1 M
LITRES OF HAND
SANITISER PRODUCED
4 M
LITRES OF PURE
ALCOHOL PROVIDED
Sanitiser production: helping our communities
In the early days of the pandemic, many communities faced difficulties in getting basic protective equipment such as masks and hand sanitiser. To combat potential shortages of a key resource in reducing the spread of Covid-19, Pernod Ricard swiftly reorganised distilling sites across the world, including France, Sweden, Ireland, UK, India and North America, to provide hand sanitiser or the pure alcohol needed to produce it. Six months into 2020, Pernod Ricard had provided over 4 million litres of pure alcohol and produced over 1 million litres of hand sanitiser. Inspired by the Group’s values and sense of shared responsibility, this massive mobilisation of employees embodies Pernod Ricard’s readiness to step up and support cross-sector efforts to protect community health.
Supporting livelihoods in hospitality
Hospitality has been one of the most affected sectors of the pandemic. The Group has rallied to help bartenders and other hospitality workers to survive the shutdown and compensate their lack of income. From donations in South Africa, gift vouchers to be used in bars and restaurants in Sweden, funding for meals in Australia and New Zealand, support for the US Bartender’s Guild relief fund to free online courses, founding member of the platform “J’aime mon bistrot” in France, Pernod Ricard has been multiplying efforts to help its partners. The Covid‑19 crisis has also highlighted people’s need to continue to meet and socialise in a safe setting. To ensure continued conviviality in small towns and villages, the Group is actively supporting local initiatives including ‘1000 Cafés’, which aims to open or keep cafés going in French towns with under 3,500 inhabitants.
A rapid response from our North American teams
Working quickly with the White House Taskforce to get the necessary regulatory approval, Pernod Ricard North America began producing sanitiser supplies at four sites – Fort Smith in Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas and Windsor, Canada. Within 48 hours, logistics teams had supported the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rush 6,000 gallons (over 22,000 litres) across the country to locations most in need. The operational teams ramped up production capacity to 20,000 gallons a month (over 75,000 litres), working with partners such as UPS to ensure weekly supplies to important first responders like the New York Police Department. Operational staff are using excess capacity, rearranging shifts and taking on additional responsibility to manage this urgent new need alongside production of the Group’s spirits.
« Responding in this hour of national need has given our own frontline teams in production an additional sense of purpose. »
Ann Mukherjee,
Chairwoman and CEO,
Pernod Ricard North America