In 2019, the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), accompanied by Greenflex, started building its sustainable development strategy for the Bordeaux wine industry, called Sustainable Impact. In 2020, the Executive Committee of theCIVB voted to setup a collective certification initiative forcompaniesbased on this strategy. The aim wasto support, structure and strengthen the individual performance of winegrowers, negociants and cooperatives in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
All the ISO 26000 guidelines were translated into a framework of “Industry” standards. Three different operator profiles were also defined: winegrower (W), negociant (N) and cooperative cellar (CC). A version of the standards was created for each of these profiles.
These standards were then shared with numerous stakeholders to collect their constructive feedback, including a group of twenty or so pilot companies in the industry, the Lycée Agricole Bordeaux Gironde, the Chamber of Agriculture, MSA, Bordeaux Tourism, Vins et Société and Agriculture du Vivant.
The certification process detailed in this document defines the requirements for obtaining the Sustainable Impact label and has been validated by the third-party certification agency Bureau Veritas.
These standards are the property of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB). Any reproduction, in whole or in part, not authorized by the CIVB or its beneficiaries, is strictly forbidden.
The Sustainable Impact standards aim to assess the sustainable development strategy of a wine operator based on 4 pillars, each divided into 14 commitments and 48 control points made up of different means of control to be implemented by the company.
These pragmatic standards propose tangible actions in line with company activities.
Each operator is assessed on all the control points in the standards. A level of maturity is attributed for each control point (level 1, 2 or 3).
The higher levels include more demanding criteria and/or a greater number of criteria to be met. An operator must reach each previous level before moving up to the next level. For each control point assessed, the operator obtains a certain number of points based on the level of maturity attained:
Level 1: 1 point
Level 2: 3 points
Level 3: 6 points
Each pillar is considered equal: the score obtained for each pillar is calculated out of 100. The overall score after audit is therefore obtained out of a total of 400 points, by adding up the subtotalsof the 4pillars. The finallevelof maturity obtained depends on this overall score.
Level 1: > 80 points
Major points
Level 2: > 200 points
Level 3: > 350 points
“Major” control points determine the total level of maturity attained. Inotherwords, an operator attains level 2 if their total number of points is over 200 and if they reach maturity level 2 in all their major control points.
Bonus points
“Bonus” control points enable the operator to attain better performance. When calculating the score by pillar, the number of points attained for bonus control points are added to the numerator but not to the denominator.
To illustrate, an operator has 16 control points for pillar 1, of which 2 are bonus points. The score for pillar 1 is calculated as follows:
1 Associated document: Scoring grid
Non-applicable assessment criteria
Operators are not necessarily subject to assessment on all criteria because they either do not take direct action on the criteria proposed, or the assessment criteria does not correspond to the specific nature of their organization. In these cases, the operator can state “non-applicable” for certain points and/or means of control, justifying the reason during the internal audit.
In order to guarantee the principle of equality between organizations, a “non-applicable” control point shall be awarded the maximum number of points, i.e. level 3. A “nonapplicable”controlpointshallbeconsideredas attained.
Companies are expected to pursue a continuous improvement policy, with the aim of qualifying for the next level of certification. After achieving maturity level 3, the company undertakes to maintain its CSR policy and, if possible, to make further progress towards excellence.
Commitments
Control points
Manage your business indicators
1.1 Ensure the future of activities led by industry players iversify your activities, clients and markets
Ensure the succession of companies
Maintain / create jobs
efine a medium- and long-term strategy based on CSR
1 2 Attract and develop talent, particularly through inclusive approaches
romote the transmission of knowledge to students and young professionals
Contribute to preparing upskilling programs at industry level
Train your employees and accompany them in their internal career development plan
Incorporate the company s CSR commitments into your employees daily work
Work towards diversity , fairness and equal opportunities within your organization and beyond
ave an attractive remuneration policy
Be part of the local employment dynamic
A NA L AC LA L AN A
Commitments
Control points
4.4 Engage industry professionals in approaches aimed at limiting the environmental impact of their activities
The company must be active in the wine industry as a winegrower (winemaker or cooperative member), negociant or cooperativecellar. The companymust be located in the Gironde, andcertification can only be awarded to winesproducedin a protected designation oforigin in the Gironde region.Furthermore, at least 30% of the sales volumes of negociants must be sales of wines from protected designations of origin in the Gironde region.
The company creates an account on the website rse.conseilxpert.fr/login from where it can access the online self-assessment tool. This tool allows any company in the wine industry to assess its sustainable development policies, taking into account all the topics covered by the Sustainable Impact label.
We recommend completing the first self-assessment with a CIVB-accredited Sustainable Impact advisor to facilitate assistance towards obtaining certification. The self-assessment is designed to be updated as the company progresses over time. This tool provides an indicative score and serves as a basis for discussions during the internal audit.
To apply for the Sustainable Impact label, a company must take the following steps:
• Initial training
The advisor, via collective training or personalized accompaniment prior to certification, assists the company with gradually becoming autonomous in applying the initiative (building a CSR strategy, preparing a road map, monitoring actions implemented, mastering tools provided, etc.). Three training modules have been created with this in mind. This scheme is supported by funding from our partners VIVEA and OCA IAT.
• Entering the scope of certification
When the company feels ready to begin the certification process, it makes a request to enter the scope of certification by filling in this form (only available in French)
The company specifies the level of maturityitwishestoattainduringthe CSR audit.
• Contractualization
The CIVB formalizes the agreement with the company to contribute to the costs incurred as part of the CSR certification process2. This agreement is renewed for each certificationcycle(24months)andis rendered null and voidin theevent of withdrawal from the scope of certification.
• Audit planning
The CIVB organizes the overall audit schedule and tasks qualified auditors to conduct the audits.
• Sending the audit plan
The auditor sendsthe audit plan3 to the company at least 15 days before the audit. The audit plan contains the date, place and time of the audit, the level requested, the organizations audited, and any stakeholders interviewed.
2 Associated document: Agreement to contribute to the costs incurred as part of the CSR certification process
3 Associated document: Audit plan
• Two types of certification: collective or individual initiative
In the case of a group of several companies (multiple registered companies), the company can formalize the process with a single agreement for all sites (collective initiative) or draw up an agreement for each of its sites (individual initiative).
The companies within a collective initiative must meet the following criteria:
- A common governance structure for all sites which has the organizational authority to define, implement and operate a single CSR strategy
- The same level of CSR maturity across all sites
• Audit duration
The internal audit takes 1 day for each profile audited (there are 3 profiles: winegrower, negociant, cooperative cellar). If the auditor and/or advisor deem it necessary to conduct an audit over more than one day, due to the complexity of the organization being audited, they must formulate their request to the CIVB for validation prior to the audit.
For companies with several activities (i.e. winegrower and negociant), the number of audit days will be studied on a case-by-case basis depending on the complexity of the organization.
For the audit of a collective initiative, the auditor selects one of the sites for the day’s audit.
• Billing of CSR certification participation fees
Annually and from the date of entry into the scope of certification, the company’s contribution to the cost of the label amounts to:
- €1,000 excl. VAT for a single registered company within the scope of certification
- €1, 50 excl. VAT for several registered companies within the scope of a collective initiative
• Companies with several activities
If a company has 2 different activities (i.e. winegrower and negociant), it must conduct 1 self-assessment per company profile
• Inspection procedures during the audit
The purpose ofthe internal audit is tovalidatethe company’s entry into the scope of certification and to attribute it a level of maturity. The internal audit is conducted on site. The control points are audited by means of an interview and document checks / on-site observations by the auditor.4
• Certification decision
At the end of the assessment, at the closing meeting, the auditor formulates a conclusion as to whether or not the audited company should be included within the scope of certification:
➔ Validation of the level of maturity
➔ Modification of the level of maturity
The auditor has an auditor account on the website rse.conseilxpert.fr/login on which the CIVB attributes, several days before the audit, the self-assessments of the companies they will be auditing. sing the online tool, the auditor can write up their audit report and adjust the company’s total score according to the control points they consider to have been attained or not. If both parties agree on the conclusions of the audit, the auditor, followed by the company, sign the audit report online
Audit report
The auditor writes up an audit report. This contains the auditor’s findings for each control point, the company’s strengths and areas for improvement, the evidence consulted, the conclusion expressing the audit’s findings, and a check on the proper use of the Sustainable Impact label in compliance with the usage charter. The audit report is sent to the company within days following the audit.
Certificate of recognition
After validation of the audit report, the CIVB sends the now certified company a certificate of recognition stating all the registered companies within its scope that have been audited and the validity period of the certification.5 This certificate is valid subject to the results of the external audit conducted each year by the independent third-party agency, Bureau Veritas (see ART 4).
After validation of its internal audit, each certified company receives a communication kit with all versions of the logo. As soon as the company obtains certification, it can communicate according to the rules defined in the usage charter.6 The purpose of the usage charter is to define the terms and conditions of use of the Sustainable Impact label by the various users.
The company acknowledges and signs the Sustainable Impact label usage charter at the same time as the internal audit report.
5 Associated document: Certificate of recognition FR / EN
6 Associated document: Sustainable Impact label usage charter
The internal audit is valid for 24 months from the date it is completed. The CIVB proposes a new internal audit before the expiry date, so that the company can retain its certification.
Every year, the advisor meets with the certified companies to: ensure that they are autonomously updating their self-assessment; take note of the progress made in their CSR strategy and their commitment to continuous improvement; and present any changes to the standards and the new tools made available to them by the CIVB.7
A company is no longer a member of the scope of certification:
- Byrequestfromthecompany,whichcan choose to withdraw from the scope at any time by notifying the CIVB and its advisor. A sworn declaration of withdrawal from the scope is signed by both parties.8
- For non-compliance with the rules of communication specified in the usage charter
- For non-payment of outstanding contributions
Withdrawal from the scope of certification means no longer claiming to be certified by the Sustainable Impact label and no longer using the logoonallthecompany’sdocumentsandmeans of communication.
Everyyear,theCIVBperformsa riskanalysis9 and selects a sample of certified companies to be reaudited internally.
An internal audit is mandatory if one of the following criteria is met:
- Entry into the scope of certification (1st internal audit)
- Expiry of the validity of the last internal audit (duration: 24 months)
- Request by the company to change the level of maturity
- New site to be included in a collective initiative
Thefrequencyofinternalauditscanbeincreased according to the risk analysis, which takes account of:
- Risks reported by the advisor: major changes (governance, purchasing/sales, financial incidents, climatic incidents, significant turnover, etc.) or related to the initiative (advisor contact, CIVB contact, participation in training courses)
- Risks identified by the CIVB (selfassessment tool not updated, no change to the number of major control points in 3 years, no continuous improvement, negative feedback from a third party)
7 Associated document: Sustainable Impact Advisor Commitment Charter
8 Associated document: Sworn declaration of withdrawal from the scope of Sustainable Impact certification
9 Associated document: Risk analysis
Toguaranteetheinitiative’sintegrityandreliability,theindependentthird-partycertificationagencyBureau Veritas carries out an annual assessment of our compliance with the Sustainable Impact standards.
The external audit is conducted in 2 parts:
- Audit of the CIVB as the label manager
- Audit of a selection of certified companies
The selection procedure used by Bureau Veritas is detailed in the control plan.10
If the results of this assessment are satisfactory, Bureau Veritas issues a certificate of recognition to the CIVB, valid for 1 year.
epending on the nature of the lack of compliance assessed by Bureau Veritas, certification may be suspended.
The following rules have been drawn up with the independent third-party agency to define how the inspection grid is to be interpreted by operators:
- Client: a person or legal entity who purchases or requires goods or services in return for payment. For the purpose of these standards, there is a binding agreement between these two parties.
- Local: eachcompanywillneedtodefinewhatthenotionoflocal meansforitandjustifyitsanswer.
- Control points comprising “My company identifies”, “My company conducts a self-assessment”, “My company conducts a risk analysis” will require the provision of documents for inspection (sometimessupplementedbyaninterview).Assessmentconfirmingthatdocumentsexistandthat they are consistent with the broad outlines of the subject does not necessarily mean validation of their completeness or details therein. Special cases may exist and are explained in the grid
- Control points comprising "My company defines an action plan” will beinspectedbychecking that an action plan exists, without inspecting its implementation.
- Controlpointscomprising"My company implements an action plan” willbeinspectedbychecking that an action plan exists and its implementation.
Auditors are required to comply with these interpretations during their audits.
10 Associated document: Bureau Veritas control plan
The CIVB is the owner and guarantor of the certification process. lease address any requests for information about how to apply for the Sustainable Impact label to cultivonsdemain@vins-bordeaux.fr
The Bureau Veritas Recognition Committee is an independent body responsible for quality assurance of the label. Any changes to the certification procedures or to the content of the standards are examined by the Recognition Committee, which approves or rejects them.
Jointly chaired by two CIVB members and representatives of the two professional families, the Technical Commission is asked to give its opinion on changes proposed on the "Protecting the environment” pillar of the standards.
Made up of professionals from wine companies committed to sustainable development (via the Sustainable Impact label or otherwise), the CSR WG aims to cover all areas of the standards (social, societal, environmental). The composition of the work group may change over time. The CSR WG is asked to give its opinion on proposed changes to the “Contributing to an attractive industry”, “Promoting dialogue” and “Bringing our region to life” pillars of the standards.
The CSR WG may also be called upon annually to rule on at-risk companies, in order to validate whether or not they should be included in the scope of the certification.
The CIVB-accredited advisor is responsible for supporting the company throughout the certification process. The accreditation process for advisors is updated in the skills monitoring table.11
Recruitment: Advisors are selected by the CIVB based on their knowledge of the wine industry and their experience as facilitators.
Initial training: elivered by the CIVB, the aim is to master the ISO 26000 standard, the content of the Sustainable Impact standards and the certification process.
Accreditation: Once trained, the advisor signs a contract agreement12 with the CIVB and a commitment charter13 whichdescribestheadvisor’s role.
Reviews
The CIVB organizes several annual reviews with advisors, training sessions identified as necessary to improve their skills and ensure they receive all the information needed by the network of companies committed to the Sustainable Impact initiative. articipationinthesereviewsishighly recommended. Repeated absences may result in the withdrawal of accreditation.
11 Associated document: Advisors’ skills monitoring table
Assessments
The CIVB monitors and evaluates the advisor every year based on factual indicators14 .
12 Associated document: Accredited advisor agreement for the Sustainable Impact initiative
13 Associated document: Sustainable Impact advisor Commitment Charter
14 Associated document: Advisor assessment form
When a company applies for certification, the CIVB appoints an auditor, taking into account the specific characteristics of the company, and ensuring that the person in charge of the audit is in no way judge and jury. The auditor is recruited and remunerated by the CIVB.
Recruitment: Auditors are selected by the CIVB mainly on the basis of their knowledge of the ISO 26000 standard and their audit-related people skills and technical skills.
Initial training: The initial training is essential to become a Sustainable Impact auditor. elivered by the CIVB, the aim is to master the tools and requirements of the Sustainable Impact standards.
Accreditation: Once trained, the auditor signs a contract agreement15 with the CIVB.
Reviews
The CIVB organizes an annual review with auditors, a training session identified as necessary to improve skills. articipation in these reviews is highly recommended. Repeated absences may result in the withdrawal of accreditation.
Assessments
The CIVB monitors and evaluates the auditor every year based on factual indicatorsand at least one on-site observation during an audit16 .
In orderto take into accountnew challengesin thewine industry and feedbackfrom stakeholders(certified companies, auditors, advisors, third-party certification agency), the content of the standards is regularly reviewed and adapted on the recommendation of the CIVB. After consulting the various decision-making bodies (Technical Commission, CSR WG), any proposed changes are presented to the Bureau Veritas Recognition Committee. This committee examines the proposals and decides on whether to approve or rejectthem.Oncevalidated,thenewversionofthestandardsispublished,andtheonlineself-assessment tool is updated to integrate the new version. Certified operatorshave a transition period, definedby Bureau Veritas, to comply with the new requirements.
Any modification involving a change in operator practices must be undertaken after external consultation with Bureau Veritas. All advisors, auditors and certified companies involved in the Sustainable Impact initiative must be sent information regarding the update.
This document is available on bordeaux.com. Any third party may submit a request to the CIVB to access a detailed and exhaustive version of the standards.
15 Associated document: Accredited auditor agreement for the Sustainable Impact initiative
16 Associated document: Auditor assessment form
At least once a year, the CIVB collects feedback from its stakeholders:
- Advisors via their annual review
- Auditors via their annual review
- All certified operators via their operating review
➔ An operator wishes to contest a certification decision following an internal audit
The operator can address a written complaint (by email or post) to the CIVB within 15 days of the date they receive their audit report. The CIVB analyzesthe request and providesa second interpretation of the points of dispute between the auditor and the audited company. If applicable, the CIVB informs the company of the new certification decision.
Financial claims are not admissible when contractual conditions have been met.
All issues identified from stakeholder feedback (Bureau Veritas, advisors, auditors, operators, the CIVB, external third parties) are recorded in a complaints tracking table and are processed accordingly.17
17 Associated document: Issues tracking table
