CEO Sustainability Series |Jean Touboul, CEO Pernod Ricard South East Asia

Question 1: What has your company’s sustainability journey been like so far?

In 2019 Pernod Ricard launched a global roadmap on Sustainability & Responsibility called ‘Good Times from a Good Place’, directly aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  Three years after its launch, we are on track to meet several of these ambitious targets for 2030 – taking bold next steps in addressing environmental topics, preserving the terroirs our products come from, and promoting social responsibility, in particular by accelerating the fight against alcohol misuse.

Pernod Ricard was recognised as a UN Global Compact LEAD participant in 2018 for our work on the SDGs and is the only wine & spirits company to receive this accolade.

Q2:  What are the main pillars the company is addressing today to value its sustainability & responsibility roadmap?

Our Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap addresses the entire business, from grain to glass. Commitments fall under four pillars, each with actionable goals and measurements to ensure progress.

‘Nurturing Terroir’ commits to conserving every terroir and its biodiversity, responding to climate change to ensure quality ingredients now and in the future.

‘Valuing People’ aims to increase diversity and fairness for all our people and empower them across the supply chain.

‘Circular Making’ strives to minimize waste at every step by imagining, producing, and distributing in ways that optimize and preserve natural resources.  

As a responsible company, we want to ensure that our brands are enjoyed responsibly: ‘Responsible Hosting’ commits to combating harmful alcohol use. By tackling harmful drinking, we want to create a more convivial world, a world without excess.

Q3: What are the actions you are implementing in order to create more sustainable and responsible moments of conviviality? 

In 2020, Pernod Ricard launched the Bar World of Tomorrow in partnership with Trash Collective and the Sustainable Restaurant Association. We have committed to train 10,000 bartenders worldwide in sustainable and responsible practices – from fresh ingredient use to responsible serving of alcoholic beverages. Over 1200 bartenders across 10 markets in Asia have participated in the training, including 4 sessions conducted in Singapore with 40 attendees from top bars and hospitality venues. In Singapore we will continue to train 50 bartenders annually and work with industry partners to create a greener future.

To support circularity in the bar industry, Pernod Ricard and ecoSPIRITS launched an innovative closed-loop distribution pilot in Singapore last October. This partnership, under the Bar World of Tomorrow initiative, is the first of its kind for a global brand portfolio and will help reduce waste and carbon emissions resulting from the production and transportation of our products. With the support of 30 bar partners, the pilot is estimated to eliminate more than 60% of carbon emissions and 95% of packaging waste in the first six months.

Moving forward, we aim to expand the initiative, with Hong Kong set to join the pilot in the coming months. Our ambition is to take our partnership with ecoSPIRITS to the global stage to inspire more bars and restaurants to join us on this circular distribution journey.