7.9%	9.5%	7.9%
3 years	46 (15.1%)	13	15	18	4.3%	4.9%	5.9%
4 years	23 (7.6%)	4	9	10	1.3%	3.0%	3.3%
5 years	13 (4.3%)	7	1	5	2.3%	0.3%	1.6%
6 years	9 (3.0%)	5	2	2	1.6%	0.7%	0.7%
7 years	6 (2.0%)	2	2	2	0.7%	0.7%	0.7%
8 years	8 (2.6%)	2	4	2	0.7%	1.3%	0.7%
9 years	4 (1.3%)	2	1	1	0.7%	0.3%	0.3%
10 years and above	19 (6.3%)	6	9	4	2.0%	3.0%	1.3%
Valid Total	304	101	102	101	33.2%	33.6%	33.2%
Years of service at the current bar (single choice)
1 year and below	129 (42.9%)	37	50	42	12.3%	16.6%	14.0%
2 years	98 (32.2%)	36	35	27	12.0%	11.6%	9.0%
3 years	39 (13.0%)	12	7	20	4.0%	2.3%	6.6%
4 years	12 (4.0%)	4	2	6	1.3%	0.7%	2.0%
5 years and above	23 (7.6%)	11	7	5	3.7%	2.3%	1.7%
Valid Total	301	100	101	100	33.2%	33.6%	33.2%
Age (single choice)
18–24	169 (56.1%)	64	49	56	21.3%	16.3%	18.6%
25–29	79 (26.2%)	21	27	31	7.0%	9.0%	10.3%
30–34	27 (9.0%)	8	10	9	2.7%	3.3%	3.0%
35–39	20 (6.6%)	4	14	2	1.3%	4.7%	0.7%
40–44	1 (0.3%)	1	0	0	0.3%	0.0%	0.0%
45–49	3 (1.0%)	2	0	1	0.7%	0.0%	0.3%
50–54	0	0	0	0	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
55–59	2 (0.7%)	1	0	1	0.3%	0.0%	0.3%
Valid Total	301	101	100	100	33.6%	33.2%	33.2%
Gender (single choice)
male	207 (69.0%)	68	71	68	22.7%	23.7%	22.7%
female	93 (31.0%)	32	29	32	10.7%	9.7%	10.7%
Valid Total	300	100	100	100	33.3%	33.3%	33.3%
Responsible work in the current bar (multiple choices)
bar manager	72	23	26	23	6.1%	7.0%	6.1%
bar waiter	98	31	33	34	8.3%	8.8%	9.1%
bartender	107	40	33	34	10.7%	8.8%	9.1%
bar operator	58	20	24	14	5.3%	6.4%	3.7%
bar sales	39	9	16	14	2.4%	4.3%	3.7%
Valid Total	374	123	132	119	32.9%	35.3%	31.8%
Type of bar where works (single choice)
Whisky bar	82 (27.2%)	25	34	23	8.3%	11.3%	7.6%
Restaurant bar	64 (21.3%)	25	14	25	8.3%	4.7%	8.3%
Cocktail/speakeasy bar	64 (21.3%)	13	28	23	4.3%	9.3%	7.6%
High energy bars	25 (8.3%)	11	5	9	3.7%	1.7%	3.0%
Live house	39 (13.0%)	16	9	14	5.3%	3.0%	4.7%
Lounge/hotel lounge	6 (2.0%)	4	1	1	1.3%	0.3%	0.3%
Wine bar	8 (2.7%)	1	4	3	0.3%	1.3%	1.0%
Pub/dive bar	10 (3.3%)	4	3	3	1.3%	1.0%	1.0%
Others	3 (1.0%)	0	3	0	0.0%	1.0%	0.0%
Valid Total	301	99	101	101	32.9%	33.6%	33.6%

Table 4. Question towards sustainable development and data in questionnaire.

Topics of Sustainable Development and Data
	In Number (N)				In Percentage (%) of Valid Total
	Total (%)	Shanghai	Shenzhen	Beijing	Shanghai	Shenzhen	Beijing
Concerned topics in life and work (multiple choices)
Economic development	168	59	58	51	7.8%	7.7%	6.7%
Sports entertainment	120	34	40	46	4.5%	5.3%	6.1%
Food safety	108	30	47	31	4.0%	6.2%	4.1%
Sustainable development	88	22	37	29	2.9%	4.9%	3.8%
Environmental protection	75	18	35	22	2.4%	4.6%	2.9%
International relations	73	19	28	26	2.5%	3.7%	3.4%
History and humanities	67	20	30	17	2.6%	4.0%	2.2%
Political issues	58	19	22	17	2.5%	2.9%	2.2%
The importance of sustainable development for bar industry (single choice)
Very important	174 (57.8%)	59	60	55	19.6%	19.9%	18.3%
Important	94 (31.2%)	32	30	32	10.6%	10.0%	10.6%
Normal	18 (6.0%)	5	7	6	1.7%	2.3%	2.0%
Not so important	9 (3.0%)	3	2	4	1.0%	0.7%	1.3%
Unimportant	6 (2.0%)	1	2	3	0.3%	0.7%	1.0%
Valid Total	301	100	101	100	33.2%	33.6%	33.2%
Have you ever discussed about sustainable development in bar industry? (single choice)
Often	149 (49.8%)	47	60	42	15.7%	20.1%	14.0%
Seldom	128 (42.8%)	47	32	49	15.7%	10.7%	16.4%
Never	22 (7.4%)	5	8	9	1.7%	2.7%	3.0%
Valid Total	299	99	100	100	33.1%	33.4%	33.4%
Have you heard or witnessed that colleagues have taken actions related to sustainable development? (single choice)
Often	94 (31.2%)	37	25	32	12.3%	8.3%	10.6%
Seldom	185 (61.5%)	58	67	60	19.3%	22.3%	19.9%
Never	22 (7.3%)	5	9	8	1.7%	3.0%	2.7%
Valid Total	301	100	101	100	33.2%	33.6%	33.2%
Attitudes towards sustainable development in bar industry (single choice)
Agree	184 (61.3%)	54	73	57	18.0%	24.3%	19.0%
Watch	85 (28.3%)	33	19	33	11.0%	6.3%	11.0%
Doubt	23 (7.7%)	11	5	7	3.7%	1.7%	2.3%
Disagree	8 (2.7%)	2	3	3	0.7%	1.0%	1.0%
Valid Total	300	100	100	100	33.3%	33.3%	33.3%

Table 5. Quantitative questionnaire about actions of bars.

105 Specific Items of Bars’ Actions	17 SDGs	Actions Taken
Ensure employees’ legitimate income, rights, and interests	SDG1	76%
Advise customers not to drive after drinking and provide substitute driving services	SDG16	74%
Provide good welfare and protection for employees	SDG1	74%
Jointly safeguard the social order in the bar and its surrounding areas	SDG16	72%
Let consumers understand the process “from raw materials to dining tables” and arouse the awareness of conservation and environmental protection	SDG2	71%
Make regular (e.g., weekly) organization and arrangement of staff for thorough cleaning of the bar	SDG6	67%
Use a professional water purification system to carry out regular inspection and maintenance of the filtering device	SDG6	66%
In the process of service, clean up the used paper towel and other garbage on the guest’s desktop in time	SDG6	65%
Prevent the occurrence of affrays and fights in bars	SDG16	65%
Upgrade professional skills through training	SDG4	63%
Advocate moderate drinking in communication with guests and employees	SDG3	63%
Develop new products in the cocktail field	SDG9	60%
Use more energy-efficient devices such as refrigerators, air conditioners, ice makers, and LED lights.	SDG7	60%
Supply food materials that have passed safety certification	SDG3	59%
Strengthen team sharing and learn from each other	SDG4	59%
Encourage employees to persist in reading and studying	SDG4	59%
Encourage employees to visit and observe other bars to learn from them	SDG4	58%
Use degradable and recyclable bar articles	SDG12	58%
Encourage employees to enrich their knowledge and experience through reading and traveling	SDG4	57%
Separate the sink for washing hands and that for cleaning food materials	SDG6	57%
Provide Chinese employees with opportunities for training and exchange at home and abroad	SDG4	57%
Implant the concept of “empty plate” into the tableware and tabletop of the staff restaurant	SDG2	57%
Some foreign employees say that they hope that the policy of introducing foreign employees to bars can be relaxed in the future to attract more advanced techniques and expertise to Chinese bars	SDG10	56%
Implement uniform clothing and etiquette standards	SDG8	54%
Use LED lights for climate change	SDG13	54%
Reduce the use of coasters and straws	SDG12	54%
Determine the position by ability and experience	SDG5	54%
Optimize and innovate the blending formulas to make the best use of raw materials	SDG15	54%
Reduce waste of water resources	SDG14	54%
Communicate with, learn from, and work with international peers and organizations (such as guest bartenders)	SDG17	53%
Invite well-known foreign bar operators to visit China as guest lecturers	SDG10	53%
Establish a bartender learning community to share wine knowledge and formula	SDG4	53%
Exchange and learn from international peers. Respond actively to the Paris Climate Agreement	SDG13	53%
Recruitment results and salary standards are not determined by gender	SDG5	52%
Make full use of raw materials	SDG15	52%
Classify the garbage according to recycling purposes and treatment methods	SDG12	52%
Use more energy-efficient electrical appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators, ice makers, etc.	SDG7	51%
Squeeze lemon juice manually	SDG7	51%
Reuse the wooden cases for loading	SDG12	51%
Care about the physical and mental life of female employees	SDG5	51%
Care about the physical and mental life of male employees as well	SDG5	51%
Self-grow/self-make raw materials for bartending	SDG15	51%
Hold regular lectures on wine culture for neighborhood	SDG11	50%
Assign specialized personnel to inspect the health environment of various sectors of the bar	SDG6	49%
Establish bar organizations and associations	SDG17	49%
Advocate the use of natural pollution-free detergent	SDG15	49%
Use a cleaner that is more environmentally friendly or natural as the cleaner	SDG14	49%
In terms of raw material production, reduce the use of chemicals such as pesticides	SDG14	49%
The area requires all catering dealers to do simple sorting and packaging of garbage	SDG17	48%
Use iterative bartending tools to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption	SDG9	48%
Launch relevant initiatives and activities to improve the industry’s internal awareness of climate change	SDG13	48%
Reduce the use of chemically synthesized flavors and fragrances	SDG14	48%
Provide basic accommodation, bonus, vacation	SDG8	47%
Limit smoking areas to non-main streets or indoors	SDG11	47%
Remind and require employees to pay attention to work and rest arrangements	SDG3	47%
Create a language learning atmosphere for service staff through English corners/Chinese corners	SDG4	47%
Provide staff with resources and financial support for professional certification (e.g., WSET) and additional courses (e.g., online management courses)	SDG4	47%
Designate specialized personnel to supervise food waste and take photos for warning	SDG2	47%
Make the best use of every fruit	SDG15	46%
Regulate the time length of food use and storage	SDG3	46%
Provide employees with the opportunity to rotate positions or adjust duties	SDG4	46%
Organize professional training regularly	SDG8	45%
Set up an innovative laboratory to develop finished cocktails for bar and household bartending purposes	SDG9	45%
Encourage the innovation of bartending technology and support technical practice	SDG9	45%
Reduce the use of electric mixers and eggbeaters	SDG7	44%
The property requires all catering dealers in the community to do garbage sorting	SDG17	44%
Select the quality grade of product supply to avoid waste	SDG12	44%
Garbage can be classified according to recycling purposes and treatment methods	SDG12	44%
Wine dealers should make plans for recycling empty bottles	SDG15	44%
Use the sound insulation glass extensively	SDG11	43%
Buy ice machines with power-saving function	SDG7	42%
Use clean energy (such as solar energy and wind energy)	SDG7	42%
Work with government and non-governmental organizations	SDG17	42%
Consider the impact of raw materials on areas such as the environment and carbon emissions at the production site	SDG12	42%
When organizing outdoor activities, control the end time of the activities, such as before 8 p.m.	SDG11	42%
Use new instruments or tools for bartending	SDG9	42%
Reduce pollution of glass products	SDG14	42%
Optimize operation and management processes to save energy and adopt clean energy	SDG7	41%
Reduce the supply of high-concentration alcohol products	SDG3	41%
Provide basic accommodation for employees to ensure a certain number of vacation days and free medical examinations	SDG3	41%
Help clean streets and neighborhoods	SDG11	40%
Only when the dishwasher is full of tableware can it be started for washing	SDG14	40%
Actively respond to and participate in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs	SDG17	39%
Organize activities for the staff’s families and let them visit the bar’s internal working environment	SDG8	38%
Provide opportunities and support for employees’ career development	SDG8	38%
Improve the image of bars in people’s minds by raising the awareness level of the whole industry	SDG8	38%
Weigh the garbage to assess whether there is wastage	SDG12	38%
Advocate water conservation and joint compliance in the industry	SDG6	37%
Provide community residents with discounts at shops, the preferential experience of new products, and other benefits	SDG11	37%
The government should issue relevant recycling policies and standards	SDG14	37%
Hold community public welfare activities regularly	SDG11	36%
Organize team sports and fitness activities	SDG3	36%
Raise money for the poor	SDG1	36%
Respond to the call of the government and save water	SDG6	35%
Wine dealers should make plans for recycling empty bottles	SDG14	35%
Recover old empty bottles and tanks	SDG14	35%
Use a more advanced ice maker with a power-saving mode	SDG14	34%
Hire more foreign employees and bring more advanced ideas and technologies from abroad into Chinese bars	SDG10	33%
Provide employees with opportunities for training and communication at home and abroad	SDG4	33%
Garbage is classified according to recycling purposes and treatment methods	SDG15	30%
Work with relevant institutions and manufacturers in terms of innovation	SDG9	28%
Make secondary utilization of red wine bottle corks	SDG14	28%
Create community shared space and interact with the community	SDG11	27%
Suggest government to issue relevant recycling policies and standards	SDG14	27%
Let the public gain a more comprehensive understanding of the profession through more platforms (such as variety shows)	SDG8	25%

For each item in questionnaire, bar practitioners should have single choice or multiple choices. Different items in questionnaire may have logic links and only effective answers are collected so the total valid number for each item may not be 321, which is the total number of bar practitioners. The results of basic information in Table 3 show that most of bar practitioners have 1–2 years of experience in alcohol industry and current bars. Further, 56.1% of them have an age range of 18–24 and 26.2% of them have an age range of 25–29. Most of them about 69.0% are male and 31.0% are female. Most of bar practitioners have working duty as bartender and then bar waiter. 82 bars in 301 belong to whisky bar. The quantitative results in Table 4 for sustainable development show that the proportion of topics that bar practitioners mainly focus on is (from large to small) as follows: economic development, sports entertainment, food safety, sustainable development, environmental protection, international relations, history and humanities, current affairs, and politics. Nearly 57.8% of practitioners think sustainable development is very important for bar industry in China. Moreover, 49.8% of the practitioners often discuss about sustainable development in bar industry, especially in Shenzhen. 61.3% of them have very positive attitude towards sustainable development in bar industry. However, 61.5% of them seldom hear or witness actions for sustainable development of colleagues. Overall, everyone takes a positive attitude towards environmental protection and sustainable development, but the specific cognition is still limited.

Thus, to test bar practitioners’ attitudes and actions on the 17 SDGs and their 105 specific items of actions, first the questionnaires adopt a five-item scoring system (1–5: 1 means completely irrelevant, 5 means very relevant) for 17 SDGs and calculate their average scores which presents its relevance with bar industry as in Figure 2. Regarding bar practitioners’ actions towards 105 items, the results of whether the 105 items have been taken into actions in their bars in percentage and their rankings are listed in Table 4. By the degree of correlation among the 17 SDGs, seven have a “high-level” correlation with the bar industry in the quantitative research: SDG8, SDG6, SDG7, SDG17, SDG12, SDG11, and SDG5. Those with a “medium-level” correlation include SDG9, SDG10, SDG16, SDG15, SDG3, and SDG4, while those with a “low-level” correlation include SDG13, SDG14, SDG2, and SDG1.

Figure 2. Quantitative questionnaire on the Correlation between China’s Sustainable Bars and 17 SDGs.

3.4. Comprehensive Results Based on Qualitative Interviews and Quantitative Questionnaires

Combining the qualitative and quantitative results, the coordinate axis distribution arrangement (the vertical axis is the result of qualitative interviews, and the horizontal axis is the result of the quantitative questionnaires) is made for the correlation between the 17 SDGs and the drinking bar industry in China (Super High, High, Middle, Low, and Super Low) as showed in Figure 3. The correlation of SDG8, SDG6, and SDG12, respectively, with Chinese bars, is super high. That of SDG13, SDG2, and SDG1 is super low. Overall, Chinese bar practitioners take a positive attitude towards environmental protection and sustainable development, but the actual operation or specific cognition is still limited. It is of great significance to promote the sustainable development of Chinese bars in combination with the international and domestic sustainable development background, especially the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs.

Figure 3. Correlation between 17 SDGs and Chinese Bars in Qualitative and Quantitative Results.

3.5. Intra-Industry Seminar

Based on the above study, qualitative and quantitative research and result analysis, the tripartite research group formulated the initial draft of initiatives and guidelines for the bar industry in China and invited relevant industry practitioners and bar managers to hold one seminar in Shanghai on sustainable drinking bars in China. The participants were briefed on the research background, project framework, survey findings, and results, and organized to discuss and obtain their opinions for the next step of the preparation of the final drafts. The content industry seminars were in three parts: 1) To discuss whether the super high, high, medium, super low, and low correlation of each target is reasonable; 2) To discuss at which level each SGD should be placed (Super High, High, Medium, Low, Super Low), according to everyone’s relevant experience and cognition in the bar industry; 3) To discuss the priority of actions in guidelines (short-term, medium, and long term) and discuss the relevant action results of the intra-industry seminar that were well recorded and selected for the next step of final drafts writing.

3.6. Publishing “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” and “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines”

To think global and act local, the tripartite research group has put forward the “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” (Appendix A) and the “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines” (Appendix B) to provide action guidelines for the sustainable development of the bar industry. This initiative was taken against the backdrop of sustainable development and the importance of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, thereby adhering to corporate social responsibility for sustainable development and grasping the development trend of the Chinese bar industry and the global concept of sustainable bars, which is based on the background research, qualitative and quantitative research, analysis of results and discussions within the industry. The initiatives and guidelines contain the details of daily operations. Thus, there is hope to practice the concept of sustainable development to help the bar industry realize a healthier and greener development on a long-term basis while embracing the increasing demand of consumers for catering services and consumption.

4. Conclusions

China remains a large alcohol consumption market owing to its economic and social development. Drinking bars are ubiquitous in China, with large market size and variety. The concept of sustainable bars is accepted throughout the world, and many bars operate towards sustainability based on their local characteristics. For the development of society, sustainability and SCP have to play more important roles in the growing drinking bar industry in China.

Given the qualitative research via 15 interviews of drinking bars, the concept of a sustainable bar has also been recognized by bars in China, and several bars have their own practices regarding sustainability or SCP. Bar operators agree on the importance of sustainable bars and are willing to make efforts towards it. The results show that bar owners or managers in China do have awareness of sustainability and SCP and are willing to take more actions and their bars and give suggestions for the whole drinking bar industry in China. In line with the qualitative interview and analyses, the relevance of 17 SDGs with drinking bars in China has been divided into three groups: high, middle, and low. The high relevance group contains SDG3, SDG4, SDG6, SDG8, SDG12, SDG14, and SDG15, which may be more related in the production, consumption, and management of bars in China. The middle relevance group includes SDG5, SDG7, SDG9, SDG11, and SDG17. The low Relevance Group includes SDG1, SDG2, SDG10, SDG13, and SDG16.

According to the quantitative research involving 321 practitioners in drinking bar industry in China from Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing, almost 57.8% of practitioners think sustainable development is very important for bar industry in China, and 49.8% of the practitioners often discuss about sustainable development in bar industry. Further, 61.3% of them demonstrated a very positive attitude towards sustainable development in bar industry. However, 61.5% of them seldom hear or witness actions for sustainable development of colleagues. This shows that although bar practitioners do agree with the importance of sustainable development and have a basic notion about it, their actions and practices are very limited.

Following the quantitative research and a five-item scoring system, the relevance of 17 SDGs with drinking bars in China has been divided into three groups. The high relevance group contains SDG8, SDG6, SDG7, SDG17, SDG12, SDG11, and SDG5. The middle relevance group involves SDG9, SDG10, SDG16, SDG15, SDG3 and SDG4. The low relevance group includes SDG13, SDG14, SDG2, and SDG1. To compare Figure 1 and Figure 2, SDG6 (Clean water and sanitation), SDG8 (Decent work and economic growth)and SDG12 (Responsible consumption and production) all have been considered highly related and SDG1 (No poverty), SDG2 (Zero hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate action) all have been considered as lowly related. Meanwhile, SDG14 (Life under water) is considered as highly related in qualitative research, it is considered as lowly related in quantitative research.

Based on the results of the qualitative and quantitative research, the relevance of 17 SDGs with drinking bars in China has been grouped into super high (SDG8, SDG6, and SDG12), high (SDG15, SDG3, SDG4, SDG7, SDG17, SDG11, and SDG5), middle (SDG14 and SDG9), low (SDG10 and SDG16), and super low (SDG13, SDG2, and SDG1) in the horizontal and vertical axis.

Based on the results, a workshop for discussion by invited practitioners and operators of drinking bars in China is conducted, and their opinions on the results and 17 SDGs in bars of China are noted and analyzed. The “Sustainable Bar Operation Initiatives” in Appendix A and the “Operational Sustainable Bar Application Guidelines” in Appendix B are drafted and released based on the research results.

This survey has obtained information about the development of bars in China and the response of Chinese bars to sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda. We explored the value of SDGs in the bar industry and obtained qualitative and quantitative research results that are relevant to intra-industry discussions, which is of great reference value for the entire industry, academia, and policymakers of governments domestically and globally.

This study has certain limits. China is geographically huge and densely populated with differing level of development. There are numerous bars with various types all over the country. So, research conduct in this study mainly in three big and developed cities (Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing) may not represent the whole drinking bar industry in China. The differences among the three cities and different jobs, levels of recognition, and attitudes of bar practitioners should also be considered. On the other hand, there are many political policies, initiatives, and guidelines pertaining to sustainable development and SCP as well as actions in society, not only limited to the 2030 Agenda of UN. Hence, there is a need for a more in-depth, theoretical, and interdisciplinary study in the future.