Corby Spirit and Wine : Hiram Walker & Sons employees return to historic Ford City community for 7th...

Planting, painting, gardening and building projects to support Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal

WINDSOR, ON, June 1, 2017/CNW/ - Rather than coming into work today, the employees of Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. will instead spend the day painting, building, cleaning and gardening! This volunteering day is part of the seventh annual Pernod Ricard Responsib'All Day - a global day of action devoted to making a positive impact in communities around the world. Hiram Walker employees are returning to the historic Ford City neighbourhood, where they'll build upon the impactful revitalization projects they began there on Responsib'All Day 2016.

Ford City is a unique and historic community within Windsorthat began flourishing in the early 1900's with the opening of the Ford Motor Company plant. In partnership with Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal and the United Way, the employees of Hiram Walker & Sons will help with the ongoing revitalization of this vibrant community so it will continue to be a welcoming place for the public to enjoy.

The team at Hiram Walker & Sons is joined by the 18,500 worldwide employees of its parent company Pernod Ricard, and today they are all collectively acting as frontline ambassadors for the Group's Sustainability & Responsibility (S&R) commitments: promoting responsible drinking, empowering employees, protecting our planet and developing our communities. Under Pernod Ricard's S&R motto of 'Let's Live Together, Better', employees in 85 countries will provide local communities with places for meeting, talking and sharing with each other.

'We are so grateful that the Hiram Walker and Sons employees have chosen to roll up their sleeves in Ford City today,' says Lorraine Goddard, CEO, United Way Windsor-Essex County. 'Our organizations share a strong history of building communities and it is wonderful to see these employees dedicating their time into revitalizing one of our priority neighbourhoods. Strong communities are built through partnerships like these.'

Hiram Walker & Sons employs over 300 talented and passionate individuals, and produces some of Canada'sfavourite brands including J.P. Wiser's, Lot No. 40, Pike Creek, Gooderham & Worts and Royal Reserve Canadian whiskies, Polar Ice vodka, Malibu and Lamb's rums, and McGuinness liqueurs.

'Responsib'All Day is an incredible initiative that empowers our employees to make a difference in the community around us,' says Jim Stanski, VP Operations. 'I'm so proud of our wonderful Hiram Walker & Sons team who are hard at work today, armed with paint brushes, shovels and gardening gloves, to revitalize this Windsor, Ontarioneighbourhood and make it a better place for years to come.

Hiram Walker & Sons is marking Responsib'All Day together with its Canadian marketing and distribution affiliate Corby Spirit and Wine, and similar community-focused events will be taking place 10 other cities from coast to coast: Halifax, NS; Point Parlee, NB; Charlottetown, PEI; St. John's, NL; Frelighsburg, QC; Toronto, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB; and Vancouver, BC. Employees across the country will take part in initiatives to help improve green spaces, community centres, and public parks in their region.

About Ford City Neighbourhood Renewal

The FCNR is an neighbourhood engagement initiative dedicated to working with the community members of the Ford City area to increase neighbourhood safety, neighbourhood events, improve neighbourhood infrastructure, and connect resources that support the residential and commercial revitalization of Ford City. The initiative is primarily funded by a Neighbourhood Engagement grant from the United Way Centraide Windsor-Essex County.

About Hiram Walker & Sons Limited

Established nearly 160 years ago, Hiram Walker & Sons Limited's tradition of blending quality ingredients, processes and highly skilled people continues at the Windsor, Ontario based production facility. Hiram Walker produces brands such as J.P. Wiser's®, Lot No. 40®, Pike Creek®, Gooderham & Worts® and Royal Reserve® Canadian whiskies, Polar Ice® vodka, Malibu® and Lamb's® rums, and McGuinness® liqueurs for Canadian distribution by its affiliate, Corby Spirit and Wine Limited. Hiram Walker is a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard S.A., a leading global spirits and wine company with premium international brands such as ABSOLUT® vodka, Chivas Regal®, The Glenlivet® and Ballantine's® Scotch whiskies, Jameson® Irish whiskey, Beefeater® gin, Kahlúa® liqueur, Mumm® champagne, and Jacob's Creek®, Wyndham Estate®, Stoneleigh®, Campo Viejo®, Graffigna® and Kenwood® wines.

SOURCE Hiram Walker & Sons Limited