Irish Distillers
Membership Status:
Membership Pending
Sector:
Beverages
About the company
Irish Distillers is Ireland's leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of some of the world's most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, the company's brands are driving the global renaissance of the category. Jameson is the world's bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and the portfolio of brands exports to more than 130 markets around the world. Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, Irish Distillers has invested over €400 million to double its production and bottling capacity sustainably to meet global demand for products. The company employs over 600 people across operations in Cork, Dublin and Belfast.
Key Sustainability Commitments
Spotlight Target Area: Supplier Sustainability
Initiatives In 2020, Irish Distillers launched a tailored sustainability programme for barley growers and in 2021 the Origin Green member continued to further develop this initiative. The 'Sustainable Green Spring Barley Scheme' aims to support the longterm viability of the spring barley sector in Ireland by incentivising farmers to deliver further environmental benefits on their farms. Measures in the scheme aim to help growers reduce their carbon footprint and promote biodiversity on their farms. An additional payment of €15 per/tonne is payable directly to participating growers who meet the environmental and sustainability requirements outlined in the scheme. The number of barley growers participating in the sustainability programme increased from 212 in 2020 to 289 in 2021, exceeding their Origin Green plan target of 200, an outstanding achievement.
