its leading brands. “Absolut is one
we can make it as circular as possi-
example,” says Wright. “As a brand,
ble. The byproducts are sold on to
its mission for many years has been
feed 300,000 cows and pigs each
to become more circular and see
day, for example. We have also
things reused again and again.”
launched a limited edition bottle
Enabling this vision is simplified by
called Absolut Comeback, which is
the fact that Absolut’s bottles are all
really a campaign to celebrate
sourced from a single location, and
recycling, and those bottles are
Pernod Ricard maintains strong
made from 40% recycled glass.
relationships with its farmers which
Pernod Ricard’s efforts are not
allows it to influence their own
limited to brands where it has a direct
sustainability as well. “We have full
view of its supply chains, however.
visibility of Absolut’s supply chain,
Each supplier is compelled to commit
and at every step we look to see how
to the company’s CSR objectives through Bluesource, and the firm is working to bring the rate of its committed suppliers to 100%. “If they don’t, we won’t work with them. We’re going to have to be very clear on those commitments,” says Wright, adding that sustainability in supply chains represents one of the most significant challenges for the drinks industry’s environmental and ethical performance. This firm approach permeates through the whole corporate strategy, with its affiliates having been required to provide local action plans for fulfilling Pernod Ricard’s corporate vision by the end of last year. w w w.e ne rgydi gi ta l. com
51