Jackson Family Wines wins climate leadership award

Jackson Family Wines picked up the Organisational Leadership Award at the 2020 Climate Leadership Conference in Detroit this month, and is the first wine company to receive the honour.

Julien Gervreau (centre) vice-president of sustainability at Jackson Family Wines is presented with the leadership award

The award recognised the California-based wine giant’s exemplary leadership and commitment to mitigating the severity of the climate crisis.

“It’s a privilege receive this honour. Our commitment to reduce our impacts on shared natural resources, preserve biodiversity, and pioneer climate solutions is core to my family’s leadership in environmental stewardship,” said Katie Jackson, JFW’s senior vice president of corporate social responsibility.

“We’re proud to lead meaningful change that will help restore the health of the planet through responsible winemaking practices,” she added.

The award acknowledged Jackson Family Wines’ pioneering partnership with Spain’s Familia Torres to form the International Wineries for Climate Action initiative, which strives to collectively lower the wine world’s carbon footprint.

IWCA’s ambitious objective is for all members to reduce their carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2045.

“Planning for long-term prosperity means accounting for climate impacts and a decarbonised economy,” said Bob Perciasepe, president of The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

“The only way to take advantage of the clean energy transition is to be clear-eyed about climate challenges. Jackson Family Wines has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the clean energy economy.”

By the end of this year, over half of Jackson Family Wine’s operations will be powered by renewable energy. The firm is also funding research at UC Davis in California on ways to capture carbon dioxide and ethanol emissions during the fermentation process.