With climate change impacting grape production, adopting sustainable agricultural practices like organic farming, water conservation, and biodiversity promotion is vital to ensure sustainable and profitable operations amidst the ever-changing farming environment.
Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) held a one-day Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Symposium focusing on the wine industry. The event aimed to bring everyone under one roof and come up with lasting solutions to the challenges, share the working models and hear what experts have to say.
The event, held in Stellenbosch, was attended by industry role players, farmers, experts from universities, and winemakers.
South Africa Wine’s Gerard Martin said it is no longer about profit margins or market share but about how wine farms conduct their business in ways that protect the planet, promote social equity, and adhere to robust governance practices.
Environmental resources are under threat
“For the South Africa wine industry embracing ESG principle is not only a necessity but an opportunity to carve out a more resilient, responsible and globally competitive future.
“Our industry is deeply intertwined with nature. We rely on healthy soils, water and stable climate conditions to produce the world-renowned wines that South Africa is known for, but we know that these very resources are under immense threat,” Martin said.
He said protecting local ecosystems and maintaining biodiversity within vineyards contribute to a healthier environment and can enhance the quality of the wine produced.
Martin said the wine industry cannot divorce itself from the social responsibility of having over 250 000 people hired across its entire value chain.
“Embracing the social aspect of ESG means committing ourselves to fair labour practices, improved working conditions and ensuring that workers are empowered with opportunities for the advancement of lives.”
“We must prioritise skills development and training, particularly for women and historically disadvantaged groups. The empowerment of workers is not just the right to do, it also strengthens and competitiveness of the industry,” he said.
Related stories
- South Africa Wine’s investment in research a game-changer
- Visionary leaders to shine at 2024 Wine Harvest celebration
On the governance side, Martin said strong governance practices, including ethical sourcing and transparent reporting, can enhance a winery’s reputation and attract investment.
“Good governance means being transparent, accountable and ethical in all business practices. It involves ensuring that decisions are made with long-term sustainability of the industry in mind, rather than short-term gains,” he said.
Empowering the farming community
A human resource officer at Bosman Adama Wines, Jeanine Hollenbach, said their partnership with organisations like Fairtrade over the years has made them look at their operations beyond winemaking but rather empowering its workforce.
“We have gone beyond what we do, we have integrated our business with ensuring that the livelihoods of our workers and those of their children are better. We have a preschool in our operations that caters for children from around seven months until they go to primary school,” she said.
Vivian Kleynhans from Seven Sisters Vineyards said as a person who grew up in farm dwellings, she understands the importance of community development.
“What we do is not only for our workers but also the general community. We have established a funeral policy because there was a need for that. In a recent development, we raised funds for a person to go to the hospital after going blind; they had their operations and now their sight is back.
“We do what we do for the love of community development and giving people hope in hopeless situations,” she said.
Fairtrade Africa’s Mario Williams said it is important for vineyards to be proactive in addressing the ESG’s and do that on time.
“We do not need to wait for an audit to put our things together, collaboration is very important and adhering to ESGs needs to be a lifestyle so that we embrace it,” he said.
READ NEXT: Expanded China market opens new doors for SA farmers
Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain
