Pernod Ricard has joined non-profit Bonsucro, an organization committed to sustainability in the sugarcane sector, as part of its efforts to use sustainable raw materials in its products.
Its membership means it will abide to two key standards; the Bonsucro Production Standard, which certifies production conditions in sugar cane mills and farms, and the Bonsucro Chain of Custody Standard, established to ensure the traceability of sugar cane products and sustainability claims throughout the supply chain.
After grapes and cereals, sugar cane is one of the global drinks giant’s main raw materials. Across 2014 and 2015, it used the equivalent of 776,000 tonnes of sugar cane to manufacture drinks, mainly in rums and liqueurs like Malibu and Kahlúa.
According to a statement released by Pernod Ricard, it is committed to “driving sustainability in agricultural raw materials through sourcing practices, with a specific focus on the sugar cane products sector”.
The company noted that sugar cane is often grown in countries that have poor labour regulations, which threatens workers’ rights to decent wages, as well as their health, and the environment.
Sugar cane goes through a complex procurement chain; as a commodity product, it goes through a wide range of intermediates, from cane growers, to mills and traders. This complexity can lead to traceability issues.
Pernod Ricard commented that it “aims to influence progress and transformation on the sugar cane supply market through collective action,” to drive sustainability.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Jenny Whelan. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
