South African seal of sustainability

The world’s first guarantee of eco-friendly production has been launched by the South African wine industry.

Intended for wine bottles only, the sustainability seal will be issued by the country’s Wine and Spirit Board.

The seal is part of a wider collaboration between the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), the Wine and Spirits Board, the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative and Wines of South Africa (WOSA).

Each seal has a unique number meaning its provenance can be traced back to its original source through every stage of the supply chain.

The voluntary system will start this year and will be available to all producers who have passed IPW guidelines at all levels.

The IPW looks at issues such as pest management, health of the wineries’ workers, the conservation of biodiversity and the reduction of carbon emissions.

WOSA’s CEO, Su Birch, said: “Although other countries are introducing similar initiatives on a limited scale, at this stage South Africa is the only country to have the means to implement and certify the concept across the entire wine industry.

"The seal is a continuation of the local wine industry’s pioneering approach to sustainable wine growing and winemaking. “From this year’s harvest, producers who have been audited will be entitled to use the new seal as a visual guarantee of their commitment to environmentally-sensitive winemaking,” she added.

Independent auditors will be responsible for spot-checks to ensure that quality is maintained at all levels before and after the seal is awarded.

The original quality seal, which was launched in 1974, guarantees the provenance of the grapes and vintage and will still be available for those who have not attained the new one.

The original seal has been gained by over 95% of the South African wine industry and Birch predicts that 50% of the industry would choose to pursue the sustainable seal as well.

Rupert Millar, 14.04.10