Ahead of World Oceans Day today, a combined effort of more than 600 staff from Pernod Ricard in the UK: Pernod Ricard UK, Chivas Brothers and the Global Travel Retail division, joined together to help tackle water and land pollution.
Yesterday’s collective force focused on the clearing of rubbish from river foreshores and beaches across the UK as well as creating Rain Gardens, a natural filtration helping to transfer clean rain water back into the ground. Partnering with The Marine Conservation Society and Thames21, Pernod Ricard’s UK colleagues yesterday descended on the River Thames and multiple beachside locations clearing a significant amount of litter and recording the data for future research to help prevent contamination.
In Scotland, Chivas Brothers led partnerships with the River’s Trust, The Clyde Foundation and The Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust to restore the banks of the River Clyde and River Deveron. Throughout the day, employees helped to remove weeds and protect wildlife habitats at rick of pollution. While, in Chiswick, employees helped to create rain gardens at Chiswick House & Gardens, with the structures donated to local schools to boost their biodiversity.
The activities formed part of Responsib’All Day, an annual global event which sees 18,500 employees from Pernod Ricard affiliates around the world dedicate time and resources to support the group’s year-long global sustainability commitments. The businesses’ aim was to support the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals: ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’ and ‘Life on Land’.
Laurent Pillet, Managing Director of Pernod Ricard UK, said:
“This year we have taken the decision to rid our business of any single use plastic. We were proud to ban the use of plastic straws and stirrers in our business earlier this year but know there is more we can do. All of our colleagues’ efforts on Responsib’All Day to clear beaches and rivers of debris and pollution is just a small part of our commitment.”
James Duddridge MP Rochford and Southend East said:
“I applaud Pernod Ricard UK’s decision to rid their business of single use plastic and taking the time out to clear beaches and rivers of debris and pollution around the country today.
Earlier this year, I also pledged my support to #GiveUpPlasticForLent. The aim of this campaign was to reduce my own consumption of single use plastics and encourage my constituents at home to do the same.
As a coastal town we get a lot of visitors. Last bank holiday, our waste crews collected around twice the amount of litter as we would expect on a Bank Holiday, so the council have increased the number of beach bins, making bin liners available on entry to beaches on the central seafront and using beach flags to help people find beach bins on Victoria Beach and reduce the amount of debris and pollution that can then harm marine wildlife.
It is important to keep our beaches clean if we want to keep the ocean clean. Marine debris has become a pervasive pollution problem affecting all of the world’s oceans. Countless marine animals and sea birds become entangled in marine debris or ingest it. This can cause them serious harm and often results in their death.”
Pernod Ricard has signed a partnership with Impact 2030 to bring together campaigners from the private sector, civil society and academia to encourage company employees to help to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Responsib’All Day is just one activity which aims to support these goals. Most recently, Pernod Ricard announced a ban on non-biodegradable plastic straws and stirrers across its business.