Pernod Ricard, the world’s second largest Wines and Spirits Group, is taking 4 additional steps in its drive to protect the earth and develop renewable electricity, a few days after COP25 in Madrid offered a stark reminder of the climate emergency.
RE 100
The Group has today officially become a member of RE100, a global initiative led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP which brings together 221 international companies committed to 100% renewable electricity. This announcement comes within the framework of the Group’s new Sustainability & Responsibility roadmap Good Times from a Good Place, unveiled in April 2019, through which Pernod Ricard made the following commitments, along with some 30 other targets:
- to move towards 100% renewable electricity in its production sites and administrative offices by 2025,
- to reduce absolute carbon emissions of production sites by 30% by 2030, validated by the United Nations’ Science Based Targets initiative, to be in line with the below 2°C scenario.
100% renewable electricity in Australia
Pernod Ricard Winemakers, producer of Australian wine brands Jacob’s Creek, St Hugo and Wyndham Estate, recently became the first wine company in the country to reach 100% renewable electricity. All Pernod Ricard Winemakers’ Australian sites now use renewable electricity thanks to the commissioning of more than 10,300 solar panels in its two vineyards in the Barossa Valley, representing an annual production of 4,000 MWh. This is the largest solar power generation facility in the industry. The affiliate also signed a 10-year agreement with Flow Power for renewable electricity production.
This initiative was recognised on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 with Drinks Business presenting the Group with the Green Company of the Year award.
Pernod Ricard Finland’s Turku site now carbon neutral
The site operated by Pernod Ricard Finland, which produces the Minttu, Lapponia, Suomi and Valkia brands, has just achieved carbon neutrality (Scopes 1 and 2) thanks to its cooperation with the city of Turku. Renewable electricity comes from three sources:
- wind power,
- environmentally certified district heating,
- a new electricity plant operating with processed wood chips.
Partnership with EDF Entreprise
In France, Pernod Ricard recently signed the Renewable Energy Option with EDF Entreprises. Under this agreement, the energy provider undertakes to produce and release 32,000 MWh of renewable energy to the grid, to match the annual consumption of Pernod Ricard’s 42 production and administrative sites in France.
Vanessa Wright, Group VP Sustainability & Responsibility, accepted the award from Drinks Business on behalf of Pernod Ricard Winemakers, and said: “The ‘Green Company of the Year’ award is an achievement that we can all be proud of and demonstrates that Pernod Ricard Winemakers is a global leader in sustainability. Congratulations to everyone across the Group who has contributed to the many sustainability projects that have enabled this outstanding win.” And to add ‘’Our commitments to renewable electricity come within the framework of our efforts to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the ten principles of the UN Global Compact for responsible business. As testified by the initiatives implemented in Australia, Finland and France, the entire Group is geared towards our ambitious roadmap aimed at achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2025.’’
Between 2010 and 2019, the Group reduced its carbon emissions per unit produced at production sites by 34%, achieving the targets set by its 2020 Environmental Roadmap one year ahead of schedule.
Sam Kimmins, Head of RE100, said: “I am delighted to welcome Pernod Ricard to the RE100 initiative – by committing to make the switch to renewable energy, they are demonstrating the growing demand for clean power. We applaud their ambitious commitment of switching to 100% renewable electricity by 2025, and urge other companies to follow their lead.”
