Pernod Ricard Korea operates a training program to establish a sustainable bar culture

Pernod Ricard Korea, the Korean unit of the global wine and spirits company Pernod Ricard, has been fanning the fresh breeze of sustainability stirring within Korean bar culture.  
Pernod Ricard Korea launched its Bar World of Tomorrow training program in January this year. It is being provided to bartenders and bar owners in an effort to help establish a more sustainable and eco-friendly bar culture in Korea.

French-based Pernod Ricard Group is a world-leading wine and spirits company best known for its international whiskies and spirits, including Ballantine’s, Royal Salute, and Absolut. The company launched a 2030 Sustainability & Responsibility Roadmap that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has been working towards the determined targets, such as Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting. 

In line with its Sustainability and Responsibility Roadmap, Pernod Ricard Korea has been conducting a variety of activities such as the elimination of single-use plastics; responsible drinking guidelines known as ‘Eat, Pause, and Hydrate’; and ‘Make Memories, Not Hangovers’, a digital campaign for responsible drinking. What’s more, the company launched its Bar World of Tomorrow training program in January this year to encourage sustainable bar operations and responsible serving. It has been offering the training to bar owners and bartenders aged 19 or above. Pernod Ricard Korea is aiming at building a sustainable and mutually respectful culture of partnership with partners in each region through this professional training program.  

The program introduces a variety of sustainability and responsibility activities and examples that have been executed at the group level. It helps participants share their own sustainability practices and discuss various ideas. Participants in the training learn ways to practice sustainability across all aspects of bar operation from reducing water/energy consumption, replacing single-use items with eco-friendly ones, and sourcing products in a way that can reduce carbon emissions to minimizing food waste while still maintaining product quality. They also share sustainable cocktail recipes. What’s more, they learn know-how for sustainable bar operation directly from Junghyun Seo, the owner of the ‘Bar Jangsaeng,’ which is well known for its eco-friendly processes. This will help them find ways to apply the concept of sustainability across all areas of their business. 

What’s noteworthy is that the scope of sustainability in the training is not limited to material sourcing or conservation of resources, but also includes responsible serving and sustainability within the job of bartender. Participants have particularly liked how the training allows them to think about the sustainability within the job of bartender and working conditions that allow them to practice sustainability, as well as ways that responsible serving can be supported in the bar given that what they ultimately offer to consumers is alcohol. 

Insung Jung, the owner of Chaeg Bar in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul, took part in the Bar of Tomorrow training last month and commented, “Operating the bar for a long time, I have always thought that environmental protection is important. This is the first chance I’ve had to get relevant training. Thanks to this training, I realized that there are many ways to reduce my carbon footprint even simply when I make and offer a cocktail. I am now able to expand my conception of sustainability, which had been just a vague concept to me so far, and apply the learning to my bar operation.” 

In addition, Pernod Ricard Korea has partnered with major universities in Korea to offer training to students aged 19 or above majoring in hotel management and culinary arts. Students from the Hotel Management Department of Dongseo University in Busan and from the Tourism Administration Department and Culinary Arts Department of Kookje University in Pyeongtaek participated in the training in April and May respectively. 

The Bar World of Tomorrow offered by Pernod Ricard Korea is establishing itself as one of the leading training programs provided by a liquor company in an effort to build an eco-friendly bar culture. Over the four months from January to May 2022, a total of 130 people completed the training, including 60 university students. Considering that the number of participants had to be limited due to COVID-19, it is expected that even more people will be able to take part down the road. 

The offline training, currently being offered in Seoul and other major cities will be gradually expanded nationwide. The English contents of the training program are available free of charge at EdApp, a mobile training application offered by Pernod Ricard Group.   

Alex Ryoo, HR and Corporate Affairs Director at Pernod Ricard Korea, noted, “We will continue to provide the program to build a sustainable and eco-friendly bar culture that can fit the Korean market. We expect that the community being created by the training will help to establish a more eco-friendly system across the entire industry. We will not provide just a one-off training, but are preparing follow-up sessions to ensure that what people learn about sustainability is practiced in the field and participants can have a chance to share their own experiences.”   
 

Pernod Ricard Korea (페르노리카 코리아) Pernod Ricard Korea (페르노리카 코리아)