A series of sustainability workshops for wine makers will provide information on how to achieve sustainability certification and work towards carbon neutrality, organisers say.
The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) is supporting Wine Victoria with the series aimed at the Victorian wine sector, covering Sustainable Winegrowers Australia (SWA) certification, and working towards carbon neutrality in the vineyard and winery.
SWA is governed by AWRI, Australian Grape & Wine, and Wine Australia, and supports grape growers and winemakers in measuring, reporting, and encouraging best practices in vineyards and wineries, amid rising consumer and retailer demands for sustainable products.
In 2020, it released a trust mark for certified businesses to show consumers their environmental credentials. There are now more than 1150 SWA members, representing 40 per cent of total wine production in Australia.
According to SWA’s 2022 Impact Report, 78 per cent of Australians want action and consider a brand’s social and environmental actions when making a purchase. Additionally, 54 per cent of global wine drinkers only trust sustainable wine that is officially certified, SWA said.
The workshops will run between May and June, at five different locations.
The first will focus on sustainability certification, with an in-depth look at the Australian Wine Industry Standards of Sustainable Practice for vineyards and wineries. Participants will receive a set of customisable templates and resources to support their audit preparation and program maintenance.
Wine Victoria said the workshops are worth $460 but is being offered to up to 100 Victorian grape and wine producers at no cost.
The second workshop looks at working towards carbon neutrality in the vineyard and winery.
The full-day workshops will look at climate change projections for each region and the impacts for grape and wine production. They will then discuss the challenges and opportunities for vineyards and wineries to become carbon neutral.
The cost for this workshop is $35.00 per person, heavily subsidised by the program.
Wine Victoria chair Stephanie Duboudin said there was an “excellent list” of participants in the first round of workshops held in March.
“In March we covered the introduction to SWA certification and carbon calculators. The SWA certification helps businesses formalise their approach and put continuous improvement at the heart of their sustainability journey.
“There has been strong growth in the uptake of the Sustainable Winegrowers Australia certification. Wine Victoria is strongly committed to providing the opportunities for our winemakers and growers to gain this important certification to ensure that our members have the skills and accreditations required for a future focused industry,” Duboudin said.
