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Absolut Sustainability

Karin Ekroth, Senior Manager of Communications & Sustainability for The Absolut Company, shares how the world’s sixth-largest international spirits brand—with production of nearly 26 million gallons in fiscal year 2018/19—works toward a circular economy.

According to Ekroth, the paper bottle initiative is a step-by-step journey to reduce and replace the need for polymers.
According to Ekroth, the paper bottle initiative is a step-by-step journey to reduce and replace the need for polymers.

Packaging World:

Does The Absolut Company’s sustainability goals mirror those of its parent company, Pernod Ricard, or have you tailored them specifically for the brands under Absolut?

Karin Ekroth:

As part of the Pernod Ricard Group, our sustainability and responsibility strategy is aligned with the 2030 roadmap, Good Times from a Good Place, which was launched in 2019. The essence of Good Times from a Good Place captures an idea that sits at the heart of our heritage as company—a simple commitment to do the right thing, whether it is for each other, our consumers, our business, our society, or the environment. This strategy covers four big ambitions: Nurturing Terroir, Valuing People, Circular Making, and Responsible Hosting. While these strategic pillars are all relevant at different stages of our business, we are focusing on Circular Making, demonstrated by our ongoing commitment to a truly circular economy and ecosystem.

Regarding packaging, The Absolut Company’s 2018/19 sustainability report includes goals such as increasing the use of recycled content in your packaging and using less cardboard. Do you have specific numbers attached to these goals?

Yes we have a variety of goals tailored to the brands within The Absolut Company. In April 2020, Malibu included 30% recycled PET plastic in our U.S. bottles, exceeding our goal and the commitment set by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to achieve a target of 25% by 2025. We are excited and proud for this first step, but we won’t stop there in our efforts to have a real impact. In the next one to five years, we will further increase the percentage of rPET use in plastic containers, as using rPET over virgin polymers drastically cuts carbon footprint.


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