Pernod Ricard has set out its 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap, which sets out eight targets for sustainable development, with Australian agriculture and water consumption forming part of the goals.
As well as setting out targets such as the use of 100 per cent recyclable, compostable, reusable or bio-based packaging by 2025, the targets also look at “accelerating the fight against alcohol misuse”.
In setting out the eight commitments, Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are 19,000 ‘créateurs de convivialité’ – passionate hosts but also respectful guests on our planet. Sharing our values, respecting our terroirs and promoting responsible consumption are all conditions for sustainable growth.
“Yesterday, today and tomorrow, we will continue to create for the long-term.”
The eight commitments are built of four key areas: nurturing terroir, valuing people, circular making and responsible hosting.
The roadmap lists:
Nurturing Terroir
Every Pernod Ricard product takes its character from the land where it was grown. 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.
- Biodiversity – by 2030, 100 per cent of the Group’s global affiliates will have a strategic biodiversity project.
- Regenerative agriculture – by 2025, the Group will 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. By 2030, Pernod Ricard will then partner with over 5,000 farmers to share this knowledge further.
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.
- Equality and future leadership – by 2022, the Group will ensure equal pay across the business and by 2030, the top management teams will be gender balanced. In addition to which, by 2030, 100 per cent of employees will have received future-fit training at least every 3 years to develop new skills.
- Shared knowledge and learning – by 2030, the Group will train 10,000 bartenders on the bar world of tomorrow 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. 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.
- Packaging and waste – by 2025 Pernod Ricard will ban all promotional items made from single-use plastic and 100 per cent 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.
- Water balance and carbon-footprint – by 2030, Pernod Ricard aims to be water balanced in all high-risk watersheds (like India and Australia), replenishing 100 per cent of water consumption from production sites. In relation to carbon emissions, Pernod Ricard will commit to reducing the overall intensity of its carbon footprint by 50 per cent by 2030 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 is committed to fighting alcohol misuse in society by taking action on harmful drinking and engaging with its stakeholders for real change.
- Alcohol misuse – by 2030, each and every affiliate of Pernod Ricard across the World will have at least one program to fight alcohol misuse, at scale and evaluated.
- Responsible Party – by 2030, 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.
Vanessa Wright, VP Sustainability & Responsibility, said: “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.”
In addition to these eight 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.