About Town | Pernod Ricard Launches its 2030 Road Map for Sustainability and Responsibility
Pernod Ricard is the second largest producer of wine and
spirits in the entire world, and has officially become one of the international companies
that have made a commitment to the preservation of the environment, signified
by the recent launch of its 2030 Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap.
The roadmap, an integral part of the Group’s strategic plan Transform & Accelerate, sets 8
ambitious but concrete targets
in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Revealed at Martell
Cognac distillery in France, these commitments will see the Pernod Group take
bold next steps in addressing environmental topics, including measures to
preserve the terroirs its products come from. The Group is also taking bold steps in addressing social responsibility
issues: particularly the fight
against alcohol misuse.
As part of the
big reveal, a special film that has been shot with 52 proud employees from
Pernod Ricard Spain to launch the new strategy.
Sustainability as a company value
Even before the UN
initiatives were in place, Pernod Ricard has had sustainability at its heart.
The Group’s founder, Paul Ricard, started the Paul Ricard Oceanographic
Institute over 50 years ago, which even today leads the charge in ocean
preservation.
Vanessa Wright, VP Sustainability & Responsibility
of Pernod Ricard, reveals how deeply ingrained the care for the environment is
in the Group’s core value system: “We know that our customers have now come to
expect our brands to be responsible and respectful of the environment – values
that have been at the very heart of our business since its inception. These
2030 commitments provide us with a focused framework across our business in
helping to address some of the biggest sustainability issues, so consumers can
enjoy our products in a convivial and sustainable way.”
Since 2010, the Group and its brands (Absolut Vodka, Chivas Regal, to name a few), have undertaken many initiatives and
been unrelenting towards its 2020 environmental targets. With programs such as
the Chivas Venture and the Absolut Elyx’s partnership with Water for People,
the Group has demonstrated a united front on environmental issues, with
remarkable results.
In the last 8 years,
93% of the production facilities have been certified ISO 14001 and 95% of its
vineyards are certified according to environmental standards. In addition, the
Group has reduced its water consumption per litre of alcohol by 20%, its carbon
emissions by 30% per unit of production and waste by 9,505 tons for a total of
748 tons to landfill.
Last September, during the UN
Global Compact Leaders’ Summit 2018 at the UN Headquarters in New York, Pernod
Ricard was the only wine & spirits company to be recognized as a Global
Compact LEAD company, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to its Ten
Principles and to the UN SDGs.
Pernod Ricard’s 8 commitments to sustainability
“We aim to bring Good Times from a Good Place,” says
Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pernod Ricard, “by
creating genuine moments of sharing and enjoyment for our consumers, whilst at
the same time making and selling our products in the right way, recognizing
that we are only guests on our planet. Our 18,900 employees are all ‘createurs
de convivialité’; we are passionate hosts and respectful guests.
Sustainability has been an important part of our past, it is very active in our
present and will be a defining factor in shaping our future.”
Building on its past
achievements in the area, The Group’s 8 new sustainability and responsibility
commitments are built on four key areas - nurturing
terroir, valuing people, circular making and responsible hosting. They seek
to address material issues facing the Group and the World, such as climate
change, human rights and waste. Each pillar includes 2030 goals with
measurements to ensure progress is monitored.
In addition to these 8 main commitments, Pernod Ricard has also
developed further plans to embed a UN human rights approach across its value
chain, address waste water, and move towards fully renewable energy.
Nurturing
Terroir
Because every Pernod Ricard product
takes its character from the land where it was grown, terrior and the
preservation and development of such is at the center of The Group’s
environmental efforts. This area of commitment focuses on nurturing every
terroir and its biodiversity, responding to the challenges of climate change to
ensure quality ingredients now and for generations to come.
By 2030, 100% of the Group
aims to have all its global affiliates to maintain a strategic biodiversity
project. It also hopes to develop
regenerative agriculture pilot projects within its own vineyards in 8 wine
regions - Argentina, California, Cognac, Champagne, Spain, Australia, New
Zealand and China - mimicking natural processes to improve the quality of top
soil, watersheds and ecosystems and then partner with 5,000 farmers to share
the techniques that they have learned from the endeavors.
Valuing People
Convivialité is about sharing, warmth,
care and respect for people everywhere. This commitment is related to increasing diversity and fairness for all
its people and empowering people across its supply chain.
By 2022, the Group will ensure equal pay
across the business. By 2030, the top management teams will be gender balanced;
in addition to which, by the same year, 100% of The Group’s employees will have
received future-fit training at least every 3 years to develop new skills.
The Group also seeks to train
10,000 bartenders on the topic of the “bar world of tomorrow”, teaching them to
host consumers in a more sustainable way including being anti-waste and
plastic-free.
Circular
Making
The world is made of finite resources, under huge pressure. With
this in mind, Pernod Ricard is committed to minimizing waste at every step by
imagining, producing and distributing its products in ways that optimize and
help preserve natural resources.
To begin with, the company confronts packaging
and waste issues. By 2025 Pernod Ricard will ban all
promotional items made from single-use plastic and 100%
of its packaging will be recyclable, compostable, reusable or bio-based. In
addition to which, by 2030 the Group will pilot 5 new circular ways of
distributing wine & spirits and help increase recycling rates in its top 10
largest markets with low recycling levels.
To deal with the issues of water balance and the
Group’s carbon footprint, Pernod Ricard aims to be water
balanced in all high-risk watersheds (like India and Australia), by 20130,
replenishing 100% of water consumption from production sites. Pernod Ricard
will further commit to reducing the overall intensity of its carbon footprint
by 50%, in line with the Science-Based Targets (SBTs) initiative.
Responsible
Hosting
Wine & Spirits
bring people together and serve a valuable role in society. Pernod Ricard renews its commitment against alcohol
misuse in society by taking action on harmful drinking pratices and engaging
with its stakeholders to espouse real change.
In
the spirit of responsibly partying, Pernod Ricard will expand its Responsible Party program
globally to reach at least 1 million young adults. Responsible Party was
created 10 years ago in partnership with the Erasmus Student Network to raise
students’ awareness about responsible consumption, and has reached 400,000
students in Europe since.
In addition to these 8 main commitments, as part of the 2030
roadmap, Pernod Ricard has also developed plans to embed a UN Human Rights
approach across its value chain, address waste water and move towards fully
renewable electricity.
About Pernod
Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with
consolidated Sales of €8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of
Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both
organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and
Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand
portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas
Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey,
Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and
Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and
Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 19,000 people
and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and
86 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly
committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible
consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values
that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong
sense of ethics.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext
(Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
