Sustainability RAPAURA SPRINGS, BLIND RIVER VINEYARD PHOTO: RICHARD BRIGGS
Sustainability has been an integral part of the New Zealand wine industry for well over 20 years. Over 96% of New Zealand's vineyard area is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. For the New Zealand wine industry, sustainability means growing, making and sharing our wine in a way that doesn’t cost the earth. Sustainability credentials now play an important role in the perception of premium products. Goods that are produced with respect for the natural world, and for the
will result in an increased focus on quantitative
people throughout the value chain, are seen as
reporting, and are critical to ensure SWNZ remains
more desirable to modern, informed consumers.
a world-leading certification programme with
Our focus on sustainability will continue to
robust data collection.
position the industry to respond effectively to these shifts, as well as our government’s
SWNZ will become increasingly important to
ambitious regulatory reform agenda.
help members minimise transaction costs as government implements its regulatory reform
ENHANCING OUR COMMITMENT
agenda. During 2020/21, NZW has worked
TO SUSTAINABILITY
with a range of regional councils to help position
Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ)
SWNZ as an equivalent vehicle to achieve
is widely recognised as a world-leading
farm-planning objectives. These objectives are
sustainability programme and has been in place
likely to help shape the future direction of the
since 1995. But our commitment to sustainability
SWNZ programme.
means we are constantly evaluating how we can improve our actions and enhance our efforts.
GROWING FOCUS ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The past 12 months have focused on the first
Climate change has rapidly become the most
stage of a long-term project to future-proof
talked about focus area of sustainability,
SWNZ and ensure its relevance for members. In
with the wine industry setting the goal of
December 2020, new SWNZ questionnaires were
being carbon neutral by 2050 in line with
released online, which are better aligned with
government’s regulatory deadline. For the first
our six key focus areas and their corresponding
time, a specific section on climate change was
sustainability goals. Our key focus areas and goals
included in the new SWNZ questionnaire for
encapsulate specific aspects of sustainability that
both vineyards and wineries. The data collected
are most relevant for our industry, our people,
through this reporting will help to build a greater
our stakeholders and our markets. These updates
understanding of the industry’s greenhouse gas
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