South Africa Wine sets new course for responsible wine production

South Africa Wine has unveiled its first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Position Paper, calling it a landmark document that outlines the industry’s commitment to responsible, inclusive, and future-focused wine production.

The organisation stated that the paper marks a vital milestone for South Africa’s wine industry, and articulates a shared vision for sustainability that balances global expectations with local realities.

Chief executive officer of South Africa Wine, Rico Basson, said the world is asking tougher questions about how they treat their people, protect the planet, and govern businesses.

“This ESG Position Paper is our collective answer. It is a living document that defines who we are, what we stand for, and how we plan to create lasting value for all stakeholders,” he said.

South Africa’s wine industry has long been admired for its resilience, quality, and innovation. However, global consumers, investors, and trading partners increasingly demand transparency, ethical sourcing, and measurable impact across the supply chain.

Redefining standards for responsible winemaking

Gerard Martin, research, development, and innovation executive, said the document defines the key ESG themes most relevant to the South African wine value chain.

“It sets out principles, priorities, and a phased implementation plan, recognises the role of government, civil society, academia, and trade in supporting progress, and establishes a foundation for monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement.

“This initiative is the product of intensive consultation across the wine value chain and reflects the views of producers, cellars, suppliers, workers, researchers, and policy influencers,” he said.

South Africa Wine invites all stakeholders to engage with the paper, adopt its principles, and align their practices accordingly. The wine body said the position paper is not a set of rules, but rather a platform for progress, one that empowers the sector to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and respected global wine brand.

“Our ESG journey will be uniquely South African, pragmatic, people-centred, and evidence-based. We invite everyone to support and influence this initiative, because this is about building a better future for our land, people, and place in the world,” Basson said.

Review the paper here.