Pernod Ricard India Toasts the Success of an Inclusive Workplace with over 40 Percent Women Representation in India Leadership

New Delhi, Delhi, India –

•  Achieves 100% diversity at Pernod Ricard India Foundation (PRIF) constituting women and PWD (specially-abled) in their workforce

•  Accelerates IDE agenda by achieving over 50% diversity at shop floor in 15 of their 27 manufacturing units in India in line with the global IWD theme of embracing equity 

Pernod Ricard India (PRI), a global leader in the wine and spirit industry, celebrated the milestone of being a gender equitable organization with more than 40% women representation in its leadership. Accelerating the realization of the organisation’s diversity goals for 2030, the company has enhanced its recruitment processes, introduced multiple interventions and programs across its operations in the last two years. As a result, Pernod Ricard India has achieved a significant increase in diversity yardstick with 50% of all new employees being diversity candidates in the last one year. Representing strong, diverse voices and perspectives at every level, the company also marked 50% representation of women and diverse workforce on the shop floor in over 15 of their 27 manufacturing units in India. Aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and company’s 2030 roadmap, this IDE milestone follows a long-standing commitment to driving inclusion of all genders, abilities and other intersectionalities in the workplace.
 
Speaking on this International Women’s Day, Nitu Bhushan, CHRO, Pernod Ricard India said, “We began our Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (IDE) journey in 2020 with a strong ambition and an aim to set industry benchmarks for more organizations to follow. We believe that promoting an inclusive culture, diversity of thought and equity among our employees can unearth insights that can potentially spur exponential business growth. Our dedication to establishing a diverse workplace through numerous high-impact policies, sensitization and mentorship programs is designed to nurture an environment where employees feel secure, grow, and bring their true selves to work. We are thrilled to have made a strong start and we will continue to further our vision of fostering an inclusive and convivial workplace for people beyond genders.”
 
Diversity, Inclusion and Equity is central to Pernod Ricard India’s strategic framework. Setting a stellar example of this commitment, Pernod Ricard India Foundation, the CSR arm of the company, is today being led by 100% diverse workforce constituting women and persons with disabilities (PWD). This year the company has also achieved 70% diversity at shopfloor in its workforce across 8 of 27 manufacturing units in India.
 
Speaking on gender equitable workforce, Zainab Patel, Chief- IDE, Pernod Ricard India said, “Gender equity is positively correlated with the profitability of a company, value creation and outperforming competitors. Companies with more women on their boards tend to outperform their competitors in return on equity, return on sales, return on capital, share performance, and stock price growth – this is the IDE story at Pernod Ricard India.”
 
To further its IDE agenda, Pernod Ricard India has rolled out immersive training sessions, sensitization, and mentorship programs to drive inclusivity and equity across the ecosystem. Initiatives such as gender-neutral washrooms, disability accessibility space, wellness and faith room for employees are part of the larger ID&E goal of the company. To enable an empowering work environment for LGBTQI+ employees, programs such as Redressal Group, Allyship Program with Pride Circle, Employee Resource Group for the community members and Micro-learning Capsule for sharing pride journey have been instituted. Apart from this, the company has also formed IDE Council which is chaired by the MD of the company and focuses on aspects such as career after break, skilling, unique mentorship programs and other inclusivity programs for women and people with disabilities.

To make it big this International Women’s Day, this council has introduced ‘Back to Spirit’ initiative for women who have taken a break from their career and want to get back to work. In the next phase, this program will be extended to members of all genders and orientations. Taking cognizance of existing sub-conscious biases against LGBTQI+ community, the company has also worked on modules that educate the employees on language and drama-based training to sensitive employees across the ecosystem. To make the workplace more inclusive for PWDs, the company has structured audits that help in identifying roles for specialized skill opening doors for the community members- while bringing them into mainstream employment.
 
Pernod Ricard India has long been challenging stereotypes and writing its own story in the traditionally male-dominated alco-bev industry. The company will continue to advance diversity narrative by stepping up its efforts to establish a fair, balanced, and convivial workplace.

About Pernod Ricard India

Pernod Ricard India Private Limited (PRI) is a fully owned subsidiary of Pernod Ricard South Asia and a fast-growing multinational alcohol-beverage company delivering quality products to its consumers across the country.

Impressive Brand Portfolio
Home to renowned brands in each category, Pernod Ricard India holds one of the most dynamic and premium portfolios in the industry, led by Seagram’s whiskies that include Royal Stag, Royal Stag Barrel Select, Blenders Pride, Blenders Pride Reserve Collection, Imperial Blue, 100 Pipers and a wide range of international premium brands such as Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute and Jameson Irish whiskey. Some of the eminent brands in the white spirits category include ABSOLUT vodka, Jacob’s Creek and Campo Viejo wines, Martell cognac, Beefeater and Monkey 47 gin, Kahlúa, and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagne.

Global yet committed to ‘Make in India’
India continues to be a priority market and central to Pernod Ricard’s operations globally. Being one of the fastest growing businesses for Pernod Ricard globally, the Group’s commitment to the “Make in India” initiative is reflected in its sales portfolio within India, which comprises over 97% of domestically produced brands. With six overseas manufacturing locations including Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Nigeria, and Cameroon, and a global footprint in 50+ countries, Seagram’s whiskies are being exported to 33 countries across the world.

With 30 years of rich legacy and operations in India, the company operates through its two distilleries in Nashik (Maharashtra) and Behror (Rajasthan) apart from 30 bottling sites across the country. The company also has a state-of-the-art distillery and winery at Nashik (Maharashtra), one-of-its-kind integrated risk management and zero pollution facility. The two units – Nashik and Rocky, have also become the first winery and the first Alco-Bev units, respectively, to receive the FSSC 22000 certification.

Responsible and Growing for Good
Pernod Ricard India is recognized as an industry leader with accolades including ‘Best Places to Work 2021’ by BW People, Stevie 2021 – Gold for Great Employers and The Economic Times ‘Best Places to Work for Women 2021’. The company has also been certified as 'The Great Place to Work 2021' by the Great Place to Work Institute. With a strong focus on Diversity & Inclusion, Pernod Ricard India has over 50% representation of women on the shop floor in their manufacturing sites in the South and East Zone.

Pernod Ricard India believes in ‘Creating Shared Value’ for the business and local communities in a way that drives transformational growth and development for the country. Pernod Ricard India Foundation (PRIF), a Section 8 Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (“Act”), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PRI, instituted to fulfil its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility near its operations and beyond. 

Leading Brands and Industry Associations Rally Behind Protein Day 2023

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – 

Leading brands and industry associations are joining Protein Day 2023 celebrations to help promote protein awareness and sufficiency in India. Protein is the most essential macronutrient for our overall well-being, but protein deficiency continues to be a trigger for many health concerns. Experts in the country suggest that awareness of protein foods, their benefits and long-term behaviour change among citizens is the need of the hour. To drive this mission, ‘Protein Day’ is observed on 27th February as an annual awareness day to highlight the importance of adequate protein consumption.

With the 2023 theme of ‘Easy Access to Protein for All’, the goal this year is to draw attention to the accessibility of protein foods and encourage citizens to learn more about the many protein food choices available. ‘Right To Protein’, a public-health initiative has garnered overwhelming support from organizations, industry leaders, and subject matter experts to rally the cause of Protein Day this year. Key supporters include protein food manufacturers, associations, and smart protein brands, among others. Freshpick, GladFul, Hello Tempayy, PlantVita, Nihkan, Evolve Foods, LabelBlind, CLFMA Of India, foodio.fit, Agroshift, PCK Agriventures, and more are celebrating Protein Day with educative promotions and conversations.

"Protein plays a crucial role in India’s mission towards nutrition security. But lack of nutritional awareness and protein education remains a concern. Celebrating Protein Day is a means to play a key role in changing India’s nutritional knowledge and help citizens to bridge the awareness and accessibility gap," said D. Varun Reddy, Director and CEO of Sneha Group, a leading Indian poultry conglomerate. "By doing the same, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing quality and affordable nutrition to consumers, which has always been at the core of our existence.”

“As a representative of the Indian restaurant industry, we strongly believe that the food we make and serve is a vehicle for good health and nourishment. And protein plays a significant role in the growth and development of every consumer’s health. We are proud to celebrate Protein Day along with ‘Right To Protein’ to help play our part in bridging the existing knowledge and accessibility gap for adequate protein consumption in India,” added Jaison Chacko, Secretary General at The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India.

Vyal Adhye, Founder of Freshpick, Seafood and Meat Specialists said, "As producers of safe, and chemical-free lean meat and seafood products, we understand the importance of educating consumers about protein. India suffers from low protein intake mainly due to the many myths and low awareness of the importance of protein in our nutritional requirements. A kilogram of fresh chicken is the most economical source of protein to meet the dietary requirements of an Indian household, specifically for 75% of the country who are non-vegetarians. But even non-vegetarians in India do not consume adequate protein, therefore we need to observe a dedicated Protein Day to simply remind Indian citizens that protein needs to be included in every meal, about 1/4th of their plates!"

"The 2023 Protein Day theme is about protein accessibility. And easy-to-access protein for all starts by offering protein choices that can be incorporated into one's daily life. As a result, the Indian food industry needs to innovate and bring forth more protein food choices for all kinds of diets. We strongly believe protein consumption in India is going to exponentially grow over the next decade, driven by favourable demographics and increased purchasing power," added Siddharth Ramasubramanian, CEO & Founder of Hello Tempayy, stated.

The urgent need to create awareness about protein consumption in India with the Protein Day movement is gaining rightful momentum. Protein Day will witness a nutritional education drive on protein at different platforms in the country, including social media-led mass awareness, supported by like-minded individuals, brands, organisations, experts, associations and more. Join the movement, celebrate #ProteinDay today and take a step towards a more nutritionally secure world.

About ‘Right To Protein’

‘Right To Protein’ is a public health awareness initiative to educate citizens about the importance of adequate protein consumption for better nutrition, health and well-being. #RightToProtein initiative aspires to build knowledge of different types of protein sources, both, animal and plant protein-based, to meet larger nutritional goals. Right To Protein aims to develop an ecosystem of institutions, organisations, experts, professionals and more to drive protein awareness, debunk myths and misconceptions about protein and protein food sources and rally for nutrition security through adequate protein consumption. The ecosystem will aim to improve the production, consumption quality, and consistency of plant and animal proteins. Right To Protein is supported by several like-minded global individuals, academicians, professionals, and institutions and is open for those who would like to join and/or contribute in any capacity, including providing knowledge, and technical support or as promotion partners.

The World’s 1st Home Bar Festival by THE VAULT

 To be hosted on 25th & 26th February, 2023 at Jio World Garden, Mumbai

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – 

THE VAULT HOME BAR FESTIVAL set to be a one-of-a-kind festival in the world, is dedicated to inspiring fine spirits enthusiasts interested in curating their personal home bar collections, over two days.
 
The festival will have four verticals wherein the brands will get to engage with the audience in spaces specially created to heighten the sensory experience of a fine spirits explorer:

1.  TASTE: Here is where the distillers and brands get to interact with the visitors in a one-on-one engagement. Through tasting pours, the brands will get to share the history, the story of the spirit, its personality and character, and enthrall the visitors with their creations.

100+ handcrafted spirits from around the world and 20+ master distillers will be available for in-depth conversations at the festival 

2.  DISCOVER: This unique, multi-sensory space will be used in collaboration with brands to design, execute and engage the audience using spirits in more unconventional ways.

Over 6 unique experiences co-hosted by Prateek Bhaktiani of Ether, Kunali Dattoobhai of Sucres Des Terres, Subko & more. The experiences will be accompanied by the DISCOVER BAR featuring 12 global whisky and rum labels that are not only being seen for the first time in India, but are in fact, rare to find anywhere.

Also, releasing at the festival is a limited edition single malt which will only be available for pre-orders at the festival. 

3.  LISTEN: In a special theater setting, expect fascinating conversations with a curious audience to tell a story.

Apart from the best and brightest from the fine spirits industry, there will be an impressive list of panelists including: Gauri Devidayal - Co-founder, Food Matters Group & esteemed podcast host, Shreya Soni- Delhi Secret Supper Club, Anjali Batra- Gin Explorers Club, Aditi Dugar- Masque, Chef Avinash Martins- Cavatina, Minakshi Singh- Side Car and Atul Kasbekar-Photographer & Film Producer and many more. 

4.  INDULGE: Handpicked Mixologists from the World’s Best Bars will enthrall the audience in creative expressions of their mixology. Exclusive and ticketed, the evening promises to turn up the electricity by a few notches for cocktail lovers.

The festival will be bringing together the world’s #1 bar Paradiso, Barcelona and two world-class bars that frequently appear in the World’s 50 Best Bars list; Lost & Found Drinkery, Cyprus and Le Club, Japan.

Commenting on the announcement of the festival, Keshav Prakash, Founder and Chief Curator,  says, “We at THE VAULT have been consistently striving to feel the pulse of fine spirits enthusiasts and connoisseurs and elevate their experiences to something unlike anything seen before in India. With ever more discerning drinkers, it isn’t a surprise that India is soon poised to be one of the World’s largest ‘AT-HOME’ consumption markets for Craft & Fine Spirits. More and more fine artisan spirits are making their way into intimate gatherings at homes. This changing and encouraging visage of India, has led to us envisioning and hosting THE VAULT HOME BAR FESTIVAL.”

Anand Virmani, Co-Founder, Nao Spirits and the maker of Hapusa Gin echoes Keshav’s thoughts “Going out for a drink has long been filled with curiosity and excitement, and it’s only recently that all our personal bars at home have started to reflect some of the same. The pandemic has forced us indoors and given us all the time and desire to explore the nuances of the drink at home so this celebration of the home bar is a timely one!”
 
With an expected 3000+ visitors and guests, THE VAULT HOME BAR FESTIVAL is here on going to be a yearly destination. Through this festival, The Vault hopes that by engaging the craft spirits explorers in various experiences, they will add a whole new repertoire to their at-home hosting, by bringing in their preferences and personality to it.
 
Rishi Walli, Senior Commercial Director, Beam Suntory India shares, “Our participation in the Vault Home Bar Festival allows us an opportunity to cater to India's discerning and growing fine spirits enthusiasts, who can taste, discover, listen, and indulge while experiencing the finer nuances of premium and diverse range of spirits. The outlook for alcoholic beverages has seen a positive shift due to a greater preference for premium spirits and quality F&B experiences that are increasingly being fostered by festivals like Vault. Consumers nowadays are curating home bars with luxury and super-premium spirits for at-home smaller group experiences, signaling the rise of Premiumisation. Home consumption and experimenting with cocktail culture are also expected to remain relevant given its safe, engaging, and fulfilling.”
 
The whole team at THE VAULT has been striving to build a culture of fine spirits appreciation in India and beyond, and they believe that the festival will be a space for such conversations, connections, tips and trivia that the visiting fine spirits enthusiasts from around the country can gather from craft distillers, industry experts, F&B pioneers and world mixologists who are traveling to be there from around the world.

99 Percent Mothers Believe That Their Children Are Curious: Tata Salt Survey

More than 1/4th moms feel that their children lack opportunities to express themselves 

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – 

Tata Salt, a pioneer and market leader in India’s branded iodized salt, conducted a survey with moms about their children through Momspresso, which gave some interesting insight into their curiosity quotient (CQ).
 
The survey is part of the brand’s belief that curiosity, which is synonymous with children, needs to be nurtured by providing them with opportunities to ask questions. While the budding generation is known to ask questions to understand the world around them, a simple ‘why’ or ‘how’ by them can and has changed the dynamics around us. Political leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs have often tapped into this curiosity to bring about a change for the better in their society as well as their nations.
 
In fact, parents these days are at the forefront of stoking the spirit of imagination in their children and actively encouraging them to read and be inquisitive. Taking that thought forward, Tata Salt’s survey threw up some interesting findings and reactions from mothers who were questioned about the curiosity quotient in their children. Around 99% of them believe that their child was not only curious, but wanted to know more about the world. Around 74% moms also feel that their children have enough avenues and platforms to ask questions while 26% feel that their children lack opportunities to express themselves.
 
The questions that left the moms stumped and speechless were not only centred on just birth, death and education, but also gender stereotypes, poverty, equality and planet Earth. Sample of a few of these quirky questions: “Why are we treated differently when we all belong to the same country?”, “Why do people waste water when there is so much scarcity” or "If plastic is harmful then why did we invent it?"
 
Tata Salt believes that children are the future of the country and their voices need to be heard. Children have an inquisitiveness about the world around them and they deserve the right platforms to bring their questions in front of the country, as they have the power to change the world for the better.

This was an online survey conducted by Tata Salt and Momspresso. 1000 mothers with kids in the age group of 5yrs-10yrs across 12 cities of India- (Delhi, Mumbai, Bhiwani, Kolkata, Lucknow, Agra, Gurugram, Pune, Ghaziabad, Ahmedabad, Noida and Kanpur) were part of the survey.

Seagram’s Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water, COLORS and Wavemaker India Come Together for Groundbreaking New Year’s Campaign

Seagram’s Imperial Blue packaged drinking water would enable people to give a surprise to their friends and family, by creating personalized wishes featuring their favourite TV actors and Bigg Boss favorites Karan Kundrra, Nishant Bhat and Pratik Sehajpal

New Delhi, Delhi, India – 

This New Year, Seagram’s Imperial Blue packaged drinking water will brighten up celebrations by enabling its consumers to create personalized wishes and surprise their friends and family. One of the most iconic brands in the industry, in partnership with Wavemaker India who co-conceptualized this with COLORS, launches AI technology-driven personalized New Year Greetings, featuring leading stars from COLORS, Karan Kundrra, Nishant Bhat and Pratik Sehajpal.
 
This is the first time a brand in this category has used AI technology to do such an innovative campaign. A category first innovation where multi-talent and multiple syllable voice video synthesis has been crafted and deployed. The campaign will feature celebrities from the last two co-created campaigns – Karan Kundrra, Pratik Sehajpal and Nishant Bhat.
 
Commenting on the same, Ishwindar Singh, General Manager - Marketing, Pernod Ricard India, said, “It’s great to partner with COLORS with this AI enabled, clutter breaking innovation – This unique partnership will enable our audience to surprise their loved ones with personalized light-hearted new year message featuring their favorite TV stars. With COLORS we are happy to create a unique moment of convivialite between Seagram’s Imperial Blue packaged drinking water, our consumers, their family, friends and loved ones and for the first time - their favorite stars. Spreading cheer during the new year aligns strongly with the brand's core philosophy of inspiring its patrons to embrace life with a smile.”
 
Commenting on the campaign, Vivek Mohan Sharma, Head – Branded Content, Viacom18, said, “It’s a one-of-a-kind, breakthrough campaign where we are experimenting with newer ways to integrate technology in brand stories. This creates a high impact, immersive experience for consumers. We are proud of this innovation and grateful to our partners for trusting our vision.”
 
This AI activity will encourage the viewers to go to a Microsite www.colorstv.com/becausemenwillbemen, select their favourite artist they would want wishes from, enter the names and the video will be created with personal wishes from their favourite celebrities and the videos will be downloadable and sharable on WhatsApp and social media sites like Facebook.