Pernod Ricard Sends Nine Young Employees to the One Young World Summit for the Second Year in a Row

Paris, October 13, 2014 /3BL Media/ -- For the second year in a row, Pernod Ricard is sending nine of its young talents to the One Young World Summit to be held in Dublin from 15 to 19 October. After attending the event last year, the group of young employees made one simple recommendation: to create an internal committee to make their generation’s voice heard by the Group’s decision-makers. That is how the Youth Action Council, a think tank exclusively composed of young employees under 30, was born. Their mission: deliver their generation’s vision on the Group’s strategic issues directly to the Top Management. The nine members are supervised by Pernod Ricard University and will represent Pernod Ricard at the One Young World Summit.

The Youth Action Council will proactively submit innovative ideas to the Directors to be converted into concrete actions, whilst also highlighting best practices already rolled out within the Group. It serves as an opportunity for committee members to boost their skills by sponsoring projects, each one of them being mentored by a senior executive within the Group. 

The YAC consists of 9 members of different nationalities representing the company’s key functions:  legal, human resources, IT, sales, finance, production, corporate social responsibility, marketing and communication.   

The members of the first Youth Action Council are elected for one year and can stand for re-election once. They are selected by all employees of their own generation in the Group, and are:

•       Yapa Thepkanjana, Assistant Legal Manager, Pernod Ricard Asia,

•       Lide Aguirrezabalaga Unamuno, Human Resources Specialist, Pernod Ricard Spain,

•       Michael Joo, Digital Architect, Pernod Ricard Winemakers,

•       Louis Chaignaud, Brand Development Manager Olmeca, Pernod Ricard Mexico,

•       Anna Wisniewska, Financial Control Manager, The Absolut Company,

•       Diego Cantu, Project Coordinator, Pernod Ricard Mexico,

•       Oksana Kostiv, Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist – Pernod Ricard Russia,

•       Laura Hogan, Assistant Brand Manager, Pernod Ricard Australia,

•       Amandine Robin, Communications Director, Corby.

At the launch of the Youth Action Council, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Ricard said; “These young employees are the spokespersons of a new generation that is vital to Pernod Ricard: I want to give them the opportunity to express their opinion and to share their vision for the future of the Group. The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about the YAC is ‘action’”. He adds “Their recommendations will have to be rapidly transformed into concrete projects or initiatives to help the Group move forward, create value and innovate in many fields.” 

Picture. Members of the Youth Action Council from left to right: Anna Wisniewska, Lide Aguirrezabalaga Unamuno, Louis Chaignaud, Laura Hogan, Diego Cantu, Amandine Robin. Absentee members: Oksana Kostiv, Michael Joo, Yapa Thepkanjana.

About One Young World
One Young World was founded in 2009 by David Jones, Kate Robertson and Founding Corporate Partner: Havas. It’s a UK-based not-for-profit that gathers together the brightest young people from around the world, empowering them to make lasting connections to create positive change. It stages an annual Summit where the most valuable young talent from global and national companies, NGO's, universities and other forward-thinking organisations are joined by world leaders, acting as the One Young World Counsellors. At the Summit, delegates debate, formulate and share innovative solutions for the pressing issues the world faces. At past Summits delegates were joined by a line-up of Counsellors that included Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof, Kofi Annan, Sir Richard Branson, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Jamie Oliver, Jack Dorsey and Arianna Huffington. After each Summit, the delegates, who are then known as One Young World Ambassadors, work on their own initiatives or lend the power of the One Young World network to those initiatives already in existence. Of those in employment, many return to their companies and set about creating change from within, energising their corporate environment.

About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits with consolidated sales of € 7,945 million in 2013/14. 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, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate (formerly Montana), Campo Viejo and Graffigna wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 80 “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 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on the NYSE Euronext exchange (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

Contacts Pernod Ricard

Sylvie Machenaud / Director External Communications                                            +33 (0)1 41 00 42 74

Carina Alfonso Martin / Press Relations Manager                                                    +33 (0)1 41 00 43 42