Chilean wine industry certifies first 14 wineries under Wines of Chile’s Sustainability Code(2)
Wines of Chile’s Sustainability Code
The WoC Sustainability Code was developed specifically for the Chilean wine industry to set standards and provide a tool for measuring various sustainable practices throughout the entire winemaking value chain and comprises a set of initiatives and
projects that aim to guide the industry toward sustainability, understood as the convergence of production processes that are environmentally friendly, socially equitable, and economically viable. Thus, the Code addresses the wine sector’s needs for sustainable practices in three areas –Vineyard (Green Chapter),
Winery (Red Chapter), and Community (Orange Chapter), and provides a Checklist of control points to be evaluated and a Manual with recommendations for each control point.
Its comprehensive approach makes Wines of Chile’s Sustainability Code the most ambitious and comprehensive code among wine producing nations.
The code has three chapters: the green one, focused on the handling of natural resources, plagues in the vineyard, agrochemicals and industrial safety; the red one, focused on the energetic efficiency, water management, garbage, recycling and
pollution prevention; and the orange one, focused on business ethics, environment, working conditions, relationship with the community, marketing and consumers.
Currently, the certification covers only the green stage and has a one-year validity. Chapters red and orange will be added to the certification during 2012 and the new certification will be valid for two years.
The requirement to the vineyards will progressively increase, going from 60% of the own surface incorporated to the system and 15% of rent surface to 75% and 25% by the end of 2016, to reach 90% and 40% in 2019. More vineyards are expected to join this process and be recognized as sustainable wines producers, a relevant part in the Strategy towards the 2020 plan.
