At ‘ECCK Sustainability Awards 2023’
Pernod Ricard Korea, the Korean division of the global wine and spirits company Pernod Ricard, has demonstrated as one of the top 3 finalists in the ‘Golden Stars’ category and received the certificate at the ECCK Sustainability Awards 2023 organized by the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea.
The European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) has launched the ECCK Sustainability Awards for the first time in 2022 to recognize European and Korean companies for their efforts to create a sustainable future. Winners are selected in three categories: Green Steps, Blue Horizons, and Golden Stars.
Pernod Ricard Korea recognized as one of the top three finalists in the ‘Golden Stars’ category for its responsible, sustainable corporate policies and activities and the diverse contributions it has made to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management. The achievement holds particular significance since the company has actively embraced sustainable and responsible management tailored to local conditions and context.
In 2019, Pernod Ricard Group announced its 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap ‘Good Times from a Good Place’ based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In line with the roadmap, Pernod Ricard Korea has been engaging in a variety of activities grouped under the categories of Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting.
Notably, the company has been striving to achieve its goal of sustainable and responsible management at all stages of production, delivery, and marketing from grain to glass. In particular, it has undertaken a wide range of initiatives to conserve natural resources and protect the environment along with collaborative programs with employees and partners in Korea to help address climate change.
For example, it has introduced diverse measures to reduce its carbon footprint and minimize waste. It has streamlined the packaging of its key whisky brands, such as Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, and Royal Salute, halted the production and import of non-essential secondary packaging, and implemented strong policies to save resources.
The company has also announced a plan to replace its corporate vehicles with eco-friendly mobility, joining in the worldwide effort to reduce carbon emissions. In addition, it has demonstrated a strong commitment to ESG management by ensuring that all promotional items in its product promotion and advertising programs are made with recycled and reusable materials.
Its diverse collaborative campaigns to implement ESG management together with industry partners have garnered attention as well. It has been offering the Bar World of Tomorrow training program for bartenders, food and beverage industry workers, and university students of legal drinking age with a related major in order to help establish a sustainable bar culture in the local food and beverage industry. Furthermore, all employees of the group conduct CSR activities every June on Responsib’ALL Day to help build a sustainable future. The company has also been enhancing the health and safety of its employees by creating a Health & Safety Committee.
The responsible drinking campaigns that the company has maintained since 2020 to promote the establishment of a responsible drinking culture in Korea contributed to the winning of the award as well. Starting with the ‘Drink Wise’ campaign launched in 2020, the company supported the ‘Eat, Pause, Hydrate’ campaign in 2021 to share healthy drinking guidelines that can be easily practiced in daily life. In 2022, the company conducted ‘#Make Memories, Not Hangovers’, a digital campaign that communicates the risks of excess and offers tips on responsible drinking.
The company launched its ‘Drink More Water’ campaign in 2023. The campaign used on- and offline channels to reach approximately 130 million consumers, 70% of the total population of legal drinking age, in major cities across 14 Asian countries. In Korea, the campaign proved to be a great success, reaching over five million adult consumers through digital and offline events, and effectively sharing the importance of staying hydrated while drinking.
Frantz Hotton, CEO of Pernod Ricard Korea, commented, “Pernod Ricard Korea has undertaken a variety of projects to help establish eco-friendly systems and a sustainable culture across the relevant industry. This certification feels especially meaningful since it recognizes our efforts to create the best outcomes in partnership with local communities. We will continue our endeavors to build a mutually respectful, sustainable, and responsible culture of partnership together with our allies in local communities.”