Employee volunteers join forces in ongoing efforts to support and develop local communities
SCOTCH whisky and premium gin producer, Chivas Brothers, has marked National Volunteers Week 2017 by ramping up its efforts to support community projects nationwide.
The activity formed part of the seventh edition of Responsib’ALL Day, a global day of action hosted annually by its parent company, Pernod Ricard.
Chivas Brothers’ 1,600 employees joined forces to help support and develop their local communities with dedicated projects across the UK including restoring a children’s play area through to revamping shared spaces for vulnerable children and adults. The events took place near Chivas Brothers’ sites in London and Scotland on Thursday 1st of June.
Throughout the year, Chivas Brothers offers a volunteering programme and provides funding to encourage positive change across areas local to its sites. Employees are able to take part in a range of different community projects including Chivas Spirit of Support – a staff-inspired volunteering programme – and the company’s Doubling Up scheme, where the firm will match up to £500 in fundraising per employee.
On top of that, employees can vote for a Charity of the Year which is subsequently supported through fundraising initiatives.
On Responsib’ALL Day 2017, a 100 strong team from Chivas Brothers House in Hammersmith, London, partnered with Sands End Associated Projects in Action (SEPIA) to help rejuvenate a children’s play area.
Armed with paint brushes and tools, employees rolled up their sleeves to help paint fences, decorate the surrounding garden areas and complete much-needed maintenance work at the Sands End Adventure Playground in Fulham.
In Scotland, teams from Paisley and Dumbarton joined forces to volunteer with Quarriers Village, one of Scotland’s largest social care charities for vulnerable children, adults and their families.
The teams were tasked with improving facilities by decorating communal spaces, installing children’s play equipment and renovating garden areas.
In addition, dozens of green-fingered employees from the company’s Strathisla Distillery helped to spruce up St Rufus Park in Keith, working with Moray Council and St Rufus Regeneration Group to paint fencing around the tennis courts and install a basketball hoop in the pavilion area.
Across Chivas Brothers’ 32 sites – including Orkney, in Scotland and Plymouth, in England – employees partnered with local food banks, where donated food items for those most in need.
Laurent Lacassagne, chair and CEO of Chivas Brothers, said: “It’s really important for us to give our employees the chance to volunteer in their local communities and whilst we have lots of activities planned throughout the year, Responsib’ALL Day offers the opportunity to join our colleagues across the globe and collectively make a difference.
“Having the chance to volunteer means our employees are able to dedicate their time to a number of fantastic good causes and can also feel part of a shared mission to help build strong communities.
“This year, we are supporting a number of important projects that we hope will make a difference to the lives of those around us. I’m extremely proud of the dedication and motivation of every employee and I’m confident our efforts will have a long-lasting impact.”
Kristen Stephenson, volunteering development manager at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, added: “Employer-supported volunteering is a great way for businesses to enable their staff to benefit a variety of good causes and make a difference to people in local communities.
“Employees benefit from gaining new skills and experience including improved communication skills, confidence and increased community awareness. The business also benefits as employees bring what they have learned back to the day job.
“I hope that Responsib’ALL Day will be a great success for everyone involved and that it will inspire many of Chivas Brothers’ employees to stay involved in their local communities in the long-term.”
Investing in and developing local communities is just one of Chivas Brothers business priorities along with promoting responsible drinking, protecting the planet and empowering its people.
Notes for editors:
About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands, including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the single malt whisky that set the standard; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, recognised as the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly-acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.
www.chivasspirit.com
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Sophie Marsden smarsden@lexispr.com or Jessica Kirby jkirby@lexispr.com
About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,682 million in FY16. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin and Malibu, Mumm and Perrier Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with six ‘Brand Companies’ and 85 ‘Market Companies’ established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on three key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
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