Pernod Ricard provides career support for Vietnamese youngsters

Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh, managing director of Pernod Ricard Vietnam, talked to VIR’s Hong Anh about the company’s vision for the programme.

What motivated Pernod Ricard to initiate the programme?

As one of the world’s largest wine and spirits producers, we have a responsibility to ensure sustainable development, and give back to the community wherever we operate. As a company, we are deeply tied to local communities and are looking to contribute to their development, with a special focus on promoting entrepreneurship as a way of value creation.

In Vietnam, we recognise the need to offer specialised vocational training and occupational skills for young people, especially those in difficult circumstances. According to the General Statistics Office, the more than 53 million Vietnamese are within working age, and among these, many vulnerable youths in the country lack access to affordable skills training and a career path. 

To respond to this need, Pernod Ricard has partnered up with the bartending department of Nguyen Truong To Vocational School in Ho Chi Minh City. The positive results we have seen so far have been a great inspiration for us to maintain the programme over the past four years.

Why did Pernod Ricard decide to provide training for disadvantaged young people of all the available CSR programmes? 

Each of our markets has its own set of unique challenges. In Vietnam, we recognise the need for further training and support to help the youth, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to have access to better opportunities and a brighter future. 

According to REACH, a non-profit organisation working to support the Vietnamese youth, the unemployment rate in the 15-24 age bracket has been relatively high, standing at 7 per cent over the last decade, compared to the overall unemployment rate of 2.88%.

To us, this signals the need for urgent action to provide access to training and employment opportunities, especially for disadvantaged young people.

How does Pernod Ricard support graduates from its course in their future career? Do they get access to your global network and expertise?

We select 100 participants each year for a three-month professional bartending course, providing them with all-round essential skills and knowledge, along with the best international standards in professional ethics and awareness of responsible drinking and community welfare.

One of the key elements of this programme includes training students in the norms of professional conduct, including strong interpersonal skills, which help students advance further at their workplace.

To keep the learning momentum, and to inspire students further, each year we invite experienced global bartenders to share their experiences and best practices.

Along with our partner, we commit to give up to 80% of the students job opportunities upon completing the course. Graduates from the programme are now working for employers like the Renaissance Riverside Hotel, Escape Bar, and Runam Bistro. Many of our trainees have set the bar high. Mai Thao, an outstanding student from 2014, recently reached the Top 5 in the Asia Pacific Cocktail Competition held in Singapore.

With these elements, we believe that the Bartender Career Start-up programme has built a solid foundation for Vietnamese youth to achieve greater success in their careers.

What community programmes has Pernod Ricard introduced globally?

Globally, we have implemented various programmes that encourage responsible drinking, promote the development of local communities, and help protect the environment.

Pernod Ricard is a member of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) that aims to encourage consumers to enjoy their drinks responsibly. In Vietnam, we have also participated in the forum of Vietnam Alliance for Responsible Drinking.

What are Pernod Ricard’s vision and strategy for CSR activities in Vietnam and in the world?

Corporate Social Responsibility has always been a very important activity for us as a company.

We have always made sure to create a close link between our operations and the host communities, with a special focus on helping along their development, promoting entrepreneurship, sharing local cultural traditions, as well as supporting openness, respect, and human diversity. 

In addition, outside our own operations, we share the values of our business partners and shareholders, and keep the principles of sustainable business growth at the core of what we do.