Pernod Ricard commits one step further to sustainable agricultural raw materials joining Bonsucro

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Sugar cane is the main raw material for Pernod Ricard after grapes and cereals, with776.000 tons of sugar cane equivalent used in 2014/2015, amounting to 9.500 hectares of agricultural land. It is  mainly used for its rums and liqueurs

• Havana Club (n°3 Worldwide in international rums with 4 Million Cases sold in 2014/15),
• Malibu (n°1 worldwide in coconut-flavoured rums with 3.4 million cases sold in 2014/2015),
• Kahlúa (n°6 Worldwide in international Liqueurs with 1.5 million cases sold in 2014/15).

Since our responsibility to our whole value chain is a priority, Pernod Ricard is committed to driving sustainability in agricultural raw materials through sourcing practices, with a specific focus on the sugar cane products sector. Indeed, sugar cane grows in tropical countries that often have low social standards and poor labour regulations, thus threatening decent wages, human rights, health of the workers, land rights and the environment. The sugar cane sector also has an inherently complex procurement chain: as a commodity product, it goes through many intermediates such as sugar cane growers, mills, traders, distilleries, etc, thus increasing traceability issues.

Being a responsible partner and contributing to the development of local communities where we operate is a key component of being a sustainable player in our industry. To make sure our local partners and our environment are protected, Pernod Ricard joined Bonsucro, a global multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation focused on sustainability for the sugar cane sector. 

With its two standards, the Bonsucro Production standard, which certifies production conditions of sugar cane mills and farms, and the Bonsucro Chain of Custody Standard, which ensures traceability of sugar cane products and sustainability claims through the supply chain, Bonsucro acts continuously for the sustainable and responsible trade of sugar cane.

As a global buyer of sugar cane, Pernod Ricard aims to influence progress and transformation in the sugar cane supply market through collective action, in order to drive sustainability and responsibility by respecting both local communities and the planet.