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Corporate Social Responsibility is a major focus in Pernod Ricard's constant quest for improvement. The Group has risen to the challenge of reconciling financial efficiency, respect for stakeholders, environmental protection, consumer protection and cultural awareness.

Sustainable agriculture and protection of biodiversity

Pernod Ricard is a major agricultural partner as the Group’s products are all derived from agricultural resources. This is why it tries to promote sustainable agriculture, not just for its own activities – around 6,500 hectares of vineyards – but also for the commodities bought from its suppliers, which amount to nearly 2.8 million tonnes.

Sustainable agriculture and protection of biodiversity

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: INCREASINGLY DEMANDING STANDARDS

Most of the 6,500 hectares owned by the Group meet high standards of integrated agriculture, advocating:
  • a limit on the use of fertilisers and pesticides,
  • reduced consumption of water and energy,
  • training and support for farmers in good practices

77% of these vineyards are certified according to environmental standards: “Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand” (SWNZ) in New Zealand; “EntWine Australia” in Australia; good practices established by Cognac and Champagne producers in France; and Napa Green Business certification in the United States, among others.

Good practice:

BioGro certified crop in New Zealand: New Zealand, which is already at the cutting edge of organic farming, stepped up its efforts and in 2011 obtained its first BioGro certification for its Fairhall vineyard.

Applying a proactive policy, the subsidiary converted 24 hectares to organic crops in 2011. It should soon receive the label for 55 hectares of vineyards.

Various action has also been taken with the Group’s suppliers to obtain a commit to sustainable agriculture:

  • The ABSOLUT Company and wheat growing: in Sweden, The ABSOLUT Company sources its wheat solely from local producers, applying strict integrated agriculture requirements.
  • Yerevan Brandy Company:in Armenia, Yerevan Brand Company helps winegrowers to manage their phytosanitary products: the subsidiary buys and sells phytosanitary products that meet BNIC (Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac) classification and then collects waste packaging, ensuring it is incinerated by a licensed company. It also provides powerful sprayers, preventing overdoses.
  • Ricard and integrated agriculture: in France, some of the fennel used to produce Ricard is grown by farmers in Provence applying integrated agriculture principles: the sweet smelling plant encourages the development of insect life, especially bees, helping to support biodiversity.

 

INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY

In addition to these sound sustainable agriculture practices, Pernod Ricard hopes to develop projects to protect biodiversity at all of its vineyards, and is encouraging all subsidiaries to include biodiversity protection programmes in their work.

In this field, subsidiaries have taken particularly innovative action:   
  • in New Zealand, in the Kaituna wetlands, a region home to threatened species of birds, Pernod Ricard is running a successful rehabilitation programme on nine hectares, aiming to restore the original ecosystem (soil restoration, reintroduction of local species, etc.).
  • in Australia, measures to protect biodiversity and restore biotopes in the Jacob’s Creek river area have paid off.
Other symbolic work reflecting the Group’s commitment such as the cultivation of bitterwort, a basic ingredient in Suze, which has been researched for production on specialist farms, helping to safeguard 50,000 wild plants each year.