Pernod Ricard Becomes a Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Reinforces Its Commitment to Reducing Waste Through Collaboration and Innovation in Circular Design

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Press release – 21 April 2022

Already a signatory of the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment since 2018, Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) announced today, eve of Earth Day, that it is becoming a partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. This move demonstrates the Group’s commitment to accelerating the transition to a circular economy by working with the Foundation’s leading network of businesses, policymakers, academia, innovators, and thought leaders worldwide.

Pernod Ricard is committed to minimising waste at every step by designing, producing and distributing its products and experiences in ways that optimise and help preserve natural resources. As part of its 2030 Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap ‘Good Times from a Good Place', the Group has set itself strong targets which have seen great progress in recent months.

Ensuring 100% of its packaging and POS is recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

To drive innovation throughout the Group, Pernod Ricard has developed Global Sustainable Packaging and POS Guidelines for its 70 affiliates, which specify what materials can no longer be used and how they can be replaced. In 2021, Pernod Ricard successfully eliminated all single-use plastic from all its promotional products four years ahead of schedule, while its iconic brands Beefeater and Ballantine’s removed plastic from the caps and/or labels of their bottles.

Piloting five new circular ways of distributing wine & spirits by 2030.

The Group is also working to reduce and eventually eliminate waste and carbon emissions by piloting new distribution models. In March 2022, Pernod Ricard Asia joined a closed-loop distribution pilot aimed at reducing waste and carbon emissions in bars in Hong Kong and Singapore, in partnership with ecoSPIRITS. Absolut, Beefeater and Havana Club will now be shipped in bulk and delivered to the bars in 4.5-litre glass containers - ecoTOTES - which once empty will be sent back to the ecoPLANT to be refilled.

Vanessa Wright, Chief Sustainability Officer of Pernod Ricard, “We are committed to minimising waste at every step and reducing our carbon footprint, in line with a Net Zero trajectory by 2050. True to our vision ‘Créateurs de Convivialité’, we believe in working with others to strengthen what we do collectively. That’s why we are delighted to be partners of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and we look forward to building strong collaborations with its network of experts to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.”

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales amounting to €8,824 million in fiscal year FY21. The Group, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive portfolios in the industry with over 240 premium brands distributed across more than 160 markets. Pernod Ricard’s portfolio includes 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, New Zealand Wines, Campo Viejo, Mumm Sparkling and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term and sustainable growth for all its stakeholders, remaining true to its founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and strong sense of ethics. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 18,500 employees to be on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité”. Pernod Ricard 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap “Good Times from a Good Place” is integrated into all its activities from grain to glass, and Pernod Ricard is recognised as a UN Global Compact LEAD participant for its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is an international charity that develops and promotes the circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It works with its Network of private and public sector decision-makers, as well as academia, to build capacity, explore collaborative opportunities, and design and develop circular economy initiatives and solutions. Increasingly based on renewable energy, a circular economy is driven by design to eliminate waste, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature, to create resilience and prosperity for business, the environment, and society. The Foundation collaborates with its Strategic Partners (which includes Danone, Google, H&M Group, Intesa Sanpaolo, Philips, Renault, Solvay, Unilever, SUN, MAVA, People’s Postcode Lottery UK) and wider Network (businesses, universities, emerging innovators, governments, cities and affiliate organisations), to build capacity, explore collaboration opportunities, and mobilise and scale circular economy solutions.